Play on Crown Race

[JonB]

Hi all,

I had a new headset fitted by my LBS about a month ago. It was a cheap MTB threadless cartridge bearing headset. I have discovered recently that there is now play between the crown race and the bottom cup, and I can feel it bouncing around every time I touch the front brake.

The crown race seems secure on the fork, and the cup seems secure in the frame though I'll try and whip the fork off later to double check If I have time.


Any ideas what's wrong, and how I could fix it?

[DaveM]

If the races are tight on the frame and fork, then it sounds like it is just an adjustment issue. Are you familiar with how to adjust the headset?

[JonB]

yes, before I found it was the crown race I was adjusting my headset fairly frequently as I presumed what I could feel when braking was the top cap working loose, but then I found the play on the crown race (and there's none in the upper race at all).

Probably should have mentioned that before, sorry.

[DaveM]

So it is a loose crown race? If so, you need to go back to the LBS. If you had ridden with the headset loose for a long time that could have caused a crown race that did fit right to become loose. But after only a month it sounds like the shop messed something up.

BTW, note that the top cap is there to help adjust the tightness of the headset, but it is the bolts on the stem that actually hold the adjustment. Once the stem bolts are tight, you can actually take off the stem cap and ride without it (though there's no reason to). You may want to review how to adjust a threadless headset again. Or I may just be misunderstanding what you're saying. But a lot of people are confused by how to adjust these.