Tips for adjusting a headset with a suspension fork

[Anthony DeLorenzo]

Hi All,

I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset. Specifically,
I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in the headset from
play in the fork.

Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
bearing model.

Regards,
Anthony

[Bill Sornson]

Anthony DeLorenzo wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
> life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
> suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset. Specifically,
> I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in the headset from
> play in the fork.
>
> Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
> bearing model.

Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load") the fork a little. Then apply the
front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the stem and spacers.
Adjust it out and tighten things up; go ride.

Bill "one of the few things I've mastered" S.

[jim beam]

Bill Sornson wrote:
> Anthony DeLorenzo wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
>> life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
>> suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset. Specifically,
>> I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in the headset from
>> play in the fork.
>>
>> Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
>> bearing model.
>
> Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load") the fork a little. Then apply the
> front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the stem and spacers.

you need to know what you're about for that to work on a suspension
fork. they always have a little play in the sliders [from factory], so
the old solid fork maxims don't translate too well since perceived slop
is the sliders, not the bearing. i find it best to tighten until the
wheel will /just/ tilt of its own accord when the bike is suspended and
leaned to one side. finger tight gripping the short arm of the hex
wrench [long end in the nut] seems about right typically.

> Adjust it out and tighten things up; go ride.
>
> Bill "one of the few things I've mastered" S.
>
>

[Ted Bennett]

jim beam > wrote:

> Bill Sornson wrote:


> > Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load") the fork a little. Then apply
> > the
> > front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the stem and spacers.
>
> you need to know what you're about for that to work on a suspension
> fork. they always have a little play in the sliders [from factory], so
> the old solid fork maxims don't translate too well since perceived slop
> is the sliders, not the bearing. i find it best to tighten until the
> wheel will /just/ tilt of its own accord when the bike is suspended and
> leaned to one side. finger tight gripping the short arm of the hex
> wrench [long end in the nut] seems about right typically.

That's the thinking of writers of motorcycle tech manuals, which direct
the mechanic to set the head bearing by the torque required to turn the
bearing. That can be measured by pulling on the handlebar end with a
scale.

Ted

--
Ted Bennett

[Bill Sornson]

jim beam wrote:
> Bill Sornson wrote:
>> Anthony DeLorenzo wrote:
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> I recently built a new MTB for my wife with a suspension fork. As a
>>> life-long rider of rigid bikes, this is my first exposure to
>>> suspension and I'm having trouble adjusting the headset.
>>> Specifically, I am finding it difficult to differentiate play in
>>> the headset from play in the fork.
>>>
>>> Any tips for getting the headset right? It's a threadless sealed
>>> bearing model.
>>
>> Straddle the bike and weight ("pre-load") the fork a little. Then
>> apply the front brake firmly and check for headset play beneath the
>> stem and spacers.
>
> you need to know what you're about for that to work on a suspension
> fork. they always have a little play in the sliders [from factory],
> so the old solid fork maxims don't translate too well since perceived
> slop is the sliders, not the bearing.

I wrap my hand around the top headset cup and spacers and feel for movement
there. I can easily tell the difference between the sliders going up and
down and the headset having to/fro play. It's quite obvious.