bikerboysam1 Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 A few people have asked me recently how to fit a headset and how to determine what stem size you need, so this post is for them and also anyone else who needs help...... Is it possible to install a headset yourself without expensive tools? Well, yes it is, but I would not advise this, unless you are very familiar with how to do it, and you are very careful. This is because if a headset is installed imcorrectly, this can damage the headset cups and the frame. How do you adjust a headset? Before installing the fork a threaded piece called a star-nut is pressed into the top of the steerer tube. A top cap and bolt assembly is threaded into the star-nut. The top cap is designed to fit on top of the stem so that when it is tightened it compresses the stem towards the headset, effectively adjusting the preload on the bearings. Once the preload is correct, the clamp bolts on the stem are tightened and you are ready to go! How do I determine what size I need when shopping for a stem? Most important is the stem clamp diameter (Y). The stem clamp on a threadless stem is one of 3 sizes: 1", 1 1/8", 1 1/4" or 1 ½”. By far, the most common size is 1 1/8", used on almost all bikes including many road bikes. Stem Clamp Diameter :- Measure the outside diameter of the fork's steerer or the inside diameter of the stem. Use the following table to convert the size you measured on your bike to the actual size to order. Stem interior diameter / fork outer diameter --- Stem/Headset/Fork size to order 1 inch or 25.4 mm --- --- 1" 1 1/8" or 28.6 mm --- --- 1 1/8" 1 1/4" 31.8 mm --- 1 1/4" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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