I recently overhauled my theadless headset. When I put it back together after cleaning and relubing, it seemed grindy still, and not as smooth. I loosened the headset cover all the way but this only helped slightly. The headset isn't loose or too tight but i still feel grinding slightly. I'm not sure where to take it from here. could the bearings be installed backwards? I believe I put them back the same way they came out.
Thanks for any help
It's likely one of the components was re-installed incorrectly. I would try reversing the bearings to see if it makes a difference.
Did you try rolling the bearings over one of the races before installing - or setting it all up and swiveling the fork before tightening? If the grinding feeling shows up there, the bearings may not have been cleaned properly, and need to be completely cleaned with solvent, pressure blown dry, and repacked... OR - if they were exposed to water and not dried properly, there could be some corrosion on the bearing surfaces themselves, in which case replacement of the affected parts should be considered.
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