Carrera Kraken headset size help needed

louislouis said:

Dear All, I have been given a Carrrera Kraken frame which I'm building up & it needs to have an integrated headset but seems the frame is designed for quite large bearings (I have a Cane Creek 1 1/8" standard integrated one but the bearings are too small in the frame, wobble about, don't fit snug and hence I can't get it adjusted right - either too loose or too tight). Does anyone now what were actually fitted in the originals so I can see if I can get one. Or where their collars or something put in the frame first?

I don't have the specific answer for you ...

You need to get a set of digital calipers and measure the difference between your headset & your frame's headtube.

PROBLEM SOLVER may have a "shim" designed for your frame ... OR, depending on the differential, you can make your own shim from aluminum or brass "sheet" of the appropriate thickness (i.e., HALF the differential).

I have a Carrera Kraken 07 frame which does not have not an integrated headset, instead the Kraken utilises a semi-integrated (or internal) headset where the barrings sit inside a cup which is pushed into the headtube. The benefit of this arrangement is the bearings do not wear the inside of the headtube which could potentially ruin your frame instead they wear a cup which can be replaced easily. To learn about the different types of headsets you can check out the below link;

Park Tool Website

The headset provided with the Kraken 07 is not very weather proof and overtime dirt and water get into the bearings. I would suggest upgrading the headset to an FSA one or if you want to spend the extra money a crane creak zerostack. Before you go to your shop you will need to take the headset cups out of the bike (you can buy a park tool to do this but if you are replacing the cups anyway then a screwdriver and hammer work fine). Then take the inside diameter of your frame and the outside diameter of your fork steering column (usually 1 1/8 inch) to your local bike dealer. In the larger Halfords stores they keep FSA headsets in stock.

Kraken 07:
Headtube ID = 50mm
Headtube OD = 45mm
Steering column = 1 1/8"
Headset type = internal (semi-integrated)