dsx724

Hi all, I've been trolling the forums as I prepare for my newest build but I couldn't find the answer to this problem.

I have an integrated headset with a small problem. From what I understand, the headset cups are suppose to be slightly bigger than the opening on the headtube to ensure a tight fit and no play with between the frame and the bearing cups. However, my cups can be easily placed into the headtube. There is a slight play when I insert my fork and I was wondering if there's a way to secure the cups to the headtube or if there is some other way I should approach this. Any advice appreciated.

ericm979

Are you sure you have the correct bearings for your frame? There's like four or five different incompatible standards. See the Park Tool web site.

cranky old road 

Integrated headsets don't have cups. The headtube designed for integrated headsets is machined so the bearings fit directly into the headtube.

coasting 

if there are cups then it isn't integrated. are you sure the play isn't just that the top cap is not tightened enough when preloading the bearings?

dsx724

Sorry I meant bearings. The upper and lower bearings that go in the headtube.

coasting 

so you put the bearings directly into the seats in the headtube then you insert the fork and spacers and tighten the top cap but there is still play? i had the same problem recently even when i tightened the topcap so much that it was completely stiff and the fork wouldn't move freely. if this is so, i may have the answer

dsx724

There's about 1mm of play between the bearings of the headset and the frame before I install the top cap. I'm afraid that if I leave this, the bearing will bump against the frame repeatedly and cause cracks. This is before I install the top cap. If I install the top cap, this might be minimized by the pressure but I'd rather be safe then sorry later.

If I have to rephrase my question, it would be this
How tightly are bearing suppose to fit in the headtube?

dstrong 

Headset bearings should fit snuggly in the headset. I just did a build and accidentally bought the wrong integrated headset. One "standard" is typically referred to as the "Cane Creek" from all the searching I did...it's for an inner diameter of 41.0mm. The other is "Campy" maybe (?) and it's for an inner diameter of 41.8mm. Maybe yours is built to a "Campy" standard (41.8) but you have a CC IS (41.0). That could explain the play. Your integrated headset should be marked with the dimensions.

****AND**** if it turns out you need the 41.8mm headset, I've still got the one I purchased and would let it go for my cost. It was never installed as I realized my mistake right after I ordered it.

coasting 

My integrated headset is an FSA IS2. This uses the "cane creek" standard and has 45deg outside and 36deg inside the bearing cartridge. Take your cartridge out and look at the outside which will have these angles written. The outside angle 45deg sits on the 45deg angled bottom of the headtube. The inside 36 deg is the angle of the compression ring. My bearings was not as loose as yours but it wasn't exactly snug.

I assembled the headset (bearings then compression ring then top cover), fork, spacers then top cap. When i turned the bolt in the top cap, it tightened up and took out some of the play in the fork when i rocked it back and forth, but I couldn't get all the play out. When i tightened fully, the cover cap of the headset bottomed out on the headtube and i couldn't tighten the top cap any further to remove all play and the fork couldnt move freely.

https://webstore.fullspeedahead.com/f...id=233&pid=339
The problem was solved by putting a couple of "micro spacers" inside the headset (bearing, compression ring, then micro spacers, then top cover) which lifted the top cover off the top of the headtube, so i could tighten the top cap bolt more. this took out all play but still left the fork to rotate freely.

hope this helps.

dstrong 

Of course...the big question is: What's the frame you're building and what are the specs on the headset?