Fitting a new threaded headset

[si_c]

If I were you I'd stop filing immediately and take it to a LBS, the parts should be a tight fit, filing the headtube or forks could leave you with an unusable bike.

You need a headset press to fit the cups properly otherwise you won't be able to get them into the headtube easily and straight. For the crown race you usually need a special tool to do it too, it's a heavy metal tube that acts like a hammer and basically pushes the race on, but importantly does it straight.

Your bike shop will have all of these tools and likely do it for a tenner. Don't try to bodge it or file things so they slide on better, they are compression fit so need to be tight.

 

[Alan O]

If I were you I'd stop filing immediately and take it to a LBS, the parts should be a tight fit, filing the headtube or forks could leave you with an unusable bike.

You need a headset press to fit the cups properly otherwise you won't be able to get them into the headtube easily and straight. For the crown race you usually need a special tool to do it too, it's a heavy metal tube that acts like a hammer and basically pushes the race on, but importantly does it straight.

Your bike shop will have all of these tools and likely do it for a tenner. Don't try to bodge it or file things so they slide on better, they are compression fit so need to be tight.

It's definitely more than just needing to push them in properly - I can say for certain, for example, that the method of using a hard plastic pipe will not work, and I can't see any tube-like tool doing it either.

Even after some filing, the crown measures 26.4mm while the race internal diameter is 26.2mm, and the race is not going to push over that.

The lower cup measures 30.2mm, as it says on the box, but the internal diameter of the head tube is 29.8mm - that's a 0.4mm difference, and surely no special tool is going to force the steel to compress/expand that much.

I've also spoken with a friend who used to build bikes in the 80s, and he says he never came across one the way mine sounds.

I reckon I've just got a frame with sloppy construction and/or poor QC, and it's not going to fit without the removal of some metal.

Incidentally, is there a LBS you'd recommend? The only independents I've identified are Picton Cycles (which I've not visited) and the nearer Oban Cycles (which just looks like a retailer of new bikes).

 

[Alan O]

Just out of curiosity can I see a pic of the fork crown, looks like a Haden

Here you go...

 

[midlife]

here is a Haden. Not a shabby looking frame by any means

 

[Alan O]

View attachment 362096

here is a Haden. Not a shabby looking frame by any means

 

[si_c]

It's definitely more than just needing to push them in properly - I can say for certain, for example, that the method of using a hard plastic pipe will not work, and I can't see any tube-like tool doing it either.
I reckon I've just got a frame with sloppy construction and/or poor QC, and it's not going to fit without the removal of some metal.

It's certainly possible, but I'd still get the LBS to look at its.

Incidentally, is there a LBS you'd recommend? The only independents I've identified are Picton Cycles (which I've not visited) and the nearer Oban Cycles (which just looks like a retailer of new bikes).

I've always had good service from Quinns on Edge Lane, good guys know what they're talking about, and the shops been there a long time and seems to be doing quite well.

An alternative who I can't recommend highly enough are Cyclehouse, either their Warrington or Cheshire Oaks branches, stunning service, and the workshop has always been reasonably priced too.

 

[davidphilips]

carlsburg option? Borrow a vernier or ask some one to measure both the old head set and the new if they are the same then fit the best you can, if different then its a matter of buying the correct headset.

 

[Alan O]

carlsburg option? Borrow a vernier or ask some one to measure both the old head set and the new if they are the same then fit the best you can, if different then its a matter of buying the correct headset.

I have one, a Mitutoyo, which is what I made my measurements with. And there's no old headset - I bought the frame and forks without one.

 

[Alan O]

I've always had good service from Quinns on Edge Lane, good guys know what they're talking about, and the shops been there a long time and seems to be doing quite well.

An alternative who I can't recommend highly enough are Cyclehouse, either their Warrington or Cheshire Oaks branches, stunning service, and the workshop has always been reasonably priced too.

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about Quinns - delighted to hear they're still there and still doing well.

I'm restricted in not having any motorised transport, but Edge Lane isn't too far and I can get there easily enough - I think I'll at least seek their advice before I do anything else.

 

[ORO]

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about Quinns - delighted to hear they're still there and still doing well.

I'm restricted in not having any motorised transport, but Edge Lane isn't too far and I can get there easily enough - I think I'll at least seek their advice before I do anything else.

Did you sort this out. Looks like it needs a JIS crown race. Possibly it's a Tange crown or fork.
See attached

http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/catalogs/tange-catalog.pdf

 

[Alan O]

Did you sort this out. Looks like it needs a JIS crown race. Possibly it's a Tange crown or fork.
See attached

http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/catalogs/tange-catalog.pdf

I got sidetracked by some family issues and haven't got back to it yet, but hope to before too long. As for sizes/standards, the only thing I'm reasonably confident of is that it's a Tange ISO headset, but other than that I'm going to leave it to Quinns to deal with - I've already spoken to them and they're happy to take a look.

 

[si_c]

If needs be Quinns will have a crown mill, which will allow them to correctly size the crown race to fit a modern headset. I had to get an old Peugeot crown milled as it wouldn't quite fit a new shimano headset. Didn't take them long, and the race fitted perfectly afterwards.

 

[Alan O]

I finally took the frame, fork and headset into Quinns today, and the engineer reckons I do have the correct size headset but the crown needs a bit of filing. He says he'll have it ready for me by Tuesday.

 

[rogerzilla]

0.2mm is about right for an interference fit. A proper crown race setter (not expensive from Cyclus) is a big heavy tube and the race needs banging on because it's actually stretching slightly as it goes. On the other hand, if it's a JIS fork it needs cutting down to ISO by a good bike shop or framebuilder - or get a JIS crown race. Tange Passage ones are available separately.

 

[Alan O]

I picked it up today and it's fitted just fine! £20, which seems reasonable to me. I'll continue charting my build progress, with photos, over at my original thread.