I'm having a problem with my headset always coming loose. After a few bike rides the headset loosens up. I mount the stem on the steerer tube of the fork and load the headset with the compresssion plug. Everything works fine until I go for a long ride. I tried increasing the load on the headset with the compression plug, but the problem returns. I did notice something very odd on the headset. I use a Cane Creek S-8 headset. The space between the upper cup and the bearing cap is uniform when I load the headset to remove the play. However, as soon as I torque down the stem's steer tube clamp bolts, the spacing is no longer uniform. In fact, the spacing near the rear of the headset becomes compressed, compared to the forward area of the headset.
Does this mean that the bearings of the headset are no longer evenly loaded, leading to the loosening of the headset? I do use a torque wrench to tightened the stems steerer tube clamp bolts.
I'm having a problem with my headset always coming loose. After a few bike rides the headset loosens up. I mount the stem on the steerer tube of the fork and load the headset with the compresssion plug. Everything works fine until I go for a long ride. I tried increasing the load on the headset with the compression plug, but the problem returns. I did notice something very odd on the headset. I use a Cane Creek S-8 headset. The space between the upper cup and the bearing cap is uniform when I load the headset to remove the play. However, as soon as I torque down the stem's steer tube clamp bolts, the spacing is no longer uniform. In fact, the spacing near the rear of the headset becomes compressed, compared to the forward area of the headset.
Does this mean that the bearings of the headset are no longer evenly loaded, leading to the loosening of the headset? I do use a torque wrench to tightened the stems steerer tube clamp bolts.
The scary thing is that the stem is tightening down "crooked"... my biggest concern is that the steer tube itself might be damaged (possibly by too much torque trying to get the slippage to stop). I'd pull the fork and check the steer tube VERY carefully.
The other thing that occurs to me is that a badly prep'd head tube could cause similar problems, though I'm not sure why the "gap" would occur only upon tightening down the stem clamp.
I'm having a problem with my headset always coming loose. After a few bike rides the headset loosens up. I mount the stem on the steerer tube of the fork and load the headset with the compresssion plug. Everything works fine until I go for a long ride. I tried increasing the load on the headset with the compression plug, but the problem returns. I did notice something very odd on the headset. I use a Cane Creek S-8 headset. The space between the upper cup and the bearing cap is uniform when I load the headset to remove the play. However, as soon as I torque down the stem's steer tube clamp bolts, the spacing is no longer uniform. In fact, the spacing near the rear of the headset becomes compressed, compared to the forward area of the headset.
Quoted message said:
Does this mean that the bearings of the headset are no longer evenly loaded, leading to the loosening of the headset? I do use a torque wrench to tightened the stems steerer tube clamp bolts.
The scary thing is that the stem is tightening down "crooked"... my biggest concern is that the steer tube itself might be damaged (possibly by too much torque trying to get the slippage to stop). I'd pull the fork and check the steer tube VERY carefully.
The other thing that occurs to me is that a badly prep'd head tube could cause similar problems, though I'm not sure why the "gap" would occur only upon tightening down the stem clamp.
I have a stem (useless) where the bore for the bar is not square to the stem. So to get the bars square to the wheel, the stem needs to poke off to one side a bit. Perhaps his stem has the steerer bore canted a bit.
I'm having a problem with my headset always coming loose. After a few bike rides the headset loosens up. I mount the stem on the steerer tube of the fork and load the headset with the compresssion plug. Everything works fine until I go for a long ride. I tried increasing the load on the headset with the compression plug, but the problem returns. I did notice something very odd on the headset. I use a Cane Creek S-8 headset. The space between the upper cup and the bearing cap is uniform when I load the headset to remove the play. However, as soon as I torque down the stem's steer tube clamp bolts, the spacing is no longer uniform. In fact, the spacing near the rear of the headset becomes compressed, compared to the forward area of the headset.
Does this mean that the bearings of the headset are no longer evenly loaded, leading to the loosening of the headset? I do use a torque wrench to tightened the stems steerer tube clamp bolts.
Are you certain the centering spacer is in place between the upper cone and the steerer? If it is upside down or missing you'll have that symptom. Oh, and a bearing retainer upside down might also do that.
-- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
