Brampton Headset Bearing Size
06-01-23, 12:24 PM
#1
Standard Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Posts: 4,272
Bikes: 1948 P. Barnard & Son, 1962 Rudge Sports, 1963 Freddie Grubb Routier, 1980 Manufrance Hirondelle, 1983 F. Moser Sprint, 1989 Raleigh Technium Pre, 2001 Raleigh M80
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1297 Post(s)
Liked 940 Times
in
490 Posts
Brampton Headset Bearing Size
I'm getting some binding (hard to steer) with this early-50's Brampton. It's not really bad, just enough to make me look (to an experienced rider) like I don't know how to control a bike. The top races are definitely meant for 5/32" bearings. The bottom race is definitely (as-supplied) 1/8". 5/32" will not fit in the bottom races. I can't figure out why I am getting binding. Should I try 1/8" bearings in the top race? I tried putting 5/32" bearings in the bottom (from another Brampton with retainer). That was definitely wrong (I could tell by looking at the crown race from the outside with fork in steerer tube) Got binding and squeaking when tried to turn the bars.
5/32" bearings sit neatly
Bottom race almost filled with 1/8" bearings w/ 5/32 bearing outside for reference
5/32" bearings sit neatly
Bottom race almost filled with 1/8" bearings w/ 5/32 bearing outside for reference
__________________
Unless you climb the rungs strategically, you’re not going to build the muscle you need to stay at the top.
Unless you climb the rungs strategically, you’re not going to build the muscle you need to stay at the top.
06-01-23, 12:38 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alta California
Posts: 14,270
Mentioned: 415 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3814 Post(s)
Liked 3,345 Times
in
2,182 Posts
-----
Brampton headset models with floating U-races take 1/8" ball in both upper and lower
due to lo-res of images (and me auld peepers!
) do not fully trust me observations based on the images provided
the floating U-race design is an interesting one to work with and perfectly valid in my experience
when well mounted and adjusted they can be very smooth
will seem odd at first to a spanner twister only familiar with cup & cone design
came OEM on many Brit mounts well into the nineteen seventies
-----
Brampton headset models with floating U-races take 1/8" ball in both upper and lower
due to lo-res of images (and me auld peepers!
) do not fully trust me observations based on the images providedthe floating U-race design is an interesting one to work with and perfectly valid in my experience
when well mounted and adjusted they can be very smooth
will seem odd at first to a spanner twister only familiar with cup & cone design
came OEM on many Brit mounts well into the nineteen seventies
-----
Last edited by juvela; 06-01-23 at 04:44 PM. Reason: addition
