I need help..

PB Forum :: Mechanics' Lounge
I need help..
  • Previous Page
  • Next Page
Author Message
flag Wayvee
Posted: Oct 27, 2014 at 20:10 Quote
Hey guys, I've been messing around with my bike (Slightly amateur with maintenance) and have screwed around with the headset.

I undid the bolts on my headset, and totally undid the bolt on the top sticking down vertically (down the forks), which I believe is not needed.

I had a lot of issues as it all fell apart, but now it is all in correct order and is all together, and I have done it up as tight as possible but there is still atleast 0.5cm movement when I move the bike forward and back, and makes a horrible noise.

I have looked on youtube, I've tried everything and really need this fixed as I ride my bike every day and love my bike, but I will not ride it like this as I fear serious fork damage.

Any tips, youtube links or anything would help immensely.
flag Alant86
Posted: Oct 28, 2014 at 11:42 Quote
Could you post photos maybe? Sounds like a spacer or maybe even a bearing has fell out and hasn't made it back in!
flag foobajoob
Posted: Oct 28, 2014 at 18:58 Quote
cobba wrote:
Wayvee wrote:
and totally undid the bolt on the top sticking down vertically (down the forks), which I believe is not needed.

That bolt is needed, it tightens the steering, you tighten that bolt the required amount before you tighten the stem onto the steering tube.

Yeah, I'm betting this is your problem. If you tighten the stem before tensioning the top cap bolt, it can cause that wobble you're seeing. It means there's not enough tension on the headset bearings, and that top cat bolt is what controls that. You want it to be just tight enough that there's no wobble between the steerer and the head tube, but the bars still turn freely without sticking. Too much tension can damage the headset bearings and cause them to wear out quickly. Here's a good article about headset adjustment along with a handy video: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tech-tuesday-headset-adjusting-2010.html

Hopefully, that's the cause of the noise it's making too. If not, you may have put the headset back together wrong and will need to pull everything apart again.
  • Previous Page
  • Next Page

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.007685
Mobile Version of Website