Tips for adjusting a headset with a suspension fork

Anthony DeLorenzo said:

Hi All,

I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset. Specifically,
I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in the headset from
play in the fork.

Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
bearing model.

Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load"😉 the fork a little. Then apply the
front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the stem and spacers.
Adjust it out and tighten things up; go ride.

Bill "one of the few things I've mastered" S.

Bill Sornson said:

Anthony DeLorenzo said:

Hi All,

I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset. Specifically,
I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in the headset from
play in the fork.

Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
bearing model.

Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load"😉 the fork a little. Then apply the
front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the stem and spacers.

you need to know what you're about for that to work on a suspension
fork. they always have a little play in the sliders [from factory], so
the old solid fork maxims don't translate too well since perceived slop
is the sliders, not the bearing. i find it best to tighten until the
wheel will /just/ tilt of its own accord when the bike is suspended and
leaned to one side. finger tight gripping the short arm of the hex
wrench [long end in the nut] seems about right typically.

Quoted message said:

Adjust it out and tighten things up; go ride.

Bill "one of the few things I've mastered" S.

jim beam said:

Bill Sornson wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load"😉 the fork a little. Then apply
the
front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the stem and spacers.

you need to know what you're about for that to work on a suspension
fork. they always have a little play in the sliders [from factory], so
the old solid fork maxims don't translate too well since perceived slop
is the sliders, not the bearing. i find it best to tighten until the
wheel will /just/ tilt of its own accord when the bike is suspended and
leaned to one side. finger tight gripping the short arm of the hex
wrench [long end in the nut] seems about right typically.

That's the thinking of writers of motorcycle tech manuals, which direct
the mechanic to set the head bearing by the torque required to turn the
bearing. That can be measured by pulling on the handlebar end with a
scale.

Ted

--
Ted Bennett

jim beam said:

Bill Sornson said:

Anthony DeLorenzo said:

Hi All,

I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset.
Specifically, I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in
the headset from play in the fork.

Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
bearing model.

Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load"😉 the fork a little. Then
apply the front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the
stem and spacers.

you need to know what you're about for that to work on a suspension
fork. they always have a little play in the sliders [from factory],
so the old solid fork maxims don't translate too well since perceived
slop is the sliders, not the bearing.

I wrap my hand around the top headset cup and spacers and feel for movement
there. I can easily tell the difference between the sliders going up and
down and the headset having to/fro play. It's quite obvious.