Roger Longbottom
Guest
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Last edited:
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- Thread starter Roger Longbottom
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
You are probably not tightening the stem bolts enough if coming loose - they are what holds the headset on. All the top cap is for is to adjust the pre-load on the bearings, not to hold it there. The stem bolts do that. Undo the stem bolts before tightening the top cap bolt.
Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
Maybe a bit of threadlock wouldn’t go amiss.
Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
How are you tightening the top cap? It isn't just enough to torque down just enough to stop any play like you had to in the old days of loose bearing threaded headsets. With cartridge bearings you need to take up the play and then give another 1/4 to 1/3 of a turn to settle the cartridge into the tapered seat in the head tube.
One other thing to check if your frame has a bung rather than a star nut, did you tighten the bung in the tube before you fitted the cap? If the bung is loose it will pull up as you tighten the top cap bolt rather than grip and hold it.
No need to take the stem off. Just take the top cap off and upload a picture of the top end. If the spacers don't go beyond the steerer tube, then that is the problem.
Posters above have highligted the possible problems
1 Are you preloading the bearings by tightening the top cap before the stem bolts.
2 Is the bung tight and not moving, check the tightness of that cap screw you can see.
The other thing I can think of is the crown race was not seated correctley and has moved (very unlikely but not impossible)
1 Are you preloading the bearings by tightening the top cap before the stem bolts.
2 Is the bung tight and not moving, check the tightness of that cap screw you can see.
The other thing I can think of is the crown race was not seated correctley and has moved (very unlikely but not impossible)