A headset cup remover tool is definitely one of my weirdest tools I own but every time I use it I feel so satisfied! Would definitely recommend getting one.
A length of PVC pipe makes a great fork race installation tool. It's soft enough that it won't scratch the steerer tube, damage the seal or the race itself, but hard enough to get the job done. Also, turning it all upside down, putting the PVC on the floor and using a rubber mallet/dead blow to strike the steerer at the crown will eliminate the suspension compressing when you hit it.
It's all fun and games working on bikes till someone loses a eye lol. Awesome you guys are still making these videos. Please keep them coming. Still enjoy watching them.
I absolutely love your channel! It is def my favorite! It is awesome to find a girl that rides the same types of bikes and ride the same type of trails. And it’s so refreshing that you are down to earth and extremely knowledgeable and are willing to share that with others like me in a way that will help me become a better rider. You are def not the type of rider I usually meet on the trails.
I've definitely considered and performed this. Cyclocross bikes take a lot of abuse and depending on your builder you can start up with a low-end bearing. Mine was gritty and notched after two seasons, replaced it with something significantly more expensive (Cane Creek about $100 Vs. $16), but it is still going strong after 4 years. Also - crown races with a split are 10x easier to install and remove.
@@irfuel if it works, it works. Sometimes it takes a Dremel to do so. Last time for me was taking some material off a front derailleur that interfered with the tire.
I will beat the old races/cups out with a punch on a trailer or some other POS project. But I really like your suggestion in the comments to use a split tube remover like the Park Tool Head Cup Remover you recommend. It pushes out the cup/race without putting an oval type of stress on the frame if you unevenly drive out the cups with a punch. Great video Syd! Great ride at the S mtn enduro, I have only ridden the trails a few times with my Flagstaff Enduro team, fun but big penalty if you bail in those rocks. That sandy descent at the end of a coupla stages is such a cool "feeling" to ride.
I've gotten a bit of an education on bearings recently, researching which bearing I need to get to replace the one I'm about to destroy (by removing it, to get at a nut inside the hub body that's holding the freehub that I have to fix due to remove some play). So many things to consider, make, contact vs. non-contact, clearance, ball material, grease type, etc. Apparently NTN & SKF are are ones to get, preferably non-contact for hubs so there's minimal friction and contact for headsets and bottom brackets to better seal from water and mud (but contact for hubs if you ride in a lot of mud and water and such). And because they're usually interference or press fit, they usually can't be removed without tugging on the inner race, which destroys them. They're not that expensive but still, a shame to ruin them.
I tend to use a small steel or brass hammer rather than a rubber mallet if i'm driving a punch, or other tool. Rubber mallets are great for hitting delicate things where you don't want to mar the surface, but they lack influence once you're swinging at something in-between. The key to bearings is to drive the race you're trying to move(if at all possible), and not the opposite one, causing the force to go through the balls. Nobody likes getting punched in the balls.
I am willing to spend good money on expensive bikes but I draw the line at spending several hundreds of dollars several times over to take them to a shop to have the work done by someone else. I wish companies could see how valuable videos like this are, and support you accordingly, because I would never consider buying the parts and doing the work without a competent how-to like this. nicely done. one question though, why not use headset specific grease?
I've never heard of headset specific grease. How is it different? There is grease for headset bearings (generally thicker so it's less likely to get flushed it and because headsets get minimal movement) but I don't see how grease for installing a headset would be any different...
@@sydfixesbikes Chris King makes a headset grease but it must be for the bearings. I thought it might be like the carbon paste for a seat post. I've never ventured into headset territory. Was the upgrade worth it?
Oils ain’t oils …. Hahahaha companies can market stuff as specific when it’s just general purpose… tricksters… but sometimes you need specific, it’s hard to tell unless you really know the ins and outs but if it’s not inside a fast moving high performance expensive component then usually any good grease will do, slickoleum or slick jelly for your suspension dropper and some nylon cogs if your eebing. The key is to service regularly with bikes…. Not everyone realises the time it takes to keep your bike mint.
Why change cones? Bottom one is hard to remove and is probably not in need of change. Most sealed bearings use a 45° angle so they will also fit other brands cones.
I have only done this headset R&R on 90’s threaded headset MTB’s. Steel. Interesting to set the difference versus modern carbon bike. Our cup removal tools are cooler. ( grins)
Generally a new headset will include a crown race. If you don't need the old one, remove it using a thin flathead screwdriver. If you do need to reuse a crown race it is best to very gently remove it by working it up side to side with two razor blades
This is a job I go to the LBS for. Park Tool makes a great crown race puller, but it's like, $400. Your LBS will charge about $25 to take the race off, and they'll have that $400 puller already. The screwdriver method can sometimes leave big gouges in the fork - dangerous if your fork happens to be carbon.
There are multiple crown race geometry standards, even within a single diameter standard like 1.5". You might get lucky, but it's likely you'll need to change and use the race that comes with your new headset.
We tend to regrease if it starts getting sticky or noisy. If you ride in the wet a lot this could be fairly often, but in our dry climate it rarely happens.
I found myself replacing my lower headset bearing every 12-18 months. Just upgraded to the CC HellBender70 from the 40 so hoping it lasts a little longer. With the integrated bearings do you have to remove the cups to replace the bearing?
Not sure if the torque spec, but you want it tight enough that there's no play in the headset, but want the bearings to spin freely. It's generally pretty easy to tell when it's too tight because your bars don't spin easily anymore.
Here you go (they hadn't added them to the website yet when we posted the video): bit.ly/428gGbw And apparently they're technically for removing the headset, but they sure worked nice for installing it 😁
Wouldn’t it make more sense to put the 1 minute video in front for the lazy people, and the longer version for those willing to stick it out? New viewers may not know to scroll to the end for a condensed version. I’d imagine the impatient people left way before the time they would know they could have saved time.
My gravel bike thanks you for these videos, I have no idea what I’m doing. Y’all have saved me from many yolo repairs and maintenance jobs. 🫡. Keep up the awesome work!
