Winter Project #210: Headset press.

[pepelkod]

Now you need to press in a new headset.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8187/headsetpressvk3.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=headsetpressvk3.jpg)

This is a 1/2 inch threaded rod 12 inches long. I used large washers and nuts and then cut some hickory for the press ends. Each end has a set of holes cut into it. All holes are 1/8-1/4 inch deep approx. One end has a 1-7/8 inch hole on one side and a 1-5/8 inch hole on the other. The purpose of the 1-7/8 is to cradle a headset and keep the rod centered. The purpose of the 1-5/8 is to hold the head tube when putting in the lower part of the headset.

On the other end has a 1-7/8 inch hole on one side and a 1-3/4 hole on the other. The 1-7/8 is for putting in the upper half of the headset. The 1-3/4 is for unusual sized head tubes (DH-FR) or for very small headsets.

CONSTRUCTION:

To cut the depressions do this. Get the three forstner bits (only two if you don't think you will need the 1-3/4 size). Drill one side. Then with the smallest bit you have (1/8 or smaller) drill the center of the hole (The forstner bit will have left a divit in the center). The purpose of drilling through the wood is to align the two big holes. Flip the wood and on the other side will be a small hole. Use that to guide the other forstner bit to drill a second 1/8 deep hole. Lastly use a 1/2 bit to drill out the center for the threaded rod.

Put a nut and washer on the bottom to hold the bottom block

Grease the top nut a bit before using and place a large washer on the rod before putting the nut on.


USE:

Place the 1-5/8 hole over the top of head tube of your frame. Place the bottom of your headset into the 1-7/8 hole of the other block and place it against the bottom of the headtube. Slide the rod through (with a nut and washer already threaded onto the bottom.)

Place a washer and thread the nut down onto the top block and use a wrench or a pair of wrenches to press it down. Watch carefully that it goes in straight.

[BikerMiker]

Oof. Don't ruin the OD/ID of the cups. Bearing presses are designed to push on the load-bearing internal race, not the cups. Be careful. I wouldn't use that thing on my bike. A proper shop will have various size fittings for various headsets to avoid ruining the cups.

Good work, but I hope you have no troubles.

mike

[mjbrox]

When I bought my RIP 9 from TBL, they pressed the headset for me for free  and like Mike said, they had lots of different fittings.

I am all about doing your own bike repairs and builds, but pressing a headset is so rare and a proper press is so expensive, that it is one of those things I rely on a shop for.

[DaveG]

Oof. Don't ruin the OD/ID of the cups. Bearing presses are designed to push on the load-bearing internal race, not the cups. Be careful. I wouldn't use that thing on my bike. A proper shop will have various size fittings for various headsets to avoid ruining the cups.

Good work, but I hope you have no troubles.

mike

I think it would be hard to ruin a headset up w/ a wooden block. I used a setup like that for years w/o any issues. A club I'm affiliated with has a park HS press that I use now, but it's not night and day easier in my opinion.

It's always better to use the right tools though.

Just as an amusing anecdote, my friend needed to get a HS race off of a fork. He was planning on doing it w/ a screwdriver but I convinced him to go to a shop since they have the race removing tool that can be used w/o potentially banging up the fork or race. He went there and watched in horror as the shop mechanic whipped out the screwdriver and hammer to pop the race off. Luckily no damage was done.

Dave

[pepelkod]

Oof. Don't ruin the OD/ID of the cups. Bearing presses are designed to push on the load-bearing internal race, not the cups. Be careful. I wouldn't use that thing on my bike. A proper shop will have various size fittings for various headsets to avoid ruining the cups.

Good work, but I hope you have no troubles.

mike

I put my CK headset into my new Racer-X frame. :)

I *think* it worked great. I have used it before but did not have the indents.

This block presses directly on the exterior race. I thought that would be less stressfull than pressing on the bearings which would then press on the exterior race.


I am all about doing your own bike repairs and builds, but pressing a headset is so rare and a proper press is so expensive, that it is one of those things I rely on a shop for.

The nearest shop is Performance. In general I do not trust them with a proper tool more than I trust myself with a homemade wooden POS. ;) A1 is ok, but not real easy to get to and TBL which is great is too far away.


-D

[BikerMiker]

I'm just being a perfectionist. In the 'early years' of my bike mechanical training (1993-ish), there were many screwdrivers, propane torches, hammers, hub-pullers, blocks of wood and empty beer cans... What you made is WAY nicer than the stuff we used to use out of necessity IN AN ACTUAL SHOP! (not around here, luckily).

mike

[Vecsus]

I use a setup similar to the one pictured above and have had no problems (3 headsets installed so far). You just have to watch to make sure it goes in straight. The only time I've heard of anyone screwing up an install is when they try to install both cups at once.

[macdaid]

If you're not going to use a proper race remover, there's absolutely no reason to use a screwdriver. You can put the edge of a 2x4 against the cup, and gently tap with a hammer, moving in 90° increments, and tapping G E N T L Y.

Using wood won't gouge or scratch anything. Going s l o w and g e n t l e won't deform anything.

He went there and watched in horror as the shop mechanic whipped out the screwdriver and hammer to pop the race off. Luckily no damage was done.

[Dirt]

I'm with BikerMiker on this one. I only use King headsets, so I have a set of their inserts for headset presses.

King headsets are pretty much bombproof if they're installed correctly. If the bearings are not aligned correctly because of incorrect installation, the life span is significantly reduced.

You'd probably be okay installing the headset with your press... and it truly is a great thing you've created.... I'd just suggest using the king inserts if you're installing a king headset. They're $30 for a pair and worth it.

I love the projects you're doing. It is very cool that you're making your own tools.

Pete

[pepelkod]

I'm with BikerMiker on this one. I only use King headsets, so I have a set of their inserts for headset presses.

King headsets are pretty much bombproof if they're installed correctly. If the bearings are not aligned correctly because of incorrect installation, the life span is significantly reduced.

You'd probably be okay installing the headset with your press... and it truly is a great thing you've created.... I'd just suggest using the king inserts if you're installing a king headset. They're $30 for a pair and worth it.

I love the projects you're doing. It is very cool that you're making your own tools.

Pete

So you think I could modify my rig to work with the King inserts?

-D


Maybe my next project should be a reaming and facing tool!

[anomaly]

Now you need to press in a new headset.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8187/headsetpressvk3.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=headsetpressvk3.jpg)

This is a 1/2 inch threaded rod 12 inches long. I used large washers and nuts and then cut some hickory for the press ends. Each end has a set of holes cut into it. All holes are 1/8-1/4 inch deep approx. One end has a 1-7/8 inch hole on one side and a 1-5/8 inch hole on the other. The purpose of the 1-7/8 is to cradle a headset and keep the rod centered. The purpose of the 1-5/8 is to hold the head tube when putting in the lower part of the headset.

On the other end has a 1-7/8 inch hole on one side and a 1-3/4 hole on the other. The 1-7/8 is for putting in the upper half of the headset. The 1-3/4 is for unusual sized head tubes (DH-FR) or for very small headsets.

CONSTRUCTION:

To cut the depressions do this. Get the three forstner bits (only two if you don't think you will need the 1-3/4 size). Drill one side. Then with the smallest bit you have (1/8 or smaller) drill the center of the hole (The forstner bit will have left a divit in the center). The purpose of drilling through the wood is to align the two big holes. Flip the wood and on the other side will be a small hole. Use that to guide the other forstner bit to drill a second 1/8 deep hole. Lastly use a 1/2 bit to drill out the center for the threaded rod.

Put a nut and washer on the bottom to hold the bottom block

Grease the top nut a bit before using and place a large washer on the rod before putting the nut on.


USE:

Place the 1-5/8 hole over the top of head tube of your frame. Place the bottom of your headset into the 1-7/8 hole of the other block and place it against the bottom of the headtube. Slide the rod through (with a nut and washer already threaded onto the bottom.)

Place a washer and thread the nut down onto the top block and use a wrench or a pair of wrenches to press it down. Watch carefully that it goes in straight.
You should try a similar setup but using copper plumbing reduction pieces. They make ones that are 1" OD (for old threaded setups) 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" etc. I've done plenty of bikes with that. I would be slightly cautious using something that places such force on the outer edge of a headset cup, but anything decent is hardened steel.

For a removal tool a 7/8" OD foot long piece of copper tubing, cut 4 times with 4" cuts, then the edges splayed open so they lay on the edge of the headset cup work great. You should have a handy piece of wood around to do the hammering on, though.

[anomaly]

I'm just being a perfectionist. In the 'early years' of my bike mechanical training (1993-ish), there were many screwdrivers, propane torches, hammers, hub-pullers, blocks of wood and empty beer cans... What you made is WAY nicer than the stuff we used to use out of necessity IN AN ACTUAL SHOP! (not around here, luckily).

mike

Everything is a hammer, some hammers are just better than other hammers.

[anomaly]

If you're not going to use a proper race remover, there's absolutely no reason to use a screwdriver. You can put the edge of a 2x4 against the cup, and gently tap with a hammer, moving in 90° increments, and tapping G E N T L Y.

Using wood won't gouge or scratch anything. Going s l o w and g e n t l e won't deform anything.
An iron pipe with 1 1/8" ID works great for that. The iron SHOULD be considerably softer than the headset race so it shouldn't be a problem. If you are super worried I'm sure you could rig up some sort of rubber interface but I've never bothered with it, even on my CK and full carbon forked road bike.