# DIY headset press



## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Nothing fancy but worked like a charm!

Just 3/4 threaded rod about 16" long, some big washers & some nuts.:thumbsup:


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

As long as it works you're riding. It's all what's matter at the end of the line.

Good initiative. Should a reverse kind of tool also work to remove them by reusing about the same bits or a new rig would be required ?


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

A long dowel and hammer works great for removing them.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

I made another tool for removal of the other cups, & it worked well. 
I found some thick-walled PVC pipe about 12" long, 3/4" outside diameter. I cut two slices about 4-5" long on one end, then wedged a piece of wood inside to hold them about 1.5" apart. Heated slightly with propane torch & let cool. Once cool, remove wood & you can slide through the head tube, & the plastic end will pop open once inside. Then hammer & it pops out.
Similar idea to the park tools: Park Tool Co. » RT-1 : Head Cup Remover : Headset

I think it would be better to use 1" copper pipe, but hardware store only had 2' pieces & wanted $15 sheesh.

The PVC version worked OK & I'm sure would take a few cups out, but for $2 hey it worked!


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Oh, & a bonus, the 3/4" threaded rod worked well to punch out the old rusty star-fangled nut in the used fork I bought.


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## Gsromich (Nov 22, 2009)

I made a headset press just like this last summer for about 129 cents. I have used it once and it works great. One helpful hint though is to do one side at a time to help them go in straight. if they dont start straight then back up and start again. I drilled a hole in a wood block that i use on one side that is bigger then the washers so they are bigger then the head tube. Ill get some pictures when i go to use it in a few weeks with my new build.


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## Warmtread (May 12, 2007)

Alignment is a great thing to mention Gsromich, better quality frames (Using lighter/thinner walled tubing) will crack much easier if the cups are going in crooked. 

One other suggestion, have a couple of smaller washers available to mimic the contact loading of the Park Headset tool. It presses only on the flange that fits into the headtube, that way it doesn't bend the "bowl" that the bearings sit in. Aluminum headset cups are susceptible to this, steel not so much. Using a washer that sits just inside the headset cup will prevent installing a headset cup you bent in the process.

Great thread, thanks for starting this one!


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Yes good point, I did one at a time as well!


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## coiler_guy (Dec 20, 2005)

another good reason to use a large block of wood instead of the washers is that it helps keep the headset straight. I found the washers pivoted easily on the bolt and it made it more difficult to install the headset.

I have some picks on my blog

DIY Headset Press | BikeLife365


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## BORDERCOLLIE (Sep 1, 2011)

coiler_guy said:


> another good reason to use a large block of wood instead of the washers is that it helps keep the headset straight. I found the washers pivoted easily on the bolt and it made it more difficult to install the headset.
> 
> I have some picks on my blog
> 
> DIY Headset Press | BikeLife365


 I like your idea and am going to modify my press from the current brass fitting washers to the wood blocks, so right about the sloppy fit.


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## Kawigreen99 (Oct 9, 2011)

I used 2 old bearings out of an XT bottom bracket last night to press in a headset. They fit nicely in the cup, as opposed to pressing on top of it with a washer.


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## Ronark (May 29, 2009)

I made one just like that a year ago. Its all I need for the number of times I change out headsets.


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## adnoh1924 (Jan 24, 2010)

Genius!


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## frank daleview (Jan 23, 2004)

Yep, the key is stack washers, otherwise they will bend... Worked great on several builds of mine. For removal, I use a PVC tube with 4 slits, splayed out, works like a charm.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

I took a similar approach, but improved the design  I used Park's cup guides from the actual HHP-2 tool. You can find them on Amazon for $30 or so. I also used a 3/4" threaded rod (12" long) and two 3/4" washers/nuts. Plans for the future are to weld a "T-handle" to one end so I only need one wrench to use it. I'll probably weld it to the nut so the washer still has a wide surface to rest against. All-in-all a very comparable alternative to the $140 Park tool as it virtually is the same thing since it's using the same cup guides.










I'm also going to make a headset cup remover like this as soon as I can find an old seatpost that will work. My spare 30.9 post is too wide.


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## mtnbiker4life (Sep 19, 2005)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> I took a similar approach, but improved the design  I used Park's cup guides from the actual HHP-2 tool. You can find them on Amazon for $30 or so. I also used a 3/4" threaded rod (12" long) and two 3/4" washers/nuts. Plans for the future are to weld a "T-handle" to one end so I only need one wrench to use it. I'll probably weld it to the nut so the washer still has a wide surface to rest against. All-in-all a very comparable alternative to the $140 Park tool as it virtually is the same thing since it's using the same cup guides.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How does it work with fixed bearing headsets like King and Cane Creek?


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

Do you mean integrated headsets?  I'm not familiar with fixed bearing headsets...a quick Google search led me to integrated headsets, is that what you mean?


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Do you mean integrated headsets?  I'm not familiar with fixed bearing headsets...a quick Google search led me to integrated headsets, is that what you mean?


No clue who you are replying to, but integrated headsets do not need a press. The bearings just drop into seats in the headtube.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

shiggy said:


> No clue who you are replying to, but integrated headsets do not need a press. The bearings just drop into seats in the headtube.


I'm replying to the post right above mine regarding "fixed bearing headsets".........

I wasn't sure whether he meant integrated or zero stack style headset cups.

Either way, the tool is going to handle everything that the Park HHP-2 will. That's that.


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## hkenshin (Apr 7, 2008)

I think he meant that ck and cc both recommend you use their adapters for their headsets. which would work with your set up. because they just slide over.


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## mtnbiker4life (Sep 19, 2005)

sasquatch rides a SS said:


> Do you mean integrated headsets?  I'm not familiar with fixed bearing headsets...a quick Google search led me to integrated headsets, is that what you mean?


The bearings in King and some Cane Creek headsets are not removable so when you use the Park Cones it presses right on the bearing which most likely will cause the bearing to fail. This is why both Cane Creek and King makes special press adapters to place the installation forces on the outter part of the bearing assembly.


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## sasquatch rides a SS (Dec 27, 2010)

mtnbiker4life said:


> The bearings in King and some Cane Creek headsets are not removable so when you use the Park Cones it presses right on the bearing which most likely will cause the bearing to fail. This is why both Cane Creek and King makes special press adapters to place the installation forces on the outter part of the bearing assembly.


Then you'd use the adapters. It's literally the same cup guides as the Park tool. As I've said, this will do whatever the Park tool can do.


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## mtnbiker4life (Sep 19, 2005)

Here is a cross section picture to what I was trying to say


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

You don't have to worry about the adapter when you just use big ass washers.


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## jc1surf (May 30, 2013)

Hello fellas, 
want to begin by saying thanks for all the great tips in this thread. W/ all your awesome diy for hs press, i did my very first hs install fsa pig, price $2.60 for bolts n washers and $5 for beers. well worth the $2.60. 

i agree too, alignment is key, what i did was reversed the rod, baby tapped under the cup, it realigned it then repeated the process.
i have a question though. The bottom cup went in flush, but the upper cup went in straight till i cant add anymore torque to it. but it's not flush flush. seems to be like, i want to think 0.5mm if not less, thats just not going in anymore. 
would this be a concern , should i keep repeating the process until its flush flush way in there? ( there wasnt any chunk or uneven paint on the face, its evened and inside the ht has no paint. 

thanks for any and all advice and tips, 

and to orig post, sorry if this is some sort of thread jacking... if so let me kno, still a noob here. correct me if im wrong.

thank you fellas.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Did you face your head tube prior to installing the cup?

Did you make sure there was a chamfer on the inside edge of the head tube?


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## jc1surf (May 30, 2013)

thanks for the reply bad mechanic, i was told by 2 LBS did not need to be faced if the top was flat meaning no paint gunk around the ht or face region and inside
and at the edge of the face, there is a 45* slight going into the headtube. 
would taking a very fine sandpaper type going around the inside of the headtube help?

i did however used a piece of wood during the press, might not have been the strongest. so im going to try with/o the woods and use just the washers ontop of cups. 

thanks again for your time and help bad mechanic. any and all tips r well appreciated.
JC


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

The two shops were wrong. Just because there isn't paint present doesn't mean the head tube has been faced or that it doesn't need to be faced. Have the head tube faced and reamed to make sure it's not an issue.

You want to make sure that 45* chamfer goes all the way around the inside edge of the head tube. If it doesn't use a half round bastard file to add it.

Unless the head tube is slightly undersized (which facing/reaming would fix) just having the wood there shouldn't have been a problem.


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## jc1surf (May 30, 2013)

:thumbsup::thumbsup:..
thank for the tips. I gave it a go, and now all flushed and dandy. now its ready for the bearings. 
proper prep and alignment is sooo crucial as the previous posts stated. 
i've noticed while pressing, if the top and bottom nuts begin to shift sideways, it can cause the cups to go in uneven. 

again, proper set up, alignment, patience & more patience and good prep is the key.

thanks again badmechanic....

:thumbsup:


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

What was it, exactly?


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## jc1surf (May 30, 2013)

bad mechanic said:


> What was it, exactly?


The main reason was the tool(wood). So i analized why there seemed to be offset pressing. I inspected the press i made and found that the wood was being pressed hard, underneath the washers wasn't flush anymore. I was using softer wood :nono: Since I did bottom cup first, it had already taken it's first toll of pressing/pressure on the wood. 
Therefor causing uneven pressing pressure onto the top cup at the last 1-2mm therefor, causing one side to be flush and the other side .5mm not flushed. I stopped tapped the cup out a bit evened out everything, got a nice solid piece of wood, and repressed. Now it's even pressure all around and sitting in flush. It seems the most pressure is when it's at under 5mm left in the cups being flush w/ the ht, when most torque is required.

Took it to lbs to check, they said it looked perfect flush, top &bottom. :thumbsup:

The DIY press set is amazing. it took me longer than expected but 
Make sure to definitely inspect everything while pressing in a cup and stop when something just doesn't feel right. That .5mm just didn't feel right, something was causing not to be pressed in flat. If the woods were not the reason, I would have had the lbs remove/reinstall it. NOt worth destroying the frame.

make sure to get wood thicker stronger, more washer, careful inspection and understanding of directional pressure/pressing & to check NOT only the cups as they go in, but alsooo to check the wood, washer, bolt position parallel to ht and so forth as the process goes. 
good luck. 
i stopped once i noticed about 1-1.5mm started to not go parallel.
thanks again bad mechanic for your awesome tips:thumbsup:


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Just get rid the wood entirely. There's no reason to use it.


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