# Anyone else tighten integrated headset really tight to avoid creaking?



## Herms (Mar 25, 2002)

I have a campy hiddenset integrated headset (45x45acb bearings) on my fuji teamsl and I definetly have a noticeable creak/clicking noise in the headset that happens when braking and when accelerating or hitting a bump. The headset bearings click because they rock back or forth depending on the direction of the force on the front fork. This clicking can be eliminated if I tighten the headset topcap really really tight, but eventually I guess the topcap comes a bit looser after about 3 or 4 rides and I have to once again tighten it down really tight to solve the annoying clicking. One possibility is that the topcap isn't coming loose and the bearings are just wearing their way through my frames bearing seats that are part of the head tube. When the headset is this tight it doesnt rotate quite as freely but at least it doesn't annoy me. 

Anyone else had this problem? Do you think loctite on the topcap threads would work?
-tom


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## Spoke Wrench (Aug 20, 2001)

Are you sure that you're adjusting it right?

Actually, the stem clamp is what holds your headset in adjustment. The top cap is just for setting the adjustment until you can clamp the stem down. When you need to adjust your headset, the first thing to do is to make sure your stem is loose, then retighten it after you adjust the preload with the top cap. It shouldn't take very much torque to set the preload with the top cap.


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

*Sounds like...*

the headset is loosening after a bit if riding. I had this problem and it was due to the stem slipping on the steerer tube. I had a stem that only had a single that was used to clamp on the steerer. As soon as I changed to a two bolt clamp the problem went away. The procedure for setting up a integrated headset is as spokewrench said above; loosen the stem clamp, thighten the top cap untill there is no lateral movement of the fork, check this by applying the front brake and rocking the bike front to back while taking note if there is any rock or clicking in the headset. Once this is done, make sure the bars are straight then tighten the stem clamp bolts to spec. One thing that could be hapening too is that if you have many spacers above the headset they could be making some noise. Try to use larger spacers instead of many small ones. Canecreek makes some cool spacers that I use with NO problems. Let us know what worked.

http://canecreek.com/site/product/headset/access/interlok.html


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*wrong method...*

"tighten the top cap untill there is no lateral movement of the fork, check this by applying the front brake and rocking the bike front to back while taking note if there is any rock or clicking in the headset"

This method works for old style caged-ball headsets, but its NOT adequate for new integrated headsets with angled seat cartridge bearings. There can still be too much clearance, even though none is felt when rocking the bike. A better way is to tighten the top cap until there is some definite drag felt when turning the fork, then back off the tension 1/8-1/4 turn. On some headsets, this can feel extremely tight. I tighten the steering tube clamp bolts, then apply a bit of extra tension on the top cap to keep it from loosening. If the adjustment doesn't hold for long, then it's a steering tube clamp problem and/or an improperly installed "compression device" if the steerer is carbon.

The poster should remove the fork and inspect the bearing seats for damage, particularly if the seats are not replaceable. Early detection might permit resurfacing of the seats before the frame is ruined. If the bike has been ridden very long with the headset loose, the seats could easily be damaged.

On reassembly, be sure to apply grease to the bearing seat area.


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## Herms (Mar 25, 2002)

*Thanks, I'll do just that*



C-40 said:


> "tighten the top cap untill there is no lateral movement of the fork, check this by applying the front brake and rocking the bike front to back while taking note if there is any rock or clicking in the headset"
> 
> This method works for old style caged-ball headsets, but its NOT adequate for new integrated headsets with angled seat cartridge bearings. There can still be too much clearance, even though none is felt when rocking the bike. A better way is to tighten the top cap until there is some definite drag felt when turning the fork, then back off the tension 1/8-1/4 turn. On some headsets, this can feel extremely tight. I tighten the steering tube clamp bolts, then apply a bit of extra tension on the top cap to keep it from loosening. If the adjustment doesn't hold for long, then it's a steering tube clamp problem and/or an improperly installed "compression device" if the steerer is carbon.
> 
> ...


C40, thanks for the advice, I do think that it may be the stem(well the stem clamp in particular) because when I torque both of the stem clamp bolts to the same torque the top clamp bolt actually brings the two metal surfaces of the stem against each other while the bottom stem clamp bolt brings it's two metal surfaces not as close together(like I can fit a finger nail in between the two metal surfaces). This probably indicates that the carbon steerer is tapering from the bottom stem clamp bolt to the top stem clamp bolt(or maybe the expander nut inside the carbon steerer is so tight that it is actually expanding the carbon steerer in the area where the bottom stem clamp bolt is located?).
FYI I have a ritchey wcs OS stem. Maybe I should not concentrate on getting the stem clamp bolts to the same torque, but rather just make sure there is uniform clearance between the metal surfaces the stem clamp bolts bring together when tightening?
thanks
-tom


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*expander location...*

Be sure that the expanding plug or compression device is located as close to the top of the steerer as possible, or at least centered along the steering clamp area. If the two sides of the stem clamp are touching, that's not good. Also be sure that it's expanded tight against the steerer and not moving up when the top cap bolt is tightened.


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## Max-Q (Feb 6, 2004)

C-40 said:


> Be sure that the expanding plug or compression device is located as close to the top of the steerer as possible, or at least centered along the steering clamp area. If the two sides of the stem clamp are touching, that's not good. Also be sure that it's expanded tight against the steerer and not moving up when the top cap bolt is tightened.


A slipping expander plug is usually the problem in my experience. But the stem clamp touching is not a good thing


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## filly (Feb 6, 2003)

Ditto on the slipping expander plug. Had the same happen to me. The plug would pull out of the steerer with every turn of the adjusting bolt. The solution (as is with all my carbon slippage problems) is hairspray. Get some of that cheap-arse aqua net or white rain mega hold stuff, and give a spray inside the top portion of your steerer (if it's carbon). Let it sit for a second to evaporate a little and get "tacky." Slip in the plug, and let it sit some more. Then, tighten away.
________
Mflb Vaporizer


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## JFunk (Dec 31, 2002)

*Another source of creaking*



Herms said:


> I have a campy hiddenset integrated headset (45x45acb bearings) on my fuji teamsl and I definetly have a noticeable creak/clicking noise in the headset that happens when braking and when accelerating or hitting a bump. The headset bearings click because they rock back or forth depending on the direction of the force on the front fork. This clicking can be eliminated if I tighten the headset topcap really really tight, but eventually I guess the topcap comes a bit looser after about 3 or 4 rides and I have to once again tighten it down really tight to solve the annoying clicking. One possibility is that the topcap isn't coming loose and the bearings are just wearing their way through my frames bearing seats that are part of the head tube. When the headset is this tight it doesnt rotate quite as freely but at least it doesn't annoy me.
> 
> Anyone else had this problem? Do you think loctite on the topcap threads would work?
> -tom


I had a similar problem with creaking with a Hiddenset on my Cdale. I tried tightening and retightening the headset several times. Didn't work. All the suggestions above are excellent but also check UNDER the cups when the headset is diassembled. My creak was from the cups rubbing against the headtube, NOT from an adjustment issues. A thin layer of lithium grease solved the problem right away.

JFunk


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*should not rub...*

The top section of the headset should never touch the head tube. The campy headset should have a 0.6-0.9mm gap. Usually, there are thin shims provided with a headset to insure a gap if none exists. With a campy headset, there are no shims, they recommend remachining the head tube with campy tools. If the top section touches the head tube, it's impossible to tighten the bearings!

Creaks can also come from the steering tube spacers rubbing each other, the stem, or the top section of the headset.


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