Fitting Head Tube Bearing Cups

S1m0nR · Feb 19, 2013

Hello all,

I've just sourced a 30mm Campagnolo head set to fit to my Daccordi frame. The frame headtube measures at exactly 30.00 mm but the bearing cups are a little bigger at 30.12 (top) and 30.26 (bottom) mm.

Is this normal and will the bearing cups just press into the head tube? I'm guessing that there's a little bit of natural flex in both the head tube and the cups so they'll hopefully expand and contract favourably to allow me to fit them...

I'm planning to press them home in the jaws of a large vice but don't want to damage anything.

Cheers!

Simon R.

Robbied196 · Feb 19, 2013

A 1" headset should be 30.1mm but the tolerance can be +/_ 0.2mm so you should be ok.

Be careful with the vice though you don't want all the pressure on the edges of the cups. A vice will work but you need some wood or plastic like this arrangement to protect the cups:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2089/2375 ... z.jpg?zz=1

You could stand the headtube in boiling water for 5 mins and keep the cups in the fridge if you want to be sure they slip in easily.

danson67 · Feb 19, 2013

I've got a proper headset press you can borrow for the postage...PM if interested, (£5.ish?)
Or I'll fit it for you if you're passing (Huntingdon, Cambs).

All the best,

Excel · Feb 19, 2013

right it's down to B & Q's, I've used this method for years with no problems I bought a 15" length of threaded pole (about the thickness of a hub axle) with two 3/4" washers and two 17mm nuts first insert the threaded pole through the headtube then position the upper and lower cups in place and carefully screw the two nuts and washers evenly on either side of the cups with a suitable spanner.......as they turn they press the cups in evenly and the job's a good 'un! cost is less than a fiver

Midlife · Feb 19, 2013

Either use a head set press (home made or genuine)........or a piece of heavy wood to gently "ease" the cups into the bracket mallet stylee

.

Getting the fork race on is the tricky bit and needs a length of pipe of a suitable diameter.

Shaun

S1m0nR · Feb 19, 2013

Many thanks Gents - really useful replies. Particularly thanks to Danson for the offer of your press!!

Armed with the knowledge above I'll nip down to Mackays in Cambridge and arm myself with the parts to make a press, that way I'll have it for when I need to do this again in the future. I'm sure they'll also have a piece of pipe to make the drift for the fork race.

It's just a case then of buying a Campagnolo Centaur Red & Black Groupset and a nice set of wheels and it'll be on the road ;-)

I'll post some pics of it when it's built... All the best :-D

Theoldfm · Feb 19, 2013

I have been using a piece of 2 x 2 about a foot long for the last 30 years to 'ease' the headset cups into the headtube.

Never had any problems yet

David B · Feb 20, 2013

Also, run a craft or Stanley knife carefully around the inside surface of the head tube near to each end to remove any paint or powder coat that may prevent the cups sliding neatly into place (powder coat has given me a couple of minor problems on that front in recent years).

David

El Juli · Feb 22, 2013

I used a home made press for the cups and the same press with a lenght of PVC tubing for the fork race. I feared that PVC won't be strong enough but it is...and by a wide margin, and dirt cheap too.

mrcpea · Feb 23, 2013

Excel":2dh6j394 said:
right it's down to B & Q's, I've used this method for years with no problems I bought a 15" length of threaded pole (about the thickness of a hub axle) with two 3/4" washers and two 17mm nuts first insert the threaded pole through the headtube then position the upper and lower cups in place and carefully screw the two nuts and washers evenly on either side of the cups with a suitable spanner.......as they turn they press the cups in evenly and the job's a good 'un! cost is less than a fiver

I've used this method for years, with the only difference being that I have 2 pieces of hard wood next to the headset cups, works every time. Just check all is moving in squarely

Fitting Head Tube Bearing Cups

S1m0nR

Old School Hero

Robbied196

Senior Retro Guru

danson67

Excel

Retro Guru

Midlife

Retro Wizard

S1m0nR

Old School Hero

Theoldfm

David B

Old School Grand Master

El Juli

Dirt Disciple

mrcpea

Retro Guru

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