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Post by sikora on Jul 6, 2008 22:14:04 GMT
Clean my bike today and i've noticed the headset has started to become gritty when being turned. Its not loose or stiff, just has a gritty feel to it.
Now i'm pretty new to mountain bike maintenance - I've probably cleaned the chain on Rockhopper more times than i did on any of my previous bikes put together! So is this something i can clean? Or should it not be happening after 3 months and something i should highlight with the bike shop?
Headset is a Cane Creek.
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Post by xybadog on Jul 6, 2008 22:19:49 GMT
TBH Dan, if the grits got in there, it's gotta come out. Have you hosed the bike? If so you may have pushed some of the grit from yesterday into the bearings. You will just need to hose it again for a bit longer. It's the same principal for any moving part really.
I'd try spraying with a cleaner into the headset and then LOT of hosing from different angles.
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Post by martinw on Jul 6, 2008 22:46:06 GMT
Mud and grit will get in there after a few wet rides and the grease will wash out over time. I tend to take my forks out and headset appart now and again and give it a real good de-gunge, re-grease it and put it all back together.
Its well worth doing and if you havn't done it before its not to daunting, just lay all the parts out in the order they came out and you can't go wrong.
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Post by Oggy on Jul 7, 2008 21:01:11 GMT
Defo worth a strip down and regrease, all headsets need this every so often. Real easy job, give me a shout if you get stuck and i will guide you through it.
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Post by sikora on Jul 7, 2008 21:03:27 GMT
Any special tools required?
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Post by Oggy on Jul 7, 2008 21:05:21 GMT
Nope allen keys, a rag and a pot of grease.
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Post by Oggy on Jul 7, 2008 21:30:54 GMT
Heres how i do my headset 1. Remove front brake lever and front wheel. 2. Loosen stem bolts (the ones clamping on to your fork steerer tube and not your bars. 3. Remove top cap and bolt 4. Slide stem off then slide headset spacers off 5. The forks should now drop out 6.Remove bearings and whatever seals etc you find 7. Lay parts out in the order they came out 8. clean all parts with a rag, i dont use degreaser i flush the parts over with gt85 or similar. 9. Clean headset cups out with a rag and get all the crap out. 10. cover all parts in grease and re asemble 11. Put forks back in and slide together exaclty how you took it apart. 12. Put headset spacers back and the stem. (Do not tighten the stem bolts yet) 13. Loosly put the cap and bolt back. 14. Then put brake lever back on and front wheel in. 15. Tigten the top cap until there is no play in the headset 16. Once there is no play tighten the stem bolts Job done time to ride Any probs just ask
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Post by sikora on Jul 8, 2008 18:32:20 GMT
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Post by xybadog on Jul 8, 2008 20:26:34 GMT
That's very handy to know for when I wanna replace my forks.
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Post by martinw on Jul 9, 2008 20:01:42 GMT
That will do a treat, well worth getting some, a small tub will last you ages.
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Post by sikora on Jul 18, 2008 21:23:03 GMT
Found some Lithium Bearing grease in the shed. will that do?
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Post by xybadog on Jul 18, 2008 21:24:04 GMT
Sikora, I've sent you a pm
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Post by Doug on Jul 18, 2008 21:29:01 GMT
I use Castrol LM grease from Halfords. I can't remember exactly how much it was as I've had it about 6 years and there's still some left but it was about a fiver for a 500g tub. IMO the specialist greases are only slightly better at a much higher cost.
Castrol synthetic fork oil is also the best performing oil I've used with by far the cheapest price. The only possible problem is that it only the 7.5W version is readily available.
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Post by xybadog on Jul 18, 2008 21:31:52 GMT
You still got this grating noise then?
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Post by sikora on Jul 18, 2008 21:32:07 GMT
And the Castrol Lithium grease works fine?
I've developed an annoying creak from the front of the bike, and i'm thinking its the headset.
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