Headset Help Please

[mikey]

hi everyone i hope someone can help me i had my bike in the work stand and the steering felt a bit notchey so i took the forks off to grease the bearings but things hapend and i got destraced and forgot what way round the ball retainers go on iv put the forks on and adjusted them just to the point so there is virtualy no play in the bearings but it is tight but still free to move at the same time when i took it apart there was no grease in the bearings. without the grease the handle bars moved freely side to side with a little push but with the grease it stays in the position you put the bars in is it just a case of the bearings with the new grease needing abit of time to free up or could one or both of the retainers be round the wrong way? at the moment the bottom retainer is open side down (facing the cone shaped race) and the top one is facing up (open side to the cone shaped race) is this correct? and with all the play removed how free should the steering be? if i adjust it so the steering is free to turn there is to much play in the bearings.

any help on the problem will be apprecaited

thanks alot mike

[Fixed Pants™]

That side should go inwards, towards the actual headset. I think.

(If that's what you're asking about)

[mikey]

thanks i have done some more research in to the asembly of headsets and it looks like that the bearings are in round the wrong way latter on today i will give it ago changing them around and will also see if i can get some replacement bearings.

[mikey]

changed the bearings round today and the steering is now alot better nice and free and no play thanks for the help.