How to Overhaul a Threaded Headset
Overhaul your headset at least once a year to check for wear and re-grease the ball bearings.
If you ride your bike a lot, you should overhaul your headset at least once a year to check for wear and to make sure the bearings have enough grease.
Required Tools
For this tutorial, you’ll need some waterproof grease, an old toothbrush and some cleaning solvent. If you have an older 1″ headset, you’ll need a set of 32mm spanner wrenches. Larger 1 1/8″ headsets usually require a set of 36mm spanner wrenches.
Brake Cable, Wheel and Stem Removal
Before you begin, you’ll need to disconnect the front brake and remove the brake cable from the lever. You’ll also need to remove the front wheel. To remove the stem, simply loosen the stem’s tightening bolt far enough so you can give it a light tap with a hammer. This will knock the inner wedge loose and allow the stem to slide up out of the fork.
Headset Disassembly
Now loosen and remove the locknut. Holding the fork in place with one hand, remove any spacers and unthread the adjusting race. Make sure to note how many spacers there are, and what order they came off. Gently slide the fork down and out of the frame. Make sure to make a note of which way the bearing races are facing before you remove them.
Headset Cleaning
Wipe clean all of the bearing races located on both the frame and fork as well as the upper threaded race. Inspect all four of the bearing races to make sure they are not grooved or pitted. If so you will likely have to replace the entire headset unit.
Thouroughly clean the ball bearing cages with your toothbrush and solvent. Then wipe them dry with a clean rag, and set them aside to air-dry. Inspect the ball cages to make sure they aren’t bent or worn. You can replace the cages without replacing the entire headset, but you’ll have to bring the old set to your local bike shop for proper sizing.
Headset Greasing
If all of your parts are ok, apply a layer of grease to all of the bearing races. Then install the ball cages the same way they came out and add another layer of grease on top of them.
Headset Assembly
Once the bearings are in place and fully greased, carefully slide the fork back into the frame and finger-tighten the adjusting race. Wipe off any excess grease that may have squirted out the sides. Slide the spacers back on and thread the locknut on finger tight.
Headset Adjustment
To adjust the headset, hold the lower adjusting race with a spanner wrench and use a second spanner to tighten locknut against the adjusting race.
To test the adjustment, check that the headset turns freely and check for play by rocking the fork back and forth in the frame. Re-adjust as needed until the bars spin freely and have no play.
Brake Cable, Wheel and Stem Installation
Reinstall the front wheel. Before reinstalling the stem, coat the shaft and wedge with a thin layer of grease. Then reinstall and tighten the handlebar stem, and reconnect the front brake.
Final Adjustment
Then re-test the headset adjustment by making sure the bars spin freely, and using your front brake, rock the bike back and forth to double check there is no play in the headset.
Related Links
Related Tools
- Park Tool HCW-15 Dual-Size Headset Wrench
- Park Tool HW-2 Headset Locknut Wrench (32mm and 36mm)
- Park Tool AWS-1 3-Way Hex Wrench
- Park Tool PAW-12 Adjustable Wrench
- Super Lube White Grease Tube
- Finish Line Grease Gun
Categories
Discuss this topic in the Bicycle Repairs and Mechanics Forum
Shimano Deore BL-T610 brake levers | broken
Lastest post 6 hours agoHello, bike riders! Our community member Gabriel has shared his unpleasant experience with Deore T610 brake levers: "After 2 years of very limited use ... I'm still trying to understand why is there so many holes in such a critical place" Can anyone help by explaining the reasoning for such lever design and what might be the cause of the particular break (material quality, usage, design flaw)? ...
Read moreWhere to start? rigid to suspension
Lastest post 1 day agoHello bike riders! Newbie here, happy to join. Visited fam during the holidays. Found my old Fuji mountain bike in the attic. Took it back home to use for weekend rides and occasional commuting. It has rigid fork. I prefer to swap it for suspension fork. I want it to be a DIY project. My first bike build in other words. Might get overwhelming at start. So where do I begin? Anyone here has done rig...
Read moreYet another clicking thread (with pics and vids)
Lastest post 3 days agoI have just acquired a Cervelo Soloist 2006, has the Ultegra 6600 groupset. It was making a clickity grinding sound whenever I'm on the larger 2 or 3 sprockets (doesn't matter which chainring) when I'm pedalling hard and fast. Anyways, took my crank, chain rings, and bottom bracket off to clean, inspect, regrease and retorque. Greased my new pedals and torqued them on. Adjusted my front derailleu...
Read moreNew wheels for 1984 Bianchi nuovo
Lastest post 4 days agoHi, I posted this on reddit and got the suggestion to come to the experts here instead so here I am I recently had my front wheel of my vintage Bianchi stolen. First I was looking to just replace the front wheel but since the rear wheel is pretty old as well I'm thinking I might just change them both and at the same time size up from 23mm to 25mm for a little extra confort Does anyone have an...
Read moreHoo Koo E Koo front axle replacement part
Lastest post 1 week agoHello, My apologies for the simpleness of this question. I have a 1995 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo that I need to replace the front axle on. How do I find what to buy to replace it? It is missing so I cannot look at the existing part for guidance. Thanks!...
Read moreRear disc brake is rubbing
Lastest post 1 week agoI have a brand new MTB and the rear disc break is already rubbing/squeaking. What are the easiest fixes? Thanks...
Read moreShimano hubs
Lastest post 2 weeks agoHi, bike riders! Can anyone recognize these Shimano hubs as seen on Schwinn Tune bicycle in NYC? Kudos to whoever gets this right! I'll post the answer by the end of the week. schwinn-hubs-1.jpg (Size: 125.11 KB / Downloads: 35) schwinn-hubs-2.jpg (Size: 124.7 KB / Downloads: 33) schwinn-hubs-3.jpg (Size: 167.41 KB / Downloads: 36) ...
Read moreDynamo Head Lamp Repair Busch Müller Luxos U
Lastest post 2 weeks agoI ruined my expensive dynamo powered front headlamp. This is the kind that adjusts to motion and knows what time of day it is as well as having a built in ability to charge my phone and other electronics. I was ecstatic when I hooked it all up and went out on my first night ride with it through Forest Park in Portland, OR with four other buddies. I was over the moon in the early morning commutes t...
Read moreHelp! 2018 Diamondback Line
Lastest post 2 weeks agoI have a 2018 diamondback line 27.5” . I rode it a few times and the crankset makes a popping noise as i pedal most likely due to being 230lbs. Any recommendations on what i could replace the old ones with that would work better with my weight and handle my riding better....
Read moreShimano ultegra shifting issues.
Lastest post 2 weeks agoHey everybody, New to world of cycling, recently my bike started to not shift as smoothly as it was before so I thought I would check to see if the cable was frayed. I detached the RD cable and inspected it, found no issues relubed it and re attached the cable. Since I have done this, my shifter will only click 7 times, and I have a 9 speed so it should click 8. I’ll walk you through what I d...
Read moreWeak disc brake
Lastest post 2 weeks agoBack disc break on my Orbea commuter got much weaker this week. Front break is strong as always. I dont think that smth special happened, like crash, that damaged the brake. Never worked much on disc brakes. I want to fix this myself but I dont know where to look first and dont want to mess smth up. Where should I start? I have Shimano mech disc brakes....
Read moreTriple front derailleur
Lastest post 3 weeks agoA couple of years ago I bought a new front derailleur from my LBS. He said it will work for a triple chain ring. I didn't install it right away, and in the meanwhile I stopped dealing with him because of numerous botch jobs. When I put the derailleur on the bike, it won't work on a triple chain ring. I can make it work on the small and middle ring, or the middle and large ring. So I'm stuck with ...
Read moreChain Cleaning
Lastest post 3 weeks agoDisclaimer: I am not a professional bicycle mechanic! After reading many procedures/methods for chain cleaning, utilizing many solvents/lubricants and/or water; I have only found one method that actually does the job properly and effectively. I am not here to "poo-poo" other means of accomplishing this goal, just providing what I have found has worked for me without fail. First: "wiping off" a...
Read moreREAR DERAILLEURS
Lastest post 4 weeks agoWhat (if there is any) is the difference between 9, 10, 11 speed rear derailleurs?...
Read moreRiveted barrel adjuster broke. Fixable? Or need new levers?
Lastest post 4 weeks agoLBS said 'eh you don't need it, pull off the one on the other side too'. So I did, but now when reinstalling the new cables/housing, there's no tension on the cables and the brake lever has no resistance. Only thing that's different is the removal of this barrel adjuster. IMG_0397.jpg (Size: 57.3 KB / Downloads: 49) ...
Read more
