# headset screw problem...HELP!



## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

oh crap! up until 5 minutes ago I had 3 silver 10mm spacers under my stem + one 5mm spacer above. i just replaced them with 6 5mm black spacers below and the same 5mm spacer above. went to screw in the "head set screw" (sorry, the term is eluding me right now) and it won't grab and tighten completely. as a result i have a small bit of play in my fork. worst part is, i can't unscrew the darn thing. :mad2: 

what did i do wrong and what do i do now???? this is my commuter so please help me fix it before tomorrow's AM commute. thanks.


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

*space of spacers*

You replaced 35mm of spacers with 24.5mm (I think, if you used 3 of the 6.5s). You need to use approximately the same amount of spacers unless you want to cut the headtube. So add back one of the old 10mm spacers. If you deliberately wanted to lower your stem, add the spacer on top of the stem along with the 5mm one. I'm not sure about the top cap, but it sounds like you severely over-tightened it.


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*maybe???*

i originally had 3x10mm of spacers below and replaced them with 6x5mm spacers. both equal 30mm.

when i unscrew the top cap it just spins but doesn't come out. the question is, why isn't it unscrewing and what can i do about it?


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

ok, I mis-read the amount of spacers you used. That's not the issue.

The top cap screw is used to fine-tune the adjustment of the headset. It screws into a star nut that's inside your steerer tube. That bolt doesn't get 'torqued' down, and if you over tightened it you may have pulled the star nut up enough to be unable to properly adjust the headset, and possible stripped the threads on the bolt. Can you pull up on the top cap bolt as you loosen it? Also, when you adjust the headset via the top cap nut, the handlebar stem must be loosened. If it's clamped to the steerer tube, you're not affecting the play/bearing load. Adjust the headset via the top cap, then clamp the stem.

Try to pull out the top cap and inspect the threads on the bolt. When you re-install everything, make sure the fork remains properly seated into the headtube. And the top spacer (or stem if you don't use a top spacer) should be 2-3 mm over the top of the steerer tube.


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*top cap...*

i think i may have overtightened it and pulled the star nut up like you are suggesting. 

problem is, i can't pull up on the top cap as i loosen the screw. if i tighten or loosen the screw, the top cap just spins with the screw.


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*got the top cap screw out...*

now, when i put it all back together i can't get the top cap screw to actually tighten. the threads on the screw don't look stripped, but maybe something's wrong with the star nut????


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

If the top cap bolt won't loosen or tighten, then you've definitely stripped the threads on it. To fix it right, you need to (1) destroy the top cap (you may be able to leave the bolt) (2) knock the star nut out (along with the bolt) out of the steerer tube from top to bottom. You'll need a long piece of metal to use as a long punch in the steerer tube (3) install a new star nut. I forget how deep they're supposed to go into the steerer tube. Bike shops have a tool that punches it in to a pre-set level. A new star nut and a top cap aren't expensive.

Before you do that, make sure the stem is loose, with the bike standing up on the ground with wheels on, apply some compression down on the stem and tighten it. Is the play negligible? You may get by for your commute tomorrow. My advice against doing this would increase proportionally to the length of your commute and the 'high-endness' of your bike.


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

the star nut is now at the top of the steerer tube. it should be down a bit. i'll take it to the shop tomorrow. no commute for me. 

thanks for your help.

damn, i'm stupid, stupid, stupid :mad2: :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

marc180 said:


> now, when i put it all back together i can't get the top cap screw to actually tighten. the threads on the screw don't look stripped, but maybe something's wrong with the star nut????


Take the bolt out of the top cap, and carefully try to thread it into the star nut. The threads in the star nut could be stripped instead. Do it 2-3 times to make sure the threads are ok on both pieces. I forget how far down the star nut should be inside the steerer. I think it should be about 1 cm from the top of the steerer to top edges of the star nut, where it meets the inside of the steerer tube. If the threads are ok, then you probably did pull up the star nut. You can tap it down with a hammer - for the hammer to contact the star nut, ideally find another bolt to thread in the star nut and hammer it. You can hammer on your actual bolt, but avoid it if possible (especially if it's nice alloy bling). Or find another metal object that will mate with the star nut (but not get to the threads!).


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*worked!*

before i even read your post, i hammered the star nut down about a cm and put everything back together. i think this worked just fine. thanks for your help. man, i was frustrated with that darn thing. at least now i know something new.:thumbsup:


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

*Good for you. It sounds like*



marc180 said:


> before i even read your post, i hammered the star nut down about a cm and put everything back together. i think this worked just fine. thanks for your help. man, i was frustrated with that darn thing. at least now i know something new.:thumbsup:


you are a bit of a newbie on headsets, so make sure you preload the bearings properly when you tighten everything down. If you have any questions about that, search for a thread here, or check the Park Tool or Sheldon Brown sites. Have fun

b21


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*i'll check it out*

yeah, i'm somewhat a noob when it comes to wrenching. i've never messed with headsets before. i've swapped out stems, adjusted spacer #s, bars many many times and never had this problem. i leave headset install/adjustment, fork cutting, derailleur fooling, and BB stuff to the LBS. all else i feel somewhat confident in doing.


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

*please do check it out*



marc180 said:


> yeah, i'm somewhat a noob when it comes to wrenching. i've never messed with headsets before. i've swapped out stems, adjusted spacer #s, bars many many times and never had this problem. i leave headset install/adjustment, fork cutting, derailleur fooling, and BB stuff to the LBS. all else i feel somewhat confident in doing.


You can't just "tighten everything down". There is a specific way to properly set the bearings in the HS using the bolt that you had so much trouble with. Once its set properly, then the stem bolts hold everything in place. Failure to follow proper technique can result in a loose headset or bearings with too much load on them and a front wheel that doesn't turn properly.

b21


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## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

*will do...*

thanks b21 for the advice. i'm planning on stopping by the shop on my way home today.


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