Headset service advice

[chris_w_65]

With my bike on the work stand and the front wheel off I see I have a self centering steering. There is quite a notch in the straight ahead position. I assume this is wear and not just too much preload. What sort of job am I facing to change the bearings? The frame is a carbon Cannondale Six 5, it is a 2010 model and as far as I can see is pre tapered steerer. Will I be needing special bicycle tools or just standard tools such as hammer, drifts, allen keys, pin punches and torque wrenches? Unfortunately Cannondale have done away with the "bike archive" on their site or I may have been able to get some more info on the headset type

 

I could just take everything apart and look but don't want to start a job I may not be able to finish because I want to ride this weekend.

 

Are the bearings something I can buy up front or do I have to strip and look what is in there?

[chris_w_65]

Update

 

I checked again and it was fairly notchy in other positions but it is not as noticeable as the center position because the brake and gear cables are also helping to center the steering. I loosened the headset and slacked off the preload adjuster at the top slightly. The notches seem to have gone and I don't feel any play on the steerer. When I get my front wheel back tomorrow and can sit on the bike with the front break applied and check again for play, there is too much movement in the work stand to be 100% sure.

 

Could the notches have just been too much preload or are they an indication of wear?

 

Any info or answers to my original question would be appreciated.

[chris_w_65]

It is a Cane Creek 1.125" IS24 headset if that helps

Edited March 2, 2011 by chris_w_65

[Lou Zealand]

Hi chris_w, I also ride a cannondale. Was directed to this website but it is a bit too technical for me - may help you:

 

http://www.fastglass.net/bike/headshok/

 

[I-FELT-the-FORCE]

I had this same problem with my FSA headset. Ended up, my bearings were shot to heck. Bought two new bearings and hey presto, no notching on pre-load and it is perfect

[chris_w_65]

Hi chris_w, I also ride a cannondale. Was directed to this website but it is a bit too technical for me - may help you:

 

http://www.fastglass.net/bike/headshok/

 

 

 

Mine is a road bike, that is something for MTB

 

Thanks

[Johan Bornman]

Notches in the headset bearing like that is called "Indexed steering". If you search Youtube for something resembling that, you should see a video or two of how indedex steering presents.

 

Idexed steering was very common in the days before cartridge headset bearings. But, it still happens with cartridge bearings too.

 

Indexed steering comes from dimples in the headset race, particularly the lower one and mostly in the fore and aft position.

 

These dimples are not from too much preload or even from road impact. They are fretting (erosion) dimples. It happens mostly on roadbikes. When a roadbike rides, it goes mostly straight. Sicne the headset bearing is a ball bearing arrangment, the in the straight-ahead position, the fork flexes forwards and backwards at a highish frequency (depending on road roughness). This forces the balls to rock forwards and backwards, tiny distances, without having the opportinuty to roll and replensish grease supples.

 

IN this rocking motion, the balls never rotate fully and thus pushes the grease between the balls and races, to one side. Eventually you have steel on steel. Given the fretting motion, the steel mocro-welds and breaks. Welds and breaks, welds and breaks, ending up with an erosion under the ball. These dimples, positioned at x angle from each other where x =number of balls/360 degrees. As you turn the steering, the balls roll from one dimple to the next. creating the very notchy steering action so typical of this condition.

 

Newer angular contact cartridge headset bearings patented by Aheadset (now Cane Creek), eliminated this problem. Here the bearing cartridge can move in its seat, absorbing the fore-aft fretting motioin caused by fork response to road irregularities. It is almost never seen anymore unless the headset is still of the older ball and cage variety.

 

An indexed headset is ruined. The remedy is replacement and prevention is to regularly regrease the headset and make larger turns as frequently as possible. Both scenarios are unlikely.

 

It cannot be adjusted out, since adjustment is either for the ball-in-dimple position or ball-next=-to-dimple position. Neither are perfect.

 

It is easy to see if your headset is dimpled. Life the front end and disturb the handlebar. It will settle (and wobble) in a very definite position. If it is good (not dimpled), it can settle in any position and the turning action will be smooth.

 

People who have bikes with dimpled headsets, often search for the problem at he rear wheel. A bike with a dipled headset fishtails as it rides, making the rider suspect a flat or soft rear tyre. On a motorbike this condition makes it difficult to steer - more so than on a bicycle, because of the higher speeds and relatively high impact of the over corrections required to go straight ahead.

 

The Cane Creek patent expired two or three years ago and there is now no reason for headset bearings not to be of the ACB cartridge type.

 

Further, the standard is 36/45 degrees and the dissident 45/45 degree crowd (Richey and companty) should be avoided like broken glass. We need standards, not fancy variations.

[VincentBikes]

Short term solution is to move the bearing cups or in this case the complete bearing by 90 degrees but normally your bearings are shot and need replacement. You need allen keys to remove stem and top cap and if it is a carbon steerer and or stem you need a torque wrench to re-assemble to head.

[chris_w_65]

The plot thickens, these Chinese guys make the headset for Cane Creek - looks like they make quite a bit of stuff

http://www.tangeseiki.com/tangeseiki_news/homepage.html

 

This is the headset in my bike

http://www.tangeseiki.com/tangeseiki_news/threadless-integrated.php?page=1&class=2c&pic=200902051010502.gif

 

So far I know it is an integrated 1-1/8" headset.

Does this help me to order and buy new bearings before I strip?

Does it shed some light on the replacement procedure?

[chris_w_65]

Notches in the headset bearing like that is called "Indexed steering". If you search Youtube for something resembling that, you should see a video or two of how indedex steering presents.

 

Idexed steering was very common in the days before cartridge headset bearings. But, it still happens with cartridge bearings too.

 

Indexed steering comes from dimples in the headset race, particularly the lower one and mostly in the fore and aft position.

 

These dimples are not from too much preload or even from road impact. They are fretting (erosion) dimples. It happens mostly on roadbikes. When a roadbike rides, it goes mostly straight. Sicne the headset bearing is a ball bearing arrangment, the in the straight-ahead position, the fork flexes forwards and backwards at a highish frequency (depending on road roughness). This forces the balls to rock forwards and backwards, tiny distances, without having the opportinuty to roll and replensish grease supples.

 

IN this rocking motion, the balls never rotate fully and thus pushes the grease between the balls and races, to one side. Eventually you have steel on steel. Given the fretting motion, the steel mocro-welds and breaks. Welds and breaks, welds and breaks, ending up with an erosion under the ball. These dimples, positioned at x angle from each other where x =number of balls/360 degrees. As you turn the steering, the balls roll from one dimple to the next. creating the very notchy steering action so typical of this condition.

 

Newer angular contact cartridge headset bearings patented by Aheadset (now Cane Creek), eliminated this problem. Here the bearing cartridge can move in its seat, absorbing the fore-aft fretting motioin caused by fork response to road irregularities. It is almost never seen anymore unless the headset is still of the older ball and cage variety.

 

An indexed headset is ruined. The remedy is replacement and prevention is to regularly regrease the headset and make larger turns as frequently as possible. Both scenarios are unlikely.

 

It cannot be adjusted out, since adjustment is either for the ball-in-dimple position or ball-next=-to-dimple position. Neither are perfect.

 

It is easy to see if your headset is dimpled. Life the front end and disturb the handlebar. It will settle (and wobble) in a very definite position. If it is good (not dimpled), it can settle in any position and the turning action will be smooth.

 

People who have bikes with dimpled headsets, often search for the problem at he rear wheel. A bike with a dipled headset fishtails as it rides, making the rider suspect a flat or soft rear tyre. On a motorbike this condition makes it difficult to steer - more so than on a bicycle, because of the higher speeds and relatively high impact of the over corrections required to go straight ahead.

 

The Cane Creek patent expired two or three years ago and there is now no reason for headset bearings not to be of the ACB cartridge type.

 

Further, the standard is 36/45 degrees and the dissident 45/45 degree crowd (Richey and companty) should be avoided like broken glass. We need standards, not fancy variations.

 

Thank you for the info Johan. While you were posting it I found some more info on the make/model of my headset. Please see my previous posting and see if you can help further

[Lou Zealand]

Mine is a road bike, that is something for MTB

 

Thanks

Whoops, sent wrong link

 

Try: http://www.canecreek.com/manuals/Headset_Identification_and_SpecificationGuide.pdf

[chris_w_65]

Whoops, sent wrong link

 

Try: http://www.canecreek.com/manuals/Headset_Identification_and_SpecificationGuide.pdf

 

I see what JB was talking about in another thread, there are all sorts of options

 

It looks like mine is the Campy standard

 

45 x 45 x 42mm

 

But can be replaced with 36 x 45 x 42mm as long as all the rings and bits are changed too

[chris_w_65]

Looks like the bearing cones in my frame are not pressed in

 

 

 

The Campagnolo® Hiddenset is a proprietary design, and is basically an integrated-angular contact type without cups. The frame must be compatible with this design for this headset to be used. The bearings cone races do not press into the frame. The frame has a specially machined headtube to accept the bearings. However, this standard is not interchangeable with the Integrated System described above. Adjustment is similar to a conventional threadless headset.

 

Steering columns may be either 1-inch or 1-1/8 inch in this standard. The bearings are a slip fit into the frame. The common 1-1/8 inch standard has a bearing outside diameter of nominally 41.8mm with a 45-degree bearing seat. Campagnolo® brand bearings use a caged ball bearing inside the bearing unit. The unit can be pulled apart to be cleaned and regreased. Some other brands use a non-serviceable bearing, which are simply replaced, not serviced.

[chris_w_65]

This looks like good info

 

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/headset-standards

 

On the right hand side under categories there are many links, looks like I won't be sleeping tonight

Edited March 2, 2011 by chris_w_65

[chris_w_65]

More good reading

 

http://chrisking.com/files/pdfs/Int20HeadsetsExplained.pdf

 

http://www.bikemongrel.com/site/uploads/08headsets&accesW.pdf

[chris_w_65]

Getting those bearings out took me all of about 60 seconds. Now to find new ones by tomorrow

 

Tange Seiki 4T5-5

41.8/30.2/45 deg SUJ-2

Edited March 3, 2011 by chris_w_65