Lionheart

I've got a Surly Disk Trucker (2012) with a Cane Creek Headset. It's got a bit of a clunk in it, which feels like a "loose headset" from back in the day before threadless headsets took over.

In attempting to adjust it, I loosened the cap bolt, then loosened the stem binder bolts and the fork started sliding down out of the head tube! That didn't seem right to me, and so I ask:
Is my headset missing a set screw or something? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

anthonygeo

Interesting, kinda having the same issue but with a Surly fork. I think these folks will do good at helping us out.

dsbrantjr

You need to have the bike sitting on the ground/floor when you make the adjustment, or what you have experienced will occur. You are not missing any parts, the binder bolts are what keep the stem and steerer connected. Loosen them, make your adjustment with the cap bolt then tighten the binder bolts securely and you should be good to go. After making the adjustment the cap and its bolt have no function other than to keep dirt out of the hole and aesthetics.

Kimmo

You want the stem's clamp bolts to be just snug enough so the stem doesn't rattle on the steerer, but loose enough so you can turn the stem on the steerer easily.

With the bike on the ground and front brake on, do up the top cap bolt while rocking the bike back and forth, until the headset stops clunking. Lift the bike and tip it side to side to ensure you don't have too much preload, then align the bars and tighten the clamp bolts.

FBinNY 

It's gravity. If you loosen the upper assembly the fork WILL slide out if the bike is in a repair stand.

Put the bike on the floor to adjust the headset. You need to do it that way anyway, because the standard test for headset adjustment is to apply the front brake and rock the bike forward and back looking, feeling and/or listening for movement at lower bearing.

HillRider

Generally that's right. However, I've come across headsets where the conical split ring has been set tight enough that removing the fork intentionally required tapping on the steerer top with a rubber mallet to get it moving. Also, older Chris King headsets with their centering O-ring are usually pretty tight even with the stem removed. So, while forks usually fall out spontaneously, it's not always the case.

FBinNY 

Yes, many won't fall on their own, and experienced mechanics only loosen the stem so it'll move when pressed by the top cap, but not free enough for the fork to slide on it's own. And as you point out some centering cones don't release too easily and need the tap with a rubber mallet.

But the OP isn't struggling with a sticky headset, he's got one that allows the fork to drop on it's own.

HillRider

Sure, but I wanted to be sure our adoring readers don't always expect their forks to fall out on their own.

3alarmer

............

FBinNY 

Any experienced mechanic knows that Murphy's Law trumps all others, except maybe the law of unintended consequences.

It's very simple. If you want to remove the fork, it'll stick. If not, it'll fall.

It's most likely to fall out on it's own if you have a loose ball headset, and are working outdoors over grass.

Sixty Fiver

This is the voice of experience.

HillRider

And Murphy further says you will find all of the balls except one and, your replacement inventory will include packages of every ball size but that one.

djb

my recollection of this topic is from many moons ago learning about falling bearings abilities to bounce rather effectively off wood floor and managing to get into the small gap between the floor and the baseboards....
never did the grass version.

FBinNY 

I rarely reuse balls because if I plan to, it's almost guarantied that something will happen and I'll come up short. So first rule of any bearing service is not to even look at the condition of the bearing until I've confirmed that I have replacement balls.

I still vividly remember a group trip some 45 years age where someone decided his headset had a problem, and checked it out. Yes, he lost enough balls to make completing the job impossible, and I had to spend lots of time, carefully opening 10 or so headsets, and steeling a few balls from every bearing. That might have been my introduction to Mr. Murphy, except that the trip started off badly, when we shipped the bikes to Plattsburg by train in advance, and a train strike started before we left.

anthonygeo

I come back to check this thread and all I read is about balls!

FBinNY 

Yeah, this sort of thing happens. But hopefully we answered the question before it was all balls to the walls.

anthonygeo

haha

Lionheart

Hi everybody, I just stopped in to post a follow up. I did as instructed by Mr. Goodwrench and all seems good now. Thanks to dsbrantjr, Kimmo, FBinNY, Hillrider and djb.

Sixty Fiver and 3alarmer, not so much

anthonygeo

Congrats!

djb

Richard, if you have an interest in learning more of how the innards of a bike work, or repairs, I recommend this site and help pages set up by Park Tools. Good resource at least to better understand stuff.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help

cheers Mr LionHeart