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I've just put together my latest bike - it has a new Hope headset and bearings. I can feel a bit of play in the front as I ride, and it's quite distracting over rougher stuff. The wheel bearings are good, the fork is new and has no play, and the headset is well tensioned. I took it back apart, and top headset bearing has quite a lot of play. I can wiggle the inner race up and down by ~0.5mm. Is this normal? Should I just run it until it's properly broken?
I can wiggle the inner race up and down by ~0.5mm. Is this normal?
yes, it's what tensioning the headset adjusts out.
They are angular contact bearings so are designed to have movement you tension out via the headset topcap ,if this isn't happening could it be the topcap is bottoming out on the top of the fork steerer (cut a bit too long) preventing it from being able to do this?
Did you replace crown race as they are different and are bearing seat angle/headset specific .
Thanks for the info - makes sense. It's the bearing that came with the headset, and it's all brand new. I have a gap between the top of the steerer and the top of the stem, so should be able to correctly tension the headset. If the bearing is performing as intended, I'll just have to check again that I've assembled everything correctly.
Are you 100% it's the top part of the headset?
Might be worth checking for movement on bottom cup/bearing and rear shock mounts
Have you turned your bars/wheel 90 degrees (when all assembled) and applied the brakes and then rocked the front end of the bike to definitely narrow down the fact it is a headset issue?
Is it a YT? If it is, you'll never manage. I have aftermarket headsets on both my YT bikes, but neither one plays with anything other than the top bearing from the Acros headset that they spec as OEM. Or at least non I have found (and I now have a large bag of various OEM and replacement headset bearings).
You might well have a gap between the top of the stem and the top of the steerer, but is it big enough> Some top caps have a bump/bevel inside which can interfere if the gap too small.
Hoy another 5mm spacer under the stem and try again.
have you got one or more of the thin washers in?
Thanks for all the tips - @teethgrinder had it right. My top cap had quite a deep lip, and wouldn't allow the headset to get fully tensioned. All good now!
winner!
WooHoo!
A bit late, but for anyone else with similar probs, the star fangled nut not being deep enough can cause issues, especially with hope or burgtec's alloy bolts.