An Inexpensive Headset Press

[Guest Big H]

I have used this many times before. Easy to make and use!!!!!!

From the link:- http://www.mindspring.com/~d.g1/headset.html

The expensive version

 

The inexpensive version

 

If you ever wish to install a headset, you will need a headset tool. The standard shop tool, the Park model shown above, costs about $100, and is very well built. An advantage of this tool is the rapid setup and removal of the tool, important for a shop doing lots of work. For occasional home use however, the inexpensive tool shown above works amazingly well.

Materials (You should be able to get these parts for under $10):

A long bolt, preferably fully or nearly fully threaded, and a couple of inches longer than your headtube.

A nut

Two large washers.

Two bronze bushings (These should be available at any descent hardware store)

Comments:

Take your headset cups with you when you buy the bronze bushings, so you can get the correct size. The main part of the bushing should fit inside the headset cups with the "lip" of the bushing applying the installation pressure. The contact area will generally be inside of where the ball bearings run in the cups. Also, the bronze bushings are much softer than the bearing cup material, so there is no danger of damaging the bearing surface. The picture above shows one of the park tool inserts inside a headset cup. The homemade tool should work similarily.

To use, place the headset cups in their place on the headtube, install the tool (like shown in the picture of the park tool above) and hand tighten the nut.

Make sure the cups are aligned in the headtube and begin to tighen the nut with a wrench or ratchet, holding another wrench on the head of the bolt. You need to be carfull that the cups don't start to go into the headtube sideways at first, but once they start going in it is pretty easy. Keep tightening until the cups are seated.

There is still one other thing you need to do, namely to install the race that goes on your fork's steerer tube. The commercial tools are basically a long tube with attachments at the end that fit over the steerer tube and are banged with a hammer to drive the race home. I don't have a picture, but I made an installation tool from a length of PVC tube that was a few inches longer than the steerer tube and of sufficient diameter to fit over the steerer tube and rest on the race. I then hammer this with a mallet to install the race, while holding the fork by one of the fork arms.

Headset removal

There are also tools for removing headsets. These are not as expensive as the installation tools.

I have removed the headset cups and fork steerer races by carefully tapping them out with a brass punch. This works OK but I will soon either buy the removal tools or attempt to fabricate a homemade version. Stay tuned.

[javadude]

That beats the rubber mallet press any day. How about a cup removal tool. In the old days a long screw driver and hammer would do, except you couldn't use the cups again.

[Guest Big H]

What I have seen is that you take a lenght of thin walled steel pipe slightly smaller than the cup opening(exhaust type pipe should do I suppose). You slit the pipe for about 150 mm in quarters down the lenght. You bend the four "legs" out slightly. Compress the legs together .... insert it into the head tube untill it engages the cup and hammer slightly on the section of pipe sticking out. This should remove the cups. Cheap inexpensive and if only used once... what the hell you are not going to remove many cups in your lifetime!!!!!!!

[javadude]

Yip, thats true. I think most of the guys here will wonder what you are on about. Headset cups, what are those? Thanks for the tips.

 

BTW, i've seen head tubes crack from badly inserted cups, thank goodness those days are over. (Except nowadays we have to worry about cracking our carbon fibre steerer tubes when we don't have a grand to spend on a torque wrench).

[Guest Big H]

When you start into the world of DIY bike repairs you learn a new language and world. People stop and stare and LBS salesmen cannot bullsh!t you again!!!!!!!!!

 

Do us a favour and find out what this costs!!!!!!

See the pic at:

 

http://www.bbbparts.com/products/accessories/tools/btl52.htm

BTL-52 TorqueFix
	Special Features
	Adjustable by twisting the grip.
	Built-in rattle mechanism.
	Range: 2 - 24 Nm.
	Durable hard shell box contains:
	Torquekey Alley keys 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10mm T25 Torque

Big H2007-05-31 15:41:46

[dirtrider]

And here I am still using the screwdriver/hammer Headset tools .

[javadude]

Ja, thats what i need Big H. Aren't Raleigh the agents for BBB, i'll try and find out from them.

 

Chainreaction are selling the Park versions for R380 and R420 for the two different types they have. The only thing with theirs is they have a guage that tells you the current torque, instead of a preset torque setting.

[AndreZA]

BigH, my LBS contacted Probike re: the Torquefix wrench and it's not in the country yet. There's not many BBB product with Probike as they only recently, month or so, acquired the agency.

Mampara2007-06-01 01:56:25

[Guest Big H]

Hou maar jou oor op die grond kerel. Ek doen ook maar daar is soveel geraas hier in Lagos dat ek nie altyd duidelik kan hoor nie!!!!!!!!

[Buff]

I've got an easier option, just become best mate with the owner of your LBS and pull in there every Friday to do adjustments and repairs (using his tools)  Works a treat and costs you nothing and you get to learn new tricks 

[AndreZA]

I've got an easier option' date=' just become best mate with the owner of your LBS and pull in there every Friday to do adjustments and repairs (using his tools)  Works a treat and costs you nothing and you get to learn new tricks [/quote']

 

Yes it is cheaper but can you do your other mates a favour and work on their bikes? Can you service your wheel the Wednesday evening before your Thursday morning ride?

 

 

[Buff]

No problem, phone your mate and invite him around for a beer .

[Guest Big H]

Nee ; nee en nee!!!!!!! As jy dit op Woensdag aand doen en dit is Donderdag oggend reg of nie jy kan ten minste se....I DID IT MY WAY!!!!!!Tra la la!!!!!!!

[Buff]

Hahaha... ja, but doing it my way is the thing the scares the sh!t outa me

 

But I'm only yanking your chain, I've got a fair collection of tools as well. It's always useful to be able to service your own bike, especially on those clod & wet Cape Sundays when there's nothing better to do other than bother the wife for a "sonday middag knippie"