Headset help please.

snollup

I've changed the fork on my Dolan Pre Cursa today from a track fork to a Dolan drilled fork but after re-assembling the steering is now very stiff. The only difference in the headset setup is that I have one extra spacer. The top spacer is a few mm longer then the steerer tube but other then that I cant figure this one out. Any help would be great.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Before you fitted the top cap and tightened everything down did the steerer turn freely? Did you grease/lube the headset washers/bearings?

The steerer on my Ridley had become stiff over the winter so I took everything apart, cleaned all the parts with a clean dry cloth. Cleaned the inside of the steerer tube, greased everything with white lithium grease and reassembled and it's silky smooth and free again.

snollup

Yes, everything was fine before I tightened the top cap. But then once I tightened it, even slightly, the steering tightens up.

Oh, and yes I cleaned and greased everything before re-assembling.

gman2k

snollup wrote: »

Yes, everything was fine before I tightened the top cap. But then once I tightened it, even slightly, the steering tightens up.

Oh, and yes I cleaned and greased everything before re-assembling.

With headsets, there can be a very fine line between just right and too tight....
Make sure your cups are set square, use plenty of good quality grease.

snollup

Thanks for replies. Managed to get it sorted. Using a different top cap seems to have done the trick for some reason.