installing CK headset with home made press

A shy person said:

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up my
first bike, and I want to make my own headset press as
detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do anything
special to install a CK headset?

I'm not normally a big believer in the need for special
tools, but in the case of Chris King headsets, I strongly
advise having it done by a shop that has the special tools.

Steel headsets can often be installed with a mallet, but due
to the construction of the Chris King, it really does
require a precision fitting tool to install without damage.

Sheldon "Sometimes You Need The Special Tool" Brown
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Quoted post said:

Originally posted by santa
Hi,

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up my first bike, and I want to make my own headset press as detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do anything special to install a CK headset?

Thanks.

No, not at all. You don't need a special tool. All you need is a headset press. Chris King does make one, but for years people have installed the cups of the King headsets with a normal headset press before King even came out with their special tool.

Quoted message said:

Do I need to do anything special to install a CK headset?

Last time I checked, it looked to me like Chris King sold headset press "adapters", which allow some of the more industry common headset presses to better fit the specific dimensions/construction of CK headsets. There weren't outrageously expensive, and could possibly be used with with threaded rod, but...

I machined a couple of my own from 2" Aluminum bar stock that center radially on the headset bearing ID with a very slight loose fit, and provide a step with a larger OD so the seating force gets applied to the cup OD (rather than the bearing) when the nuts on the 3/8" x 16 allthread rod I use are screwed together. I've done about 6 that way, and haven't encountered any problems.

It would probably take a whole lot of scrounging, and possibly fileing to come up with the right combination of standard "fender washers" to accomplish the same thing safely, but I suppose it could be done if they were "stacked". I'm not sure CKs are any more fragile or difficult to install properly than other headsets, but the fear factor associated with the potential cost of screwingup begs for a careful and gentle approach.

John

santa said:

Hi,

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up my
first bike, and I want to make my own headset press as
detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do anything
special to install a CK headset?

Thanks.

My LBS installed my CK using a mallet and screwdriver. It
took him about 30 minutes to remove the original headset
and replace it with the CK. Of course using a headset
press is better but not necessary. CK headsets are really
tough headsets.

Kenny Lee

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by jmm
> Do I need to do anything special to install a CK headset?

Last time I checked, it looked to me like Chris King sold headset press "adapters", which allow some of the more industry common headset presses to better fit the specific dimensions/construction of CK headsets. There weren't outrageously expensive, and could possibly be used with with threaded rod, but...

I machined a couple of my own from 2" Aluminum bar stock that center radially on the headset bearing ID with a very slight loose fit, and provide a step with a larger OD so the seating force gets applied to the cup OD (rather than the bearing) when the nuts on the 3/8" x 16 allthread rod I use are screwed together. I've done about 6 that way, and haven't encountered any problems.

It would probably take a whole lot of scrounging, and possibly fileing to come up with the right combination of standard "fender washers" to accomplish the same thing safely, but I suppose it could be done if they were "stacked". I'm not sure CKs are any more fragile or difficult to install properly than other headsets, but the fear factor associated with the potential cost of screwingup begs for a careful and gentle approach.

John

That's what I meant. I don't think a person really needs the Chris King adapters in addition to the headset press unless your totally anal about it. I do recommend using a headset press though. A lot of people have installed the King headset using only a headset press without the King adapter inserts. Remember, King didn't even actually make the special adapter tool until after the King headset was on the market and by then a lot of mechanics were just using a regular headset press.

In "]news:[email hidden],
santa <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up my
first bike, and I want to make my own headset press as
detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do anything
special to install a CK headset?

Thanks.

I'm with Sheldon on this one.

biketoolsetc.comindex.cgiOpen ↗
gle&c=Tools&sc=He adset&tc=Press%20Adaptors&item_id=KG-CA18

They are $30 bucks. They center the press and distribute the
load to the outside rim of the CK headset. A normal press
will put pressure on the inner race of the CK bearings
possibly damaging them. You could use these with a threaded
rod type homemade press.

Mike

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmm said:

It would probably take a whole lot of scrounging, and
possibly fileing to come up with the right combination of
standard "fender washers" to

I made something like this with fender washers and few nuts
for spacers without much trouble. I was able to install one
cup of the CK without difficulty, but the second simply
would not go in straight. Ended up riding to the LPS with my
frame on my shoulder to get the second one in. Nice thing
about a ti frame, it's easy to carry on your bike.

Ken-<< My LBS installed my CK using a mallet and
screwdriver. >><BR><BR>

Geeezzzz....I echo what Sheldon syas. For this very
expensive HS, have a bike shop that has good tools and
respectable wrenches do this. "Mallet and a screw driver".
How do places like this stay in biz????

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Ken-<< My LBS installed my CK using a mallet and
screwdriver. >><BR><BR>

Geeezzzz....I echo what Sheldon syas. For this very
expensive HS, have a bike shop that has good tools and
respectable wrenches do this. "Mallet and a screw driver".

Well, maybe the screwdriver part was a little misleading.
The LBS boss man used the screwdriver and mallet to remove
the old Campy bearing race that sat atop of the fork crown.
He then used a piece of pipe about 20" long that had a
diameter a little bigger that the fork's 1" steerer to pound
down the new CK bearing race. But he did use the mallet to
pound in the headset cups though. After 10,000k and an
almost botched overhaul done by me, this CK headset still
works flawlessly.

How do places like this stay in biz????

Where I live people still view the bicycle as
transportation. Junior high and Senior high school students
use the bicycle as their main means of transportation.
Zoning laws here permit storefront owners to live and
operate on their property. Also it helps that the average
bike owner is naive about how bikes work.

Kenny Lee

Kenny Lee said:

My LBS installed my CK using a mallet and screwdriver. It
took him about 30 minutes to remove the original headset
and replace it with the CK. Of course using a headset
press is better but not necessary. CK headsets are really
tough headsets.

This has to be a troll. Or you've got the world's most
incompetent local bike shop.

"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In "]news:[email hidden], santa
<[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up
my first bike, and I want to make my own headset press
as detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do
anything special to install a CK headset?

Thanks.

I'm with Sheldon on this one.

biketoolsetc.comindex.cgiOpen ↗
ingle&c=Tools&sc=He adset&tc=Press%20Adaptors&item_id=KG-
CA18

They are $30 bucks. They center the press and distribute
the load to the outside rim of the CK headset. A normal
press will put pressure on the inner race of the CK
bearings possibly damaging them. You could use these with
a threaded rod type homemade press.

Mike

Or, you could use the homemade 'threaded rod' press with
washers large enough to put the pressure on the outside rim
of the headset and forego the special tool. I've installed
my CK headset in 3 different frames this way.

Sheldon Brown said:

I'm not normally a big believer in the need for special
tools, but in the case of Chris King headsets, I
strongly advise having it done by a shop that has the
special tools.

The fact that an ordinary cup press does not work on Chris
King headsets, coupled with the fact that the *stem* often
requires facing with a lathe in order for the headset to
work properly, coupled with the fact that Chris King
headsets cost $120+, coupled with the fact that It's Just A
Freaking Headset After All, makes a long train of reasons
not to use a Chris King headset.

Chalo Colina

Tim McNamara said:

Kenny Lee said:

My LBS installed my CK using a mallet and screwdriver. It
took him about 30 minutes to remove the original headset
and replace it with the CK. Of course using a headset
press is better but not necessary. CK headsets are really
tough headsets.

This has to be a troll. Or you've got the world's most
incompetent local bike shop.

Ain't no troll. The LBS owner is the second generation owner
and has been doing the bike business for 30 plus years. As
far as his competency is concerned, I would trust him to
remove a stuck BB, rebuild a hub or install a headset, but I
don't trust him to build me some bomb proof wheels.

Kenny Lee

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Scott Hendricks
"Michael Dart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In "]news:[email hidden], santa
<[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up
my first bike, and I want to make my own headset press
as detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do
anything special to install a CK headset?

Thanks.

I'm with Sheldon on this one.

biketoolsetc.comindex.cgiOpen ↗
ingle&c=Tools&sc=He adset&tc=Press%20Adaptors&item_id=KG-
CA18

They are $30 bucks. They center the press and distribute
the load to the outside rim of the CK headset. A normal
press will put pressure on the inner race of the CK
bearings possibly damaging them. You could use these with
a threaded rod type homemade press.

Mike

Or, you could use the homemade 'threaded rod' press with
washers large enough to put the pressure on the outside rim
of the headset and forego the special tool. I've installed
my CK headset in 3 different frames this way.

so your washer is pressing on the outside rim of the cup itself, not on the bearing inside the cup? i'm about to do this too.

so who has a chris king adapter?
what does it press on when you tighten the press? is it the outer edge of the
cup? or the outer edge of the bearing inside the cup? it would be fairly simple to make or find one to press on the cup edge i think, since it could be larger than the cup

Quoted message said:

the blur [email hidden] Writes:

Quoted message said:

so who has a chris king adapter? what does it press on when
you tighten the press? is it the outer edge of the cup? or
the outer edge of the bearing inside the cup? it would be
fairly simple to make or find one to press on the cup edge
i think, since it could be larger than the cup

Chris King makes the adapter. They sell them in sets for the
different brand headset press (if I remember correctly).
They press on the outer edge of the cup and not on the
bearing. You probably could make up a tool like their tool.

santa said:

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up my
first bike, and I want to make my own headset press as
detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do anything
special to install a CK headset?

Don't press across the bearing.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

santa said:

Quoted message said:

I read that Chris King has a special tool that he claims
is "required" to install a CK headset. I am building up
my first bike, and I want to make my own headset press as
detailed on several web pages. Do I need to do anything
special to install a CK headset?

Kenny Lee said:

My LBS installed my CK using a mallet and screwdriver. It
took him about 30 minutes to remove the original headset
and replace it with the CK. Of course using a headset
press is better but not necessary. CK headsets are really
tough headsets.

It's still not a good idea. Sounds like he pressed against
the bearing itself, poor practice. The inexpensive CK tool
(Or the Galli one which is nearly identical) really helps.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Vcopelan

Bthe blur said:

so who has a chris king adapter? what does it press on when
you tighten the press? is it the outer edge of the cup? or
the outer edge of the bearing inside the cup? it would be
fairly simple to make or find one to press on the cup edge
i think, since it could be larger than the cup

Chris King makes the adapter. They sell them in sets for the
different brand headset press (if I remember correctly).
They press on the outer edge of the cup and not on the
bearing. You probably could make up a tool like their tool. [/B]

yep. 7/8" threaded rod ("allthread"😉, and a couple of 7/8" washers with 2"diameter, and some 7/8" nuts did the trick. total
cost $6.82 at my local hardware store. beats $120 for the park press and $30 for the special chris king adapters, especially for a tool i'll use once every 5 years. thanks