ZachLegleiter

Hey folks,

I am looking for a headset for a 2015 Trek Emonda SL 5. I purchased the SL 5 as a frameset on eBay for a really good deal a few days ago. It arrived with a headset (but I don't think it is the right bearings. The bearings were not installed in the frameset, they were just in a bag in the box. I know (from looking at the bike archives on the trek site) that the bike was spec'd with an FSA headset with a 1 1/8" top bearing and a 1.5" lower bearing.

The bottom bearing that was included in the box with the frame and fork is a "TH INDUSTRIES 1-3/8" ACB 36 x 45". The top bearing that was included is a "TH MR122 1-1/8" 36 x 45 degree D5". The carbon dust cap was also included. The top bearing seems to fit, however the bottom bearing wont fit at all, it is very loose and it won't fit all the way down the fork, which leads me to believe it is not the right bearing.

My question is; What do I need to get? I would like to get an FSA headset, maybe I only need the bottom bearing? Or would to be best to just start from scratch?

Thanks for you help!!

2lo8

You just need a bottom bearing. But a bottom bearing should not slide all the way down on the fork, or else it wouldn't spin, and the inside shouldn't touch the steerer or be in contact with any part of the fork except the crown race or the upper split ring.

Andrew R Stewart 

What?? Maybe I miss understand your statement but all normal lower headset bearings do sit at the base of the steerer, fitted to the fork crown seat. And the bearing's inside diameter certainly must contact the steerer/crown seat fully and coaxially just as the bearing's OD must snug into the head tube/frame cups.


This is another situation where a photo would explain a lot about what is in discussion. Or better yet a visit to your Trek dealer LBS with all in hand. Andy.

HillRider

I do think you have the wrong bottom bearing. Yours says 1-3/8, is a loose fit in the headtube cup and won't seat on the steerer. The correct bearing should say something like 1.5" 36/45 degrees and will both fit the headtube and steerer. As Andrew recommenced, a visit to a Trek dealer is called for. You might also contact the e-bay seller to try and obtain the proper bearing.

2lo8

Not on threadless cartridge bearing integrated headsets. There's a noticable gap. It he said it got stuck on the taper that would be one thing, and it wouldn't be touching the crown race, but he said it was loose. The bearing sits on the crown race, slightly elevated from the fork. It's not supposed to fit flush and flat.

No, the bearings need not touch the steerer at any point. The upper bearing has no direct contract with the fork at all. There's the split ring that goes between the fork and the upper bearing. The lower bearing only touches the fork if it has an integrated crown race, and otherwise it sits on the crown race without touching the fork directly. A Standard 1 1/8 CC integrated headset bearing has a 30.15mm ID, and is going to feel loose on the 30mm part of the steerer, and definitely loose on the 28.6mm part of the steerer.

ZachLegleiter

Thanks everyone for the reply's.

I just got around to putting the bike together. Long story short I needed an entire new headset. My LBS ordered me a Cane Creek headset top assembly, and an Enduro ACB 6808 SS bottom bearing.

I was in the process of putting the bike together today and realized that the fork did not have a crown race. I didn't get a crown race with the bottom bearing, the LBS (which happens to be about 60 miles away) The bottom bearing has, a 40 I.D., 51 O.D., and is 36 degree x 36 degree.

Any ideas on where to get a crown race? and what do I need to get? and what do I need to search for? I would stop by my Trek LBS but it is about 65 miles away.

ZachLegleiter

Will this one work?