Advocates of loose ball bearings, how much is too much?
04-08-20, 02:58 AM
#2
Full Member
I would remove 1.
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04-08-20, 04:36 AM
#3
Industry guy
25 balls is kind of a standard- and the issue of having about 1/2 of a ball left seems right on.
As long as there is space, I think you are good.
BTW, are the balls you have original or replacement?
Recently checked into Campagnolo original headset bearings and there were both 3/16" and 5/32" listed, depending on
which model headset.
rusty
As long as there is space, I think you are good.
BTW, are the balls you have original or replacement?
Recently checked into Campagnolo original headset bearings and there were both 3/16" and 5/32" listed, depending on
which model headset.
rusty
04-08-20, 05:18 AM
#4
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Even if you go with 24, you are still running more ball bearings than with a retainer. There is some trial and error in this. You'll know you have too many if it binds a bit. My guess is that you'd be better off with a little more space between the ball bearings than you currently have.
04-08-20, 06:13 AM
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Raleigh headsets usually take 25 5/32" balls. Looks good from your picture, but a bit tight. I would be tempted to take one out.
04-08-20, 07:59 AM
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I'll try running the headset with 25 balls for now and I'll remove 1 if it binds like @bikemig has said.
Thank you all for your responses.
Kret
Thank you all for your responses.
Kret
04-08-20, 09:07 AM
#9
Newbie
My copy of Barnett's Bicycle Repair Manual suggests that you should leave two balls out. You should be able to find a copy on line. Personally I have run anywhere from 23 to 25 balls with no problems - depends on your particular headset. Still significantly more that the 18 or 20 balls in a caged retainer.
04-08-20, 03:00 PM
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Remember the circle the balls lie on isn't necessarily the one you see when you place them in one race. I agree with everyone ^^ who said to remove one. Balls binding on each other is a set-up for rapid wear, apart from poor handling.
04-08-20, 03:11 PM
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I'd second taking one out. When the headset is assembled, the balls sometimes sit in a slightly tighter circle than it looks like when you are installing them. And as said above, even if 25 is right, 24 will never hurt.
One last caution - you may have already figured this one out - Raleigh in the old days had some of the loosest standards ever; both for QC and parts installed vs parts spec'ed.
Ben
One last caution - you may have already figured this one out - Raleigh in the old days had some of the loosest standards ever; both for QC and parts installed vs parts spec'ed.
Ben
04-08-20, 03:34 PM
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And yet somehow decades later, many of them continue in service with few issues.Don't take this to mean I disagree with you, because I don't.
04-08-20, 06:06 PM
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04-08-20, 10:11 PM
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Those English headsets (very often found on lower cost Raleighs as they were the common bikes imported to the US) are particularly sensitive to ball count. On all the Raleighs I've done headset work on adjusted best with the upper race having one less ball then the loser stack did. I never bothered to measure the race diameters but went with the tried and true method of trial and error. This after being told by my bosses (back then) of the correct count because I thought I would prove them wrong, or something like that
I had to find out for myself that their experience counted.
These headsets have a bearing contact angle that is far more parallel to the steerer that most any other headset and are also sensitive to the cups/crown races sitting parallel to each other, or to say it differently the frame/fork seats need to be well machined for best adjustment.
Is that a 26TPI headset or the rarer 24TPI one? Either way at least one full ball of space is needed. Andy.
I had to find out for myself that their experience counted.These headsets have a bearing contact angle that is far more parallel to the steerer that most any other headset and are also sensitive to the cups/crown races sitting parallel to each other, or to say it differently the frame/fork seats need to be well machined for best adjustment.
Is that a 26TPI headset or the rarer 24TPI one? Either way at least one full ball of space is needed. Andy.
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