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Squeaky headset

Old 07-03-20, 04:05 PM
  #1  
twowheelies
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Squeaky headset

I have an older Bianchi San Lorenzo (2003 i think) with replacement Origin8 carbon forks that I took possession of within the last year... It's a great bike in in great shape and I love riding it, but the headset started creaking recently. I took the headset apart and cleaned it, regreased, etc... but the creaking remains. Also, I can just barely get the compression plug tight enough to get the play out of it, while still maintaining free steering.

Whats going on!? Do i need to replace all the bearings and rings, etc...? Nothing seemed in that bad shape when i had it all apart, but i'll do anything at this point to get rid of the noise!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe
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Old 07-03-20, 04:11 PM
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Are the headset bearings original to the bike or replacements? If they are not original, the replacements may have the wrong seat angles and/or wrong diameter.
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Old 07-03-20, 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by HillRider
Are the headset bearings original to the bike or replacements? If they are not original, the replacements may have the wrong seat angles and/or wrong diameter.
Not sure... but they seem to be the right ones, they fit perfectly and seem to be in good shape. Also, the creak is something that has developed recently, was not happening when i first got the bike.
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Old 07-03-20, 05:18 PM
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Is this an "integrated" headset or one using press-in cups? If it's a press-in design, the squeak could be between the cups and the headtube. Remove the cups, clean the exterior stems of the cups and the interior of the headtube, grease thoroughly and reinstall the cups.
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Old 07-03-20, 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted by HillRider
Is this an "integrated" headset or one using press-in cups? If it's a press-in design, the squeak could be between the cups and the headtube. Remove the cups, clean the exterior stems of the cups and the interior of the headtube, grease thoroughly and reinstall the cups.
By "cups" do you mean races? there are press-in races that the sealed bearing cartridges sit in... they have all been cleaned and regreased.
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Old 07-04-20, 06:09 AM
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Are you certain the headset is the source? Have you checked handlebar/stem?
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Old 07-04-20, 07:50 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
Are you certain the headset is the source? Have you checked handlebar/stem?
Check & grease the stem bolts, as well as the top cap bolt, especially if you frequently ride in the rain. These points are a common source of creaking on my bikes. I have to remove, clean, and regrease those bolts about once a year to get rid of creaking from torquing of the handlebars and stem.
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Old 07-06-20, 03:28 PM
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Headset is almost certainly the source, only squeaks when i turn, whether i'm on the bike or not.... so its not stress from weight on the handlebar or anything.

Gonna get a new compression plug and relube everything, see what happens then.
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Old 07-06-20, 03:53 PM
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Originally Posted by twowheelies
Headset is almost certainly the source, only squeaks when i turn, whether i'm on the bike or not.... so its not stress from weight on the handlebar or anything.

Gonna get a new compression plug and relube everything, see what happens then.
In that case, it's likely something with the bearings. You don't say what type of bearings you have, e.g. cartridge, retained balls, loose balls.

It's unlikely to be the compression plug, as that turns with the bars and the steer tube.
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Old 07-06-20, 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
In that case, it's likely something with the bearings. You don't say what type of bearings you have, e.g. cartridge, retained balls, loose balls.

It's unlikely to be the compression plug, as that turns with the bars and the steer tube.
thanks - bearings are cartridges, they seem fine. i think it's a matter of how much i have to tighten the plug to get the play out of the headset... if that doesn't work i'll change the bearings as well.
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Old 07-06-20, 05:01 PM
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Take the fork out and put the stem back on the steerer tube and tighten the bolt for the compression plug and see if it's bulging your steerer tube as you tighten it. Might be that it bulges so much that it's rubbing the head tube or bearing races somewhere.

Might can just run some calipers down the tube and see if the area around the compression plug is a wider diameter than the rest of the steerer.
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Old 07-08-20, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
Take the fork out and put the stem back on the steerer tube and tighten the bolt for the compression plug and see if it's bulging your steerer tube as you tighten it. Might be that it bulges so much that it's rubbing the head tube or bearing races somewhere.

Might can just run some calipers down the tube and see if the area around the compression plug is a wider diameter than the rest of the steerer.

Interesting... I'll take a look at that once i have all apart again.
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Old 07-09-20, 09:03 AM
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Ok so here's a question. The compressor i have has a bolt and a cap that both tighten down. with the stem bolts loose, you need to tighten the compressor bolt first, then the cap to get the play out of the headset.

The question is, how do you know how much to tighten the bolt before you tighten the cap? is it a thing you just play with til it's right?
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Old 07-09-20, 09:17 AM
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......is it a thing you just play with til it's right?
Pretty much. You do want the pinch bolts on the stem loose enough to let it move freely.

We are talking about when it's installed in the headset though. Not removed as I previously posted.
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