Cane Creek 40 Loose Fit Steer Tube

[quick_2]

I bought a brand new cane creek 40 headset

Cane Creek 40
Top: 1.5 ZS cup, to 1 1/8 steer
Bottom: 1.5 Traditional

Using a '11 RS Lyrik RC2DH Coil Tapered Steer

got the headset pressed at my lbs

the headset knocks side to side and back and forth quite bad regardless of how tight the top cap is.. it doesnt seem to be an issue of pressure but the steer tube seems loose in the top portion of the headset, it jiggles around and the headset seems too big... i know this isnt normal i took it back to the shop and they said that they had a similar instance with the same headset only the tapered version.. would it hurt to put some tape of something around the steer tube to make it fit tighter?

i email cane creek and will see what they say. im unsatisfied about the whole thing.

[anthonylokrn]

Have you tried taking the top part apart to make sure your LBS didn't forget any parts (mainly the compression ring and the gold washer/gimbal)?

[sasquatch35]

Have you tried taking the top part apart to make sure your LBS didn't forget any parts (mainly the compression ring and the gold washer/gimbal)?

Good call. Definitely check the comperssion ring... I've made that mistake before. Also, check the crown race... if there is a minor amount of play near the race, there will usually be substansially more in the top. The wrong crown race can often cause problems like what you've described

[quick_2]

a quick call to cane creek and they are sending a new one and i will return the one i have when the new one comes.

[bad mechanic]

Make sure your steerer isn't too long. If it is, it doesn't matter how tight the top cap is, the headset will still have play.

[mtbfan2]

Yup. I got the same issue right now. No matter how much pressure you put on it when tightening the headset it seems to always slightly shimmy. The shimmy is where the top and bottom cap go over the bearing(right where the blue stripe is. I don't think you can get this resolved by adjusting... I'm buying a different headset.

[mtbfan2]

By the way, I didn't notice you were getting another from Cane Creek. Well, was the new one doing the same thing after you installed it? Wondering if its just luck that I got a crap one too.

[shiggy]

Yup. I got the same issue right now. No matter how much pressure you put on it when tightening the headset it seems to always slightly shimmy. The shimmy is where the top and bottom cap go over the bearing(right where the blue stripe is. I don't think you can get this resolved by adjusting... I'm buying a different headset.

Make sure you have enough spacers and the top cap is not bottoming out on the steer tube.

Have also seen people forget to loosen the stem bolts before adjusting the headset.

[pwu_1]

bumping old thread. Any resolution to this?
I recently got a 40 series mixed taper headset and I hear knocking no matter how tight I tighten the top cap.

[reptilezs]

bumping old thread. Any resolution to this?
I recently got a 40 series mixed taper headset and I hear knocking no matter how tight I tighten the top cap.

proper amount of spacers, compression wedge, bearing orientation

[SoCal-Rider]

Interesting thread. I installed my first headset last night (CC 40 series) and have the same issue. I just thought I did something wrong and was going to tear it back down to look closer at each piece. Maybe it's not me.

[nafrod]

Hey, I'm going to resurrect this thread. I'm having issues with my Cane Creek 40 as well. I couldn't get it tight enough and there would be play. Then, after trying a few combinations of different spacers and stem caps, I managed to tighten it so that there is no play, but the headset feel too stiff, or over-tightened. So it's either a stiff or with play...Not too happy about it. I'm using mixed tapered 1 1/8 top 1 1/2 on the bottom. Thinking about sending the headset back to Competitive Cyclist and picking up a King or (cheaper) FSA of some kind. Any one experience this?

[shenny88]

I just installed this same headset on my Voodoo Bokor (straight 1-1/8"), went together snug without a problem... Im not sure how there could be wiggle room if everything is assembled in the proper place/order, especially the compression ring.

Someone post detailed pictures, especially of the length of your steer tube versus the stack height of your stem and spacers.

[sasquatch rides a SS]

The only time I have ever had an issue like this in the past was when my headtube was not properly faced. Got that done and the problem went away. It's something I'd suggest getting done, although it seems like the main problems exist with tapered headtubes, so I don't know what would be causing that if the bearings are internal (right?).

[CharacterZero]

Just a heads up here - I have a CC 40 and got the same problem.

Culprit: The top cap!

I know, sounds silly, but I was installing and trying to use minimal spacers, and I couldn't dial out the perceived headset play. The length of the top cap -specifically where it intrudes down into the spacer, seems to be longer than my other top caps. This was preventing it from cinching up the system, as it was bottoming out.

Just throwing it out there for those of you scratching your heads, I know that it won't be the solution for all of them, but I know I'm not the first to have encountered this specific scenario.

[customfab]

Two things that can cause a headset that won't tighten up.

1: you don't have enough stack and the top cap is bottoming out on the steer tube. Solution to this is to add a spacer, 2.5 or 5 will work.

2: the head set dust cover is bottoming out on the cup. There seems to be a pretty big tolerance for how much height there is between the bearing and the upper dust cover. This is what those shinny thin washers in the headset packaging are for. Place them in between the upper race and the dust cover. This will increase clearance between the dust cover and the upper cup.

[spankye]

I've seen where even though it feels like you are tightening the adjuster bolt, the star nut is actually slipping in the steerer tube. it will feel tight until you ride it, but loosen and knock. a new star nut would be the solution there and fix you up.

[kolt]

I have the same problem with the Cane Creek Forty on my Salsa Mukluk 2.
When I tighten the preload bolt so there is no play, the top-cover is not turning anymore. Instead the stem turns on the aluminum of the top-cover which causes a lot of friction. On any other headset I know, the top-cover turns with the stem.
If I loosen the preload bolt just a little, the headset has a play.

Since my headset has all parts shown here:
canecreek.com/resources/products/headsets/forty/manuals/40%20IS%20Instructions.pdf
I don't think that it is a spacer problem, since there are no spacers shown in the manual...

[CharacterZero]

I have the same problem with the Cane Creek Forty on my Salsa Mukluk 2.
When I tighten the preload bolt so there is no play, the top-cover is not turning anymore. Instead the stem turns on the aluminum of the top-cover which causes a lot of friction. On any other headset I know, the top-cover turns with the stem.
If I loosen the preload bolt just a little, the headset has a play.

Since my headset has all parts shown here:
canecreek.com/resources/products/headsets/forty/manuals/40%20IS%20Instructions.pdf
I don't think that it is a spacer problem, since there are no spacers shown in the manual...

Common sense overrides the manual. If you steerer tube is long enough that the preload bolt is bottoming out on it, then you need a spacer.

[Hoban]

Or just file/grind down the steer tube a touch. Need 3-4 mm to clear the Cane Creek cap.

[kolt]

Common sense overrides the manual. If you steerer tube is long enough that the preload bolt is bottoming out on it, then you need a spacer.

Haha, nice try. I've been working with threadless headsets when you were still riding your tricycle

Turned out they confused the upper and the lower head tube race when it was assembeld. You can still put everything together, but the topcover will sit slightly on the upper race then.

So one have to add to reptilezs' solution:

proper amount of spacers, compression wedge, bearing orientation

Check if upper and lower race are switched.

[CharacterZero]

Thanks! Some people would reference the manual like it is the bible (which makes me wonder - people actually believe some of the stuff in the bible?!).

Just trying to offer up some guidance, glad you got it worked out.

I thought all ST were threaded back when I was on a trike! I was on a bike by 1984.