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A few weeks back I brought a trek superfly 6 for a few hundred pounds, just want something to ride my usual sandy trails in the winter and race some xc next year,
It had some play in headset which I didn't think anything of when I brought it, just wants headset nipping up... Once I get it home and find bolt tight, stem cap accually bottom out on steerer as not enough spacers add another and play gone, great. Sat it garage unused till today
I stripped it down today so give is a good service and change a few bits, found lower headset bearing loose and just falls out, as its been used with headset loose its worn frame away and now slightly oval. Frame doesn't use cups and bearing fits straight into frame. I folded up a strip of paper 4 times and it just fits in between bearing and frame to give you any idea on clearance.
Any ways around this? Will bearing fit take up this play and put up with the stains of riding etc? If it comes to it I don't mind using epoxy, bearing probably won't come out again but bearing seal is at bottom so can still wash out and repack bearing grease when needed.
Are you certain the tube is oval? Is the gap around the bearing uneven? On an integrated headset the bearings just drop into the frame and will drop out if you take the fork out, they're not pressed into the frame.
Bearing fit will take up a decent amount of clearance
Can you try a slightly larger diameter bearing?
Yep definitely oval/worn, has metal shavings in the steerer tube when I pulled the forks out. Top bearing is a tight push fit, bottom bearing falls in with slight side to side play
try bearing fit. It worked on the tandem with a conventional headset that would just fall out on its own.
Looking again at the frame this morning, my first time I've experienced a integrated headset, surely as long as the taper in the frame where the bearing is seated is good, once its all together and preloaded its not going to move anywhere as locked in said taper?
Surely there is an outer bearing race in there as well? I thought from your description the outer race had worked loose?
Nope bearings sit directly onto taper in frame headtube. No cups etc
What bit is worn then? Are you sure there is not a outer bearing race? What material is the frame that the bearing runs on?
The lower part of the headtube is worn slightly oval, frame aluminium with sealed tapered bearings that sit on a taper in the frame, integrated headset with no cups to press in etc, cups are part of the frame. Logically thinking as long as the taper in the frame and bearing is good bear around the outside shouldn't be an issue Once it's all tightens down?
Logically thinking as long as the taper in the frame and bearing is good
Correct. But the bearing seat isn't good.
You could try epoxy or whatever to fill it, I have no idea if that will work, I don't see any other option. I would do so with the bearing sat at the back of the seat so forces are hitting the seat not filler .
Coca cola shim and JB Weld FTW. 😉
I would try Bearing Fit as TJ mentioned.
Not sure if it'll work for your application, but might me worth a look at something like Loctite 660 or similar.
http://www.loctite.co.uk/retaining-9171.htm
Does the bearing rock on the seat on one axis only?
Had this on a ribble road frame. When it got that far there was no recovery