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This has been driving me crazy so neg. forum weenies don't reply...

2K views 41 replies 21 participants last post by  Andrewpalooza 
#1 ·
I installed my headset last week with a homeade press and it went o.k. The top cup pressed in pretty nicely, but the bottom one went in lightly crooked. I had to straighten it out with a rubber mallet and I had to bang into the cup about 6 or 7 times really hard on the crooked side to get it straight to finish off the press. I did the top cup like this too a little w/. the mallet. This question may seem silly but I cannot forgive myself for doing it because I was having a bad day and am have been thinking if I stressed the headtube any from the installation? There are no cracks or nothing and I inspected to see if it was o.k. It's not possible anything could have cracked from this inside is it? The headse is true and straight now, it just needed that adjustment and later press to top it off. As I banged into the frame it vibrated a lot and was very loud, (yes, I know this statement is retarted) but you gotta know how it went down. I know it's a little late to ask, but my mind is driving me crazy and I don't want the headtube to snap on me.

Thanks, Shredder111:cool:
 
#3 ·
It's prob fine. Back in the day I was known to ghetto-press a few headsets and never had an issue from a cup getting a bit out of line while going in.

However, if you're doing that level of work yourself, invest in a HS press. Even the cheap Park home model works really well.
 
#5 ·
Err said:
It's prob fine. Back in the day I was known to ghetto-press a few headsets and never had an issue from a cup getting a bit out of line while going in.

However, if you're doing that level of work yourself, invest in a HS press. Even the cheap Park home model works really well.
It's not the crooked part that scares me, the headset is perfectly straight, just the banging with the mallet:eekster:
 
#7 ·
shredder111 said:
It's not the crooked part that scares me, the headset is perfectly straight, just the banging with the mallet:eekster:
Yep, it wasn't smart. You'd have been more likely to damage the headset its self than the headtube though. I you did not dent or deform the headset then you're prob ok. Inspect it closely, make sure the bearing spin freely, check for any strange noises once assembled.
 
#9 ·
You should be fine. I once pressed a headset into my first bike with a 2X4 and a hammer.

Like Err said, inspect it carefully. as you ride, watch it for a few weeks. You'll probably be fine.

I know I've installed headsets (with the park home tool, and with my works tools) that I thought I was going to rip the headtube in half. I never did, frames were fine.

Just watch it for a week. But go out and ride :cool: Ohh, and yea. I had a home made headset press once....it didn't work so well. How does park tool do it :rolleyes: lol. Invest in one. They look good hanging on the wall, they're inexpensive and they work.
 
#10 ·
This has been driving me crazy so neg. forum weenies don't reply...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doctor, I am paying for this consultation because I want a second opinion. So give it to me straight Doc… but if it's bad news please don't tell me.
 
#11 ·
todd_freeride said:
You should be fine. I once pressed a headset into my first bike with a 2X4 and a hammer.

Like Err said, inspect it carefully. as you ride, watch it for a few weeks. You'll probably be fine.

I know I've installed headsets (with the park home tool, and with my works tools) that I thought I was going to rip the headtube in half. I never did, frames were fine.

Just watch it for a week. But go out and ride :cool: Ohh, and yea. I had a home made headset press once....it didn't work so well. How does park tool do it :rolleyes: lol. Invest in one. They look good hanging on the wall, they're inexpensive and they work.
Whoa, how did that work? I used a two by four a little and left a few circle dents in it, but that was hitting it pretty light.
 
#18 ·
Make sure you didn't deform the headtube at all (that its still round), but I'd bet you didn't. It takes practice to get pressing things down, but the next time something is going in crooked stop, remove it and start over again. The key thing is alignment and an even application of force. Also, grease the threads on the pressing tool, it will greatly reduce the force necessary to operate the tool.
 
#20 ·
Looks good this far. Are you going to get a set of Outlaws for it? or some I-9's :)

Like ERR said you would most likely destroy the headset before doing anything to the headtube.... unless you put it in there really really really croocked (sp*)... but still I think the headset cups would be bent
 
#21 ·
Nah, you don't grease the headset on that part, but I didn't deform the headtube. When it became crooked that's when I went for the rubber mallet. That's how I straightened it, by banging on the crooked side, otherwise the press was working fine. The headtube has no imperfections and looks like normal, I was just wondering if it could have weakened it internally...
 
#23 ·
Hammer or vice and wood block, or rubber mallard, I've used them all, even used a Park Tool cup press a few times when I used to work at LBS. The all do the job. Hell, when I was a kid I remember using a 2 by 4 to wack the head set and bottom bracket cups into a "Team Murry" BMX bike. Won't void any warranties, unless you tell them. I've cracked a few frames, but none from not using a cup press.
 
#26 ·
Speaking of hard removals,
I once had to remove my e13 reducer cups from a 1.5 headtube frame. i used a homemade headset remover. it was made from galvanized steel tubing and was made pretty much like parks tool. I have seen similar ones made out of copper tubing. It took me an hour before it started to budge. The steel tube actually folded upon itself multiple times. I hammered the living crap out of it. I was physically beat once I was done. I had to take a nap. :D A little grease might have helped.
 
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