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I have a Kinesis G2 gravel thing which has a seemingly-fubared headset. The bearings, which are caged jobbies, are pretty rough after only a year and a half of riding, in admittedly crap weather. It's apparently an FSA 42 Integrated Road headset. I can't find the equivalent online and Kinesis have recommended a replacement: this has cartridge bearings though and they have told me that I'd need to remove the plastic cups that have been installed into the frame. They've also said that it's "fiddly" and "might need a bit of force".
Is this an LBS job? I do pretty much all my maintenance but this isn't something I've had to do before and wouldn't know where to start. A cursory Google hasn't helped. Any advice gratefully received...
I've tapped them out with a long flat blade screwdriver before (and a mallet, obvs)
Just go gentle and work your way round bit by bit, supporting the frame as you go.
Or you can get a headset remover tool for about £15
Does this handle a tapered headset?
Plastic headset cups?
For the cost of a tool I'd buy one but, given you don't sound over confident the LBS may well be the better choice, especially if the cups really are plastic.
(Tapered would probably need a different tool either end &you'll also need something to press the new cups in with)
Not lacking in confidence particularly, just info.
They are plastic. As I said, I can't find a similar headset online. Might swallow pride and go for the LBS option if a costly tool is needed. The Park one, that seemingly handles both ends of a tapered tube is pretty expensive.
It's not something I'd be planning on doing more than once because the replacement will be a drop-in cartridge bearing type.
It's possible to bodge the tools, some way or other both for knocking one out (phnaar phnaar) and pressing one in.
Park tools are always costly. Icetoolz or brand X will do a suitable one for less than half usually.
With the right tools it's generally an easy job. My concern with plastic cups is they may deform and you might end up braying on the frame rather than the plastic cup. Less of a risk with the right tool mind.