| > How hard are headsets to replace?
Easy. You can knock the races out of the head tube with a
long screwdriver or metal rod and a small hammer. You can
knock the race off the fork with a medium sized screwdriver
and a small hammer. Knock the new races into the head tube
with a block of wood and a rubber mallet (or see below) and
assemble everything. The race on the fork will seat itself
easily enough.
> Are there any bike stores in the Boston area that sell the tools?
If you want to set a headset neatly, you can get a threaded
rod, two fender (large diameter) washers and a couple of
nuts. Run the threaded rod through the head tube and use
the washers and nuts on each end to squeeze the headset
races into place.
> Will it damage the frame if I let it wait until next fall?
The frame may be damaged already... the slop has to be
coming from somewhere. It seems just as likely that the
frame tubes are out of round as that the headset is.
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| .1 presents a fairly optimistic view of headset replacement. After
working in a bike shop for 3 years, my experience was that headset
replacement is the ONE hardest job on a bike, should anything go wrong.
The scenario in .1 is picture perfect, and may very well work for you -
I don't mean to discourage you from trying it, but if one of the
possible gremlins shows up, bag the job and head for the shop.
Note that you should be sure to get a replacement headset with a
compatible stacking height!!!!!!!!! Last I looked, there were NO
standards in this area, which caused me a bunch of grief on one of
my bikes.
ken
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As .1 mentioned, your frame, if it really has slop in the head tube,
is already damaged. The only real way to fix it is to have a frame-
builder build up the area around the inside of the head tube near
the head lug (very tricky) with brazing material and ream it out
with the proper reamer. Any other solution, like shimming etc. is
a kludge and won't last.
I agree with Ken, .1 is an extremely optimistic view of headset
replacement. Removing the races is a piece of cake, but reinstalling
takes great care. The upper and lower head tube races must be *exactly*
parallel or else binding will occur. The best way to do this is
with the Campy press/reamer tool, which is way out of the home
handymans price range. The next best thing is to take it to a shop
which has the tool. Most will install it free if you buy the headset
from them. Lastly, the threaded rod will work ok if you're *very*
careful (it's sooooo easy to crush the mating faces of the head
tube, which means you'll need it recut) and patient. You may have
to remove and install it, testing for binding, several times until
it's right.
Ken also mentioned stacking height...there are no standards, except
the defacto "ours is the same as Campy NR" standard of which there
are a few. The problem you'll have is your fork steerer tube will
be too long or too short for the headset locking nut to properly
seat.
It would cost you maybe $10 max to have it done by a good shop.
It could cost you at least twice that if you muck up the job.
CdH
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