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First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 17th 04, 07:04 PM
Peter Cole
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Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?

"mike anderson" wrote in message
...

I am building my first bike ever, a mountain bike and, since this is a
learning experience, I am using mostly inexpensive used parts together
with a Crescent aluminum frame.

The problem is that there is a play between the suspension fork (SR
Suntour) and the frame, I estimate it to about a 4 mm play. What could
be done about it, are thicker ball rings the solution?

Any help would be most appreciated, thanks,
mike


I'm not sure what you mean by "ball rings". I'm guessing ball bearings in a
"cage". If the frame & fork were not originally assembled together, then
perhaps you have a compatibility problem. The "headset" is the set of 2
bearings that the fork swivels on. The frame has "cups" pressed into the top
and bottom of the "headtube". The fork has a "crown race" pressed on to the
"steer tube". You may have a mismatch between the crown race and bottom cup.
You may also be putting one or both of the "ball rings" upside down. Just
guessing...


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  #2  
Old July 17th 04, 09:49 PM
S o r n i
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Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?

Peter Cole wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean by "ball rings".


{opens mouth to say something, but...nah!}

Bill "rare restraint" S.


  #3  
Old July 17th 04, 10:16 PM
mike anderson
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Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?


I am building my first bike ever, a mountain bike and, since this is a
learning experience, I am using mostly inexpensive used parts together
with a Crescent aluminum frame.

The problem is that there is a play between the suspension fork (SR
Suntour) and the frame, I estimate it to about a 4 mm play. What could
be done about it, are thicker ball rings the solution?

Any help would be most appreciated, thanks,
mike
  #4  
Old July 17th 04, 10:37 PM
Peter Cole
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Posts: n/a
Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?

"mike anderson" wrote in message
...
Quoth Peter Cole ...

I'm not sure what you mean by "ball rings". I'm guessing ball bearings in a
"cage". If the frame & fork were not originally assembled together, then
perhaps you have a compatibility problem. The "headset" is the set of 2
bearings that the fork swivels on. The frame has "cups" pressed into the

top
and bottom of the "headtube". The fork has a "crown race" pressed on to the
"steer tube". You may have a mismatch between the crown race and bottom

cup.
You may also be putting one or both of the "ball rings" upside down. Just
guessing...


Thanks for helping.

I guess that I did not describe my problem very well. What I meant
with "ball rings" was indeed: the headset. I realize know that I might
have get a new suspension fork which steerer better fits the head
tube. I thought that there were standards so that you could use most
forks with most head tubes ...


Yes, pretty much so. The current standard fork has a 1.125" steerer, some
older ones had 1". That may be your problem, or it may be that you have parts
from 2 different headsets, where the "crown race" pressed on the fork (is
actually part of -- and sold with -- the headset assembly) is not compatible
with the cups on the frame (perhaps part of a different headset). It may *not*
be that you need a new fork, it may be that you need a new headset. If your
frame and fork weren't originally mated, or you buy a new fork with a
different diameter, you'll need a new headset anyway. Cups and crown races
aren't interchangeable, even if the steer tube diameter is the same -- even if
the manufacturer is the same (speaking from experience here).





Thanks again,
mike



  #5  
Old July 18th 04, 03:23 AM
SuperSlinky
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Posts: n/a
Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?

mike anderson said...

By the way, you don't happen to know what size of steerer I need; The
diameter of the head tube - outer edges of the upper head race, not
inside the full head tube so to say - is 35 mm or 1 3/8 inch? My
steerer have an outer dimension of 1 1/8 inch. Perhaps a 1 1/4 steerer
would work?

Thanks
mike


Stupid question: did you install the crown race?
  #6  
Old July 18th 04, 03:51 AM
mike anderson
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Posts: n/a
Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?

Quoth Peter Cole ...

I'm not sure what you mean by "ball rings". I'm guessing ball bearings in a
"cage". If the frame & fork were not originally assembled together, then
perhaps you have a compatibility problem. The "headset" is the set of 2
bearings that the fork swivels on. The frame has "cups" pressed into the top
and bottom of the "headtube". The fork has a "crown race" pressed on to the
"steer tube". You may have a mismatch between the crown race and bottom cup.
You may also be putting one or both of the "ball rings" upside down. Just
guessing...


Thanks for helping.

I guess that I did not describe my problem very well. What I meant
with "ball rings" was indeed: the headset. I realize know that I might
have get a new suspension fork which steerer better fits the head
tube. I thought that there were standards so that you could use most
forks with most head tubes ...

Thanks again,
mike
  #7  
Old July 18th 04, 04:52 AM
mike anderson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default First time bike builder: play between the fork and frame, what to do?

Quoth Peter Cole ...


You may also be putting one or both of the "ball rings" upside down. Just
guessing...


By the way, you don't happen to know what size of steerer I need; The
diameter of the head tube - outer edges of the upper head race, not
inside the full head tube so to say - is 35 mm or 1 3/8 inch? My
steerer have an outer dimension of 1 1/8 inch. Perhaps a 1 1/4 steerer
would work?

Thanks
mike
 




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