bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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Just fitted my new forks at the weekend. Used the original headset, it's only five months old. Anyway, I had to loosen of the top bolt and re-do the stem bolts to try to loosen the pressure on the head set 'cause it had almost siezed!!
I rode it to work today and the headset still seems to be really stif and theres a grinding noise when I turn the handelbars.
I was planning on stripping the headset and re-greasing/oiling it.
What oil/grease should I use?
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Amar
journeyman
Reged: 03/05/2009
Posts: 65
Loc: Twickenham, London
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Any teflon based lithium grease.
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"I thought of that while riding my bike"
-Albert Einstein, on the theory of relativity
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DISGreece
veteran
Reged: 26/01/2009
Posts: 1261
Loc: Greece
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sounds as though its a little tight... is the steering action smooth or rough?
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Ride hard but avoid the hikers 
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bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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Pretty rough!
I had a roblem when I had my old forks on and it seems to be the same problem. I loosened everything off last night. I'll give it a good clean and re-grease the bits and hopefully that will work.
Cheers
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NogintheNog
stranger
Reged: 04/05/2009
Posts: 20
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I've always found that once the bearings begin to run rough you're on hiding to nothing trying to salvage them. You either need to replace the bearings or buy a new headset. If you want longevity buy a Chris King - expensive but they last for ever - or FSA do an Orbit Extreme Pro for £50 with bearings guaranteed for ten years. I had one of these and the lower bearing seized after 9 years; FSA replaced it with no qualms.
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fredmundo
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 30/06/2008
Posts: 2629
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hope headsets are also supposed to be pretty good.
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"Duct tape is like the force: It has a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together."- Carl Zwanzig
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bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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Its an FSA headset that's on the bike! I think that dirt has got into it some how. I'll pop into the shop on my way home tonight. I'll get some grease and perhaps replacement bearings.
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joespencer33
enthusiast
Reged: 18/08/2008
Posts: 327
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I use park Polly 1000-If unsure just see what they use in the mag tech pages-i imagine they only use quality stuff.
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There are 3 types of people in this world-Those who can count and those who can't
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bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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Just stripped the headset down. Gutted! The bottom set of bearings are a bit groggy, slightly pitted and showing signs of corrosion but the top set of bearings is well and truley fect! somehow there are three ball bearings missing, the rings misshapen, pitted and showing signs of corrosion.
The bikes only 5 months old. When I took it to the shop for it's first service I pointed the problem with the headset out. I think they just slapped more grease on the bloody thing.
Gonna have to get a new Head set I think! It's an oversized stearer tube so not too sure what to get.
P***ed off to say the least!
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MTBLeague
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 23/05/2007
Posts: 1647
Loc: Moving again.
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Bet they lost 3 bearings as well!
It would have to be in very bad nick for them to have just fallen out.
Do you use one of those neoprene headset protectors, it's just req on the lower one as so much mud gets flung up there, this helps quite a bit.
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The path of least resistance is easier to follow............ When you can see it.... .............
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mischiefcat
newbie
Reged: 07/05/2009
Posts: 33
Loc: Somerset
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Fit a Chris king and all your headset worries will be over. Hope only warranty the cups not the bearings themselves. Neoprene covers sometimes trap the shiite in the bearings. Purr purr.
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Miaow.
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Chiz
old hand
Reged: 27/03/2008
Posts: 918
Loc: Newcastle upon Tyne
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I use this stuff...
http://www.weldtite.co.uk/productdetail/390/products.aspx?RID=390
Always been okay for me.
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'08 Stumpy FSR Expert. Back On The Road... For Now
'09 EBC Revolution Country Explorer. Commuter
'09 Kawasaki ER6n
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bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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Gonna go for a FSA Big Fat Pig Headset. There doesdn't seem to be very many options open to me. 1 1/12 inch reducing to 1 1/8ths. Standard seems to be 1 1/8ths.
Are they easy to fit? LBS says middle of july before they can slot me in.
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Sir_Queuesalot
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 05/12/2007
Posts: 5259
Loc: Send more snow!
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You'd be better off fitting a headset with sealed bearings and there's quite a bit involved, not complicated it just needs the right tools.
You'll need to replace the crown race on your forks, did you face the crown when you fitted them? Then knock the old cups out and press (not whack in with a mallet) the new cups into the headset. Also get the headtube faced and reamed whilst your at it if it hasn't been done already.
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Forum victims and culprits so far...
Typhoo, Prophet_1000, VT1_Doc, pgj79, Rob_Heath, Southboy, Tango, GeekTastic, mashley, Didzy2009, Gorehound, Greeneye, GingerNinja, SLB07
Smoke us some kippers, we'll be back for breakfast!!
My site www.ezerider.com
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bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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Cost me 40 quid for the headset and only really had to use the bearings and the seals. Everything is the same size. The cups are in a pretty good nick so greased everything up and played about with tension on the top bolt a few times.
All sorted now, turning nice and smooth with no movement from the headset. Job done!
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Sir_Queuesalot
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 05/12/2007
Posts: 5259
Loc: Send more snow!
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On that basis all you needed was a few spare ball bearings
--------------------
Forum victims and culprits so far...
Typhoo, Prophet_1000, VT1_Doc, pgj79, Rob_Heath, Southboy, Tango, GeekTastic, mashley, Didzy2009, Gorehound, Greeneye, GingerNinja, SLB07
Smoke us some kippers, we'll be back for breakfast!!
My site www.ezerider.com
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MTBLeague
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 23/05/2007
Posts: 1647
Loc: Moving again.
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Now you have nearly a full set -3
If the bearings cleaned are not all pitted and rusty you can replace them as the LBS loses for free!
Don't forget to get a neoprene cover for the lower only, some mags give these things away for free. Take it off and wash it when you wash the bike to keep it all clean and smmoth running as it is now.
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The path of least resistance is easier to follow............ When you can see it.... .............
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bboy
journeyman
Reged: 08/04/2009
Posts: 63
Loc: Edinburgh
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The thing that the bearings sit in was fckd, but FSA don't sell these individually. The spacing in the 'teeth' that hold the bearings had widened, and I didn't fancy trying to bend them back in place!!!
I'm surprised the bits rusted as quickly as the did!
Anyway problem solved, and I know a bit more about how the bike fits together now!
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MTBLeague
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 23/05/2007
Posts: 1647
Loc: Moving again.
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The grease must have got washed out over the 5 months, otherwise it would have been full of grease and grit and would have again felt rough for a whole different reason.
If you are washing it upside down that will do it, if you do, keep the protective cover on untill you are finished then take it off to clean the cover, my bearing have lasted much longer and I do the same trails as you.
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The path of least resistance is easier to follow............ When you can see it.... .............
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