Do I need a new headset?

07Lapierre

As the title suggests , I think I need a new headset.

When I pull the front brake, i get this "grabbing" as if the front wheel is buckled?
I replace the headset bearings and regressed the headset, which seemed to solve the problem for a while, but it's back again.

Anyone had this problem before? Did a new headset solve the problem?

Cheers

crosstownk

07Lapierre wrote: »

As the title suggests , I think I need a new headset.

When I pull the front brake, i get this "grabbing" as if the front wheel is buckled?
I replace the headset bearings and regressed the headset, which seemed to solve the problem for a while, but it's back again.

Anyone had this problem before? Did a new headset solve the problem?

Cheers

If you grab the steerer/head tube, can you feel play? Is there a knocking noise when you bounce the front wheel?

If you have both of the above and can't cure it with adjustment then maybe a new set of bearings is in order.

Sometimes it's possible to feel the wear/play in the bearings when you remove them.

07Lapierre

No the bearings are new (about two months old).
No movement in the headset when i "rock" the bike forward/backwards.
I also swapped out the front wheel with another just to confirm that the wheel was not actually buckled.

I'm of the opinion that the bearing cups are damaged/worn which means new bearings are possibly not sitting correctly? Is that a possibility?

crosstownk

It's certainly a possibility but before you condemn the cups be sure that the whole assembly is simply not coming loose again. I had this happen to me for a few weeks after removing and cleaning the bearings/cups but it settled down after that and has been fine since - for over a year/10,000kms.

EDIT: Maybe it just needs to settle in after replacing the bearings; i.e. the bearings may need to 'settle' into the cups.

07Lapierre

Fair enough! I'll check the tightness of the tension bolt again.


Cheers

crosstownk

07Lapierre wrote: »

Fair enough! I'll check the tightness of the tension bolt again.


Cheers

Just another thought.

If it only happens when you pull the front brake, are you sure that the calliper/pads aren't loose or maladjusted?

magicbastarder

sounds like you need a new bike.

07Lapierre

Just the excuse I was looking for! New bike it is so!

Thicas15

Yep. It is better to buy a new one

nordicb

I had this before and it was wrong taper adapter for the bottom bearing in the headset.
Normally everything would feel tight and sound, but when going over rough terrain or breaking it would "walk" and "clunk" sort of...

Worth checking that bearings sit flush with their adapters and in cups and everything else...

ednwireland

Managed to mess up th crown race when fitting new bearings so put the old one back . Now there's a slight movement when everything's tight. So now I have ordered a crown race fitting tool and a new headset to try and fix it !