Headset Question (for us of a certain age)

[tomj]

Have bought a Dawes Super Galaxy which I’m guessing is from the early 90s.
Reasonable condition, down tube indexed leavers, low pro cantilever brakes, 7 speed cassette will make a sturdy winter bike.
Changed the sticky brake cables and was ready to go except I thought I would re-grease the unbranded (black) headset.......mistake, should have left it alone.

Trouble is, try as I may it’s either too loose or too tight, is this me, or should I try new ball bearings?

Anyone know if these are likely to be 5/32 or some other strange size?

Tom

[rjb]

Dawes of that vintage were fitted with 1" JIS sized headsets with 5/32 caged balls. You could try removing the cage and adding more ball bearings to fill the race. This takes the number of balls from 22 usually to about 26. If you are handy then removing the crown race and lower cup from the frame and replacing at approx 45 degrees in opposing directions can help if the races are suffering from ball indents from having previously been tight.

[531colin]

............
Trouble is, try as I may it’s either too loose or too tight, ...............

This can be caused by putting a set of balls in a retainer up the wrong way.

[Valbrona]

You understand that these threaded headsets have an adjustable bearing race a locknut to keep it in place? In other words, you need a headset wrench and a large adjustable wrench to adjust one.

[Brucey]

It could be a clip upside down of course, but some headsets have the irritating feature that inside the (usually lower) race there are two shoulders; one where the balls are meant to sit and the other where they can sit if the headset is even slightly misassembled. The headset adjustment is exactly as you describe if even one ball is in the wrong place. This can drive you berserk; your Dawes may be like this.

You have to assemble the lower race right first time, then hold the fork up against the frame and not let it move at all until you have completed the upper race assembly. You will know when you have done it right because you will be able to tighten the upper threaded race hand-tight and it will still feel like a bearing.

Obviously when you tighten the locknut everything bears down a bit more, so it will take a few goes, incrementally adjusting the threaded race from about 1/4 turn back (i.e. looser to tighter) before you will get the adjustment right.

If you continue to have trouble, post again and let us know. I'm pretty sure I have a frame and headset like that (in the 'pending' stash) that I can double-check on your behalf.

cheers

[tomj]

The headset was a bit "stiff" when I bought it but then the bike hadn’t been used for a year or so.

I will have another go at adjusting this (following the advice above) but having trouble squeezing a headset spanner as the cable hanging is in the way.
One of these may be an answer, maybe then I will be able to hold the top race in position whilst tightening the lock nut.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/raleigh-fron ... prod21510/

Thanks for the help and will keep you posted!

[Brucey]

if you have a cable hanger between the adjusting race and the locknut this is easy to deal with; just use a headset spanner on the locknut and use a large adjustable spanner to hold the hanger bracket. If you do this the adjusting race cannot turn as you tighten the locknut.

cheers

[tomj]

Think I tried this, but will have another go tomorrow!

Thanks

[tim-b]

Hi
"One of these may be an answer", it should help and it has the bonus of preventing the brake juddering if your fork steerer is a bit springy
Regards
tim-b

[NetworkMan]

If your bike is like my 1993 Dawes Horizon you may find that the steerer has a keyway cut along its length with a matching projection on the cable hanger. This is presumably intended to prevent the hanger from rotating when the locknut is tightened. You will still find that tightening the locknut does influence the adjustment so some trial and error is needed.

On my bike the keyway in the steerer was not aligned properly so the hanger was off centre and I eventually filed the projection off in order to align the hanger properly. This meant that it was necessary to adopt the approach described by Brucey so that he hanger didn't rotate.

[tomj]

Job (finally) done!

Not too sure if I mislaid a washer, but rebuilt the headset with new loose bearings, plenty of grease and a spacer between the top race and cable hanger.
This allowed me room for a second headset spanner to hold the top race in place whilst tightening the lock nut.

Easy enough in the end.

Thanks for your advice, will look at rebuilding the DX hubs later.