TallRider

In my younger years, I made the one-time mistake of pressing ISO headset cups (30.2mm diameter) into a headtube designed for JIS headsets (30.0mm diameter).
Because of that mistake, JIS headset cups fit slightly loose in the head tube, so I need to use ISO headset cups. (I've never been able to find any cracks in the head tube, in case you're wondering.) Of course, the fork still takes a JIS crown race.

I found a combo headset with ISO cups and JIS crown race. Nothing high-end, and I'm starting to get a low level of "indexed steering. I bought that headset at Loose Screws, which no longer exists.

Any ideas on where I might find a quality low-profile 1" threaded headset with ISO cups and JIS crown race? Or buy an ISO headset and separate JIS crown race for the same headset design?

79pmooney

Tange almost certainly makes a headset that will work and if they don't you can mix and match their headsets. I had to do this with my latest custom (1" steerer) because Tange didn't make a straight swap for the Chris King the bike was built around to get the stack height right. Tange makes headsets for many manufacturers and has for at least 40 years. No danger of them going away. I believe QBP carries their headsets. In any case, ordering one through a shop is not hard and they are also not expensive. Their cheapest headset is about $8 and very low stack. No seals so you have to make them or use a fender and marine grease to keep grit out. I used parts of that set on my custom (not the cups) to micky-mouse the stack. HS went 7-8000 miles with maybe adjustments. It is now showing a little indexing, but it has done its job. (Just wished I had gone Tange from the beginning. One headset, no icky-mouse and I would have missed the 7 thousand miles of promise that the King would settle in and be great. I couldn't go more than 400 miles with tightening. Didn't matter if I did it, a pro mechanic or the King factory.)

Ben

HillRider

Another approach is to buy a complete JIS headset and take up the slack in the headtube using one of the Locktite bearing and shaft locking compounds. If you buy a good cartridge bearing headset, you should never have to replace either the cups or crown race. If it wears out, just get replacement bearings.

bikemig 

Velo orange has what you need. You can buy their inexpensive alloy headset (it's pretty good quality) and get the crown race you need as well because they stock the small parts for their headsets.

SkyDog75

+1 to 79pmooney's comments.

Tange headsets, at least in some models, are available in ISO, JIS, or mixes of both. If you can only find a full ISO Tange headset, you can pick up a JIS crown race or vice versa. They're interchangeable, at least for a given Tange model -- ISO Tange Levin cups will work with an ISO Tange Levin crown race, for example.

As an aside... For whatever it's worth, my experience with inexpensive Tange headsets is slightly different than 79pmooney's. Mine have all come with seals for the lower bearings. They're basic plastic and not terribly fancy, but reasonably effective.

SquidPuppet

+1

This is what I have done for the exact same proble. When an interference fit becomes loose you usually only need the tiniest amount of material to take up the slack. A member here recommended trying a ribbon of fingernail polish inside the head tube. It worked perfectly.

dsbrantjr

I like this better than the Loctite solution since it can be easily undone.

SquidPuppet

I was actually a little too liberal with my application. Couldn't get the cups in. A little sandpaper and voila, a custom TIGHT fit.

HillRider

Yeah, there are various strengths of Locktite but they are all pretty strong. That's why I recommended a cartridge bearing headset. TR would never have to remove the cups or crown race again.

TallRider

The ISO headset I originally accidentally installed was a Shimano 1" cartridge-bearing headset. I found a JIS crown race for it, but the stack height was too high. Are some cartridge-bearing headsets as low-profile as loose-ball headsets?


If I had to, I could rig up a JIS headset to work in the frame. But it does sound a bit jury-rigged compared to just pressing ISO cups into the frame.

HillRider

Unfortunately, none I'm aware of. I had a '92 Trek 1420 that came with a Tange 1" threaded loose ball headset and Trek had cut the steerer to an absolute minimum to match that headset. When the headset wore out I tried to find a cartridge bearing headset that was short enough to work with the fork and couldn't.

jwgd

This one from origin8 comes with both crown races. Sealed cartridge bearings, cups are 30.2 and stack height is 42.5. I replaced an old loose-ball tange falcon and the fit was fine.

Product Description | Origin8

plonz 

I've been very happy with this headset. It's aluminum and fairly light to boot.

FBinNY 

pardon if it's been suggested already.

Consider buying a cartridge bearing that uses a split crown centering cone (crown race). These aren't press fit, and use the taper to tighten onto the fork the same way the top centering cone does. There's enough latitude that the same part will fit either fork.

HillRider

That is a very tall stack height. The older loose ball Tange's (and the current Ritchy Logic) I'm familiar with have a stack height in the 32 - 33 mm range and typical cartridge bearing headsets like the previous Shimano Dura Ace and Ultegra have stack heights in the 37 -39 mm range.