[Closed] Help. Cage bearing headset binding

So the new fork has a different crown race to the one on the old fork?

They aren't all cross-compatible

And/or the race must be the right way up.

Presumably you've swapped the crown race from the old fork to the new one?

Have you definitely put the bearing cage back in the right way up? It should be so that the balls are in the headset cup.

It's possible the races might be brinelled (sp?). If so you can remove the bearings from the cage, pack the race full, take two bearings out and then they'll sit in different places and potentially run smoother.

Reusing the original adaptor crown race.

First try was caged balls facing up, then down.

I've got it all loosed up right now and it's still stiff to turn.

FFS! This is not rocket science!

Either the crown race isn't quite flush or the races have brinelled.

Certainly worth filling the race with loose balls rather than caged as it will allow more freedom of movement for the bearings. I always used to do this from the off back in the day.

Maybe take crown race off and check it in there by hand? Is the top half all ok? (Easy to check by turning it without the steerer present).

Loose ball won't make a jot of difference until you've worked out what's wrong.

Pics?

Is the crown on the fork a different enough shape that it's binding on the lower cup? Have you dropped a spacer without noticing or installed a seal the wrong way or in the wrong position. Unless you've smacked something in with a mallet and mullered the balls into the race you're not likely to have brinneled the races just swapping from one bike to another.

I'd hazard a guess at at least one of the bearing cages being fitted upside down (the open side of the cages should face the inner races)

Does that look right? I'm 99% sure that's how it came out with the old fork. I've spent hours flipping the top 2 pieces around in every combo possible.

Everything looks like it's in good condition. Bike has done less than 20 trail hours.

The top cups and bearing look as new.

Hesitant to strip the bearings out of the cage as I can't easily get a replacement at the mo.

I'll take the crown race off tomorrow and push it up there to see if it binds.

Picture's not showing in the link above. I think this should do it.

It looks to me like you have tried to fit the top race on top of the bottom bearing. That black part on top of the bearings looks like a race to me, but hard to see clearly. The bearings should fit straight into the cup in the bottom of the headtube. The top bearings should drop into the cup on the top of the headtube, and be upside down compared to the bottom, with the race on top of them.

The part on top of the bearing is upside down and should be under the bearing.

Just re-read the OP.

The stock crown race allows it to be used on the tapered frame.

Have you swapped the crown race from the old to the new fork? In that picture that one and the bearings look too small for the race that's in the frame.

As Dave says, the actual bearing race is the one above the bearing. The problem is it won't fit the current adapter, which is shaped to take a cartridge bearing.
l.e. Or maybe I'm wrong? Can't see very well in the picture, if the current adapter has a straight step then it's the correct one and should work - just turn the bearing race upside-down, install it on the adapter and then the bearing on top.

(maybe ignore this)
You will need an adapter like the Hope one ( https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ro/en/hope-tapered-1-5-headset-reducer-crown/rp-prod71609 ); once installed on the steerer, you need to install the crown race on it (turning it upside down from what it is in the picture), then the bearing on it (oriented balls-up as in the picture).

There should not be ANYTHING between the bearings and either cup or cone - looks like a seal is above the bearing that should be somewhere else.

Actually, looking at it again, I think he's just put the race on top of the bearings instead of under them. I think that should be flipped over and installed under the bearings. Whatever the case, there shouldn't be anything on top of that bearing.

Tip for future OP.
When I do this sort of job I lay out all the components in a line in the order and orientation they come out and then re-install in reverse. If it's not going back straight away pile them up in the right order and zip tie together so they can't get mixed. A photo or two on your phone is also a good idea.

Hey folks - I very much appreciate the comments here to help me work this out.

Yes - photo/zip tie when removing sounds like the best idea ever!

So I've got a wroking solution.

From top to bottom:
a - Cage bearing - balls facing upwards (i.e. it goes in first)
b - The race flipped over and pushed up into the cage. Nice fit. (that is at the top of the stack in the photo)
c - The 1.18 to 1.5 crown race adaptor

2 things throw me.

-b and c just seam to sit flat top of each other - there is no male/female shaping.
-Something fishy with the new forks crown (RS TK 30). Maybe??? With the sequence above I could get it to not bind - just. However when I reinstall the old Suntour fork it was easily all good. The Suntour had a wider crown. Maybe that supported the adaptor crown race better?

Anyhow - std suntour coil fork - I'm 90kg and its too firm for me - no chance for my 50kg daughter. Swapped out the spring for a old fox vanilla spring and half a elastomer from a thud buster. Bodge done - it compresses now. Test when we can.

Much much thanks. 7 hours of my life.

The bottom bit is a straight-to-tapered adapter?

The "crown race" should fit onto that. Then the caged bearing.