cjorg

Hey guys I've been working on this Pinarello Treviso flat bar road bike and when I went to adjust the headset I realized that the races are probably trashed Has the worst case of indexing I've ever seen. Did a bunch of research and found that replacing with loose ball bearings will sometimes fix the issue. The problem is that the fork is stuck in the head tube, and no amount of hammering will get it out. Seeking advice on if anyone knows a trick or if it should just be ridden like this. Thanks in advance guys

gearbasher

Fork stuck in head tube? Or, did you mean: stem stuck in fork steerer tube?

HillRider

Until that problem is solved, nothing else matters. Is this a threaded fork and the stem is stuck? The usual fixes include penetrating oil, heat and sometimes hacksaw blades.

smd4

Yeah--have to wonder here. How is the fork stuck?

cjorg

Sorry I realized my post makes no sense lol I can't post pics yet because my profile is new. The steerer tube is stuck in the headset. Stem and spacers are off. There's play in the top bearings so it must be stuck on the bottom bearings

cjorg

Threadless headset, steerer tube is stuck in the head tube, thanks

smd4

I'm old-school, so I can't imagine a fork being stuck after the top headset pieces have been removed.

cjorg

Not sure I'm thinking the head tube might be ovalized. Steerer tube is free at the top bearings, it's stuck at the bottom crown race. Fork also might be bent too? Can't post pics because I'm new

FBOATSB

cjorg, there's a reason for that, however you can upload pics to the gallery where can see them. https://www.bikeforums.net/g/user/553573

smd4

I'm thinking if the fork can't be removed--even after hammering??--there must be all kinds of problems going on here.

delbiker1 

My thought is maybe the steer tube has somehow been bent or misshaped. If not, maybe try PB Blaster and let it sit for overnight, then try to get it out. What kind of hammer and how hard are you hitting it. With just the bottom is stuck, it seems to me it should not be that difficult, if it is from corrosion. I have doubts about that. As suggested, get a couple of pictures loaded into the gallery.

70sSanO

Is this a threadless steerer?

John

smd4

Trying hard to imagine how a fork can be stuck at the bottom bearing.

easyupbug 

Bearings with false brinelling (bearing damage looking much like brinelling but is not) is caused by fretting and can occur with corrosion so I agree with delbiker1 use PB or Kroil or any penetrant lubricant to soak.

smd4

Apparently yes. He mentioned that earlier.

Iride01 

How are you experiencing the brinelling?

If you overtighten most any set of bearings, then they will feel bumpy or grinding that might be mistaken for brinelling. However it's not brinelling. It's just that you tightened them too tight and they are doing what I and others sometimes call indexing. It's just that they can't sit properly in the races from the excess compression put on them.

For bikes that have loose bearings, one also might experience a similar thing if too many loose bearings are put in the races and they don't have enough space to find their proper position on the races.

smd4

"Indexing" to me means he has a headset that is completely worn out--there is a noticeable index or "indent" when the bars are placed straight ahead, indicating that there actually is an indent in that position (since the bars are facing straight ahead 90% of the time, and taking bumps in that position that eventually leads to an actual indentation in the race). This would feel noticeably different than a too-tight headset.

As Hillrider mentioned, the headset problem seems to be the least of his worries.

smd4

This certainly doesn't sound like a problem penetrating oil can fix.

70sSanO

Missed it. Thanks.

John

3alarmer 

...I am mystified as well, and have never encountered this. Usually, even the crown race on the fork crown will pop off with a block of wood and a couple of sharp raps with a large hammer. Would be interested in looking at your pictures, even though I'm not certain how you will photograph the stuck spot. Even an ovalized head tube has not, IME, ben ovalized enough to seize the fork steerer.

smd4

Does the fork still turn easily?

I'm not familiar with that Pinarello model, but I looked it up and it looks like a nice, classic lugged steel road bike. Assuming it is, the fork should have simply dropped out with no force whatsoever when you removed the stem or any other clamping hardware.

Crankycrank

I'll throw this out there not knowing enough details but, I see this newer Pinarello Treviso has a Carbon Fiber fork and frame. Question is if the steerer is aluminum or CF. If alu there is a chance the top headset race is stuck from corrosion or as mentioned a slightly ovalized upper steerer tube. Let some penetrant soak a day or so around the upper race and steerer then give it some good wacks (not a bludgeoning) with a wood block resting against the top of the tube and a hammer.

gearbasher

I have an American Classic sealed bearing headset on one of my bikes. The fork crown race (actually it's not really a race, but a seat for the inner race of the lower bearing) fits tightly in the inner race of the lower sealed bearing. When I need to remove the fork, it's stuck pretty tight. But, a moderate whack with a foot long section of 2x4 pops it right out. So, I can't picture how his fork is stuck in the head tube.

smd4

This is a head-scratcher... Wish cjorg would come back and answer some of our questions. He could get his post-count up too!

70sSanO

If you can get the top cup out of the head tube, you might be able to slide a tube inside the head tube between the steerer and the inner wall of the head tube.

It needs to be long enough to be able to tap out the bottom cup. If you can get the cup out of the head tube, you can deal with the getting the steerer loose outside of the frame.

John