Problem with headset - any advice?



rozman

New Member
Jun 20, 2007
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I just installed a Chris King Nothreadset with a Reynolds Uzo Pro carbon fork (with Reynolds compression plug) on my Merlin Extralight (1" head tube and related parts).

I'm having trouble keeping the headset tightened up. Once a week it will loosen up enough to give a 'clunk' whenever I tap the front brakes. Something is not right....

I pulled the stem and spacers off and looked at the innards.. nothing looks worn or cracked (good).

But.... I noticed that the diameter of the hole thru the top bearing cup (where the fork goes thru) is larger than the fork tube diameter by a few mms (creating a 1-2 mm gap on either side of the fork as it goes thru the bearing cup. Does this sound right? I would think there should be no gap... and this could be causing the prolem with it loosening up....

Any thoughts on this?

thanks
 
When the shop cut my fork they cut it just a little bit too short so that the headset cap could not snug down on the spacers. To fix the problem they put in a very thin spacer. Could be your problem too. Worth a try. Mine was doing what your's is prior to the fix.



rozman said:
I just installed a Chris King Nothreadset with a Reynolds Uzo Pro carbon fork (with Reynolds compression plug) on my Merlin Extralight (1" head tube and related parts).

I'm having trouble keeping the headset tightened up. Once a week it will loosen up enough to give a 'clunk' whenever I tap the front brakes. Something is not right....

I pulled the stem and spacers off and looked at the innards.. nothing looks worn or cracked (good).

But.... I noticed that the diameter of the hole thru the top bearing cup (where the fork goes thru) is larger than the fork tube diameter by a few mms (creating a 1-2 mm gap on either side of the fork as it goes thru the bearing cup. Does this sound right? I would think there should be no gap... and this could be causing the prolem with it loosening up....

Any thoughts on this?

thanks
 
azdroptop said:
When the shop cut my fork they cut it just a little bit too short so that the headset cap could not snug down on the spacers. To fix the problem they put in a very thin spacer. Could be your problem too. Worth a try. Mine was doing what your's is prior to the fix.
I don't understand.... if the fork tube was cut too short, there would be a large gap between the top of the fork tube and the cap... and they would not touch... what am I missing?

thanks
 
You're right. The fork was a bit long. :) Sorry about that.

My headset wouldn't snug up all the way so they put in the spacer and it is now fine. Silver spacer fixed the problem.

Headset-spacer.gif
 
azdroptop said:
You're right. The fork was a bit long. :) Sorry about that.

My headset wouldn't snug up all the way so they put in the spacer and it is now fine. Silver spacer fixed the problem.
thanks. Makes sense. I will see if this is my problem too.
 
rozman said:
I just installed a Chris King Nothreadset with a Reynolds Uzo Pro carbon fork (with Reynolds compression plug) on my Merlin Extralight (1" head tube and related parts).

I'm having trouble keeping the headset tightened up. Once a week it will loosen up enough to give a 'clunk' whenever I tap the front brakes. Something is not right....

I pulled the stem and spacers off and looked at the innards.. nothing looks worn or cracked (good).

But.... I noticed that the diameter of the hole thru the top bearing cup (where the fork goes thru) is larger than the fork tube diameter by a few mms (creating a 1-2 mm gap on either side of the fork as it goes thru the bearing cup. Does this sound right? I would think there should be no gap... and this could be causing the prolem with it loosening up....

Any thoughts on this?

thanks

Headtube faced? Of not, do that.
 
Your stem is probably slipping on the steerer tube. You may need to snug those stem screws a little tighter. If you try this, be careful. A torque wrench would be safer.