# Riding with damaged headset bearings



## sovietspyguy (Dec 4, 2005)

Ok so I installed my headset (didn't get the headtube faced or reamed but I didn't think it was necessary for the steelhead...) and screwed up. The top cup went in fine, the bottom went in a little harder (after the top cup was fully seated) except now the bottom bearings feel like they have sand in them when I press hard and turn them. I'm almost positive I damaged them during installation. I didn't have access to those flat plates that you're supposed to use for headsets if the thing on the headset press contacts the bearings and not the cup itself. 

Is it ok to just ride it until the bearings start presenting a real problem, and then replace them, or do I risk further damage/injury if I don't get it fixed right away? The headset is an fsa pig dh pro, I'm looking online to see if I can find a bearing instead of the entire headset but so far nothing. When installing the headset to get the bottom cup in I had to hold the top handle of the press and use a wrench about a foot long on the bottom part and turn it pretty hard. Not enormous effort but it was significant. That is vague as hell but I don't know how else to describe it...I'm just trying to see if I need to get the headtube reamed or not. I ordered a bike repair book so I won't have to ask these questions much longer, but once again help is appreciated.


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## PLURPIMPIN (Nov 3, 2005)

so wait did you damage the cups themselves or the berings?


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## pavement_hurts (May 13, 2006)

Maybe you just overtightened the stem bolt. Throw a little grease on the bearings and don't torque down on the stem bolt so much. Ya gotta try something. Oh yeah, don't always trust the repair manuals. Except for one line of REALLY expensive repair manuals whose name escapes me, I've noticed that they don't always have the solution you need. Many are just installation guides and just offer stupid tips like, "Don't forget to air up your tires." I like sticking to forums, chances are that someone has asked the same question before and there is always someone out there who knows exactly what you are talking about.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

If you don't have sealed cartridge bearings, it's quite possible that you put too much preload on the bearings. This would cause the binding and gritty feel. Make it just tight enough so that there's no play. People seem to think the tighter, the better, not true.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Loosen your stem bolts, then loosen the starnut a bit, once that's done, retighten the stem bolts. Torque them until they are snug, then give them an extra quarter or half turn as a good rule of thumb.


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## sovietspyguy (Dec 4, 2005)

pavement_hurts said:


> Maybe you just overtightened the stem bolt. Throw a little grease on the bearings and don't torque down on the stem bolt so much. Ya gotta try something. Oh yeah, don't always trust the repair manuals. Except for one line of REALLY expensive repair manuals whose name escapes me, I've noticed that they don't always have the solution you need. Many are just installation guides and just offer stupid tips like, "Don't forget to air up your tires." I like sticking to forums, chances are that someone has asked the same question before and there is always someone out there who knows exactly what you are talking about.


The fork isn't even on there, just the headset. The bearings are in there but nothing is touching them, they're basically hanging there. Only the headset is installed. So I am pretty sure it's the bearings, especially since they were perfectly smooth before installation. My question isn't so much whether or not I damaged them (I'm pretty sure I did) but if riding with damaged headset bearings (bottom cup) will be bad for anything. I don't like asking too many questions on the forums but for now if it'll get my bike built right I figure it's worth it.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Bearings are cheap... Just replace them. FSA Pig DH Pros are also cheap, if you deformed the cup, cough up 30 bucks for a bombproof headset. Then let somebody else install it for you.


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## JMH (Feb 23, 2005)

*Go man, go.*

Ride the hell out of it. You're in no danger, you probably won't even notice. I keep all my good bikes dialed, but I have ridden absolute shyte headsets on grocery bikes etc. with zero problems. (other than noise!)

BTW: lots of medium to low-grade headsets feel rough out of the box anyway.

JMH



sovietspyguy said:


> Is it ok to just ride it until the bearings start presenting a real problem, and then replace them, or do I risk further damage/injury if I don't get it fixed right away?


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## xray (May 5, 2005)

Similar situation here, I've been riding (a POS) an old cup & cone bearing style headset for months now, its missing 4 of the balls from the bottom cup bearing. So, about 1/4 of the bearing is gone. 

Been riding it for months, no problems.


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## sovietspyguy (Dec 4, 2005)

JMH said:


> Ride the hell out of it. You're in no danger, you probably won't even notice. I keep all my good bikes dialed, but I have ridden absolute shyte headsets on grocery bikes etc. with zero problems. (other than noise!)
> 
> BTW: lots of medium to low-grade headsets feel rough out of the box anyway.
> 
> JMH


All I needed to know, thanks!


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## Merkyworks (Jun 11, 2006)

ok really go buy a fsa pig headset, they are SO cheap and never wear out. $20 is all they cost. i have this headset on all 3 of my bikes(trials, xc, dj) and it has never failed me yet. not the bling bling that a chris king has but F $130 when the fsa works to nice..its butter


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## Eskofit (Mar 28, 2021)

sovietspyguy said:


> Ok so I installed my headset (didn't get the headtube faced or reamed but I didn't think it was necessary for the steelhead...) and screwed up. The top cup went in fine, the bottom went in a little harder (after the top cup was fully seated) except now the bottom bearings feel like they have sand in them when I press hard and turn them. I'm almost positive I damaged them during installation. I didn't have access to those flat plates that you're supposed to use for headsets if the thing on the headset press contacts the bearings and not the cup itself.
> 
> Is it ok to just ride it until the bearings start presenting a real problem, and then replace them, or do I risk further damage/injury if I don't get it fixed right away? The headset is an fsa pig dh pro, I'm looking online to see if I can find a bearing instead of the entire headset but so far nothing. When installing the headset to get the bottom cup in I had to hold the top handle of the press and use a wrench about a foot long on the bottom part and turn it pretty hard. Not enormous effort but it was significant. That is vague as hell but I don't know how else to describe it...I'm just trying to see if I need to get the headtube reamed or not. I ordered a bike repair book so I won't have to ask these questions much longer, but once again help is appreciated.


Riding with messed up headset bearings is no good bro, i suggest the minute you hear or notice a problem with your headset bearings, get them fixed.. its dangerous to ride around like that, you can almost tell somethings wrong while youre riding cuz the steering feels wobbly and/or sometimes feels looser or gets stiff when trying to steer. I have a zero 11x and my headset bearings started making a loud knocking noise whenever i would steer left or right.. i decided to just add some wd40 and the knocking went away but i can feel my steering wasnt the same.. i couldnt go past like 20 mph without feeling the steering get wobbly. I decided to take it apart and boom, my bearings were def detroyed. Probably from the salt and water from riding it in the snow and rain. And then i think i probably destroyed them even more trying to take them out so be careful. If u dont know what ur doing i suggest get some pro help..

Ps. I know a bicycle is different than a scooter but its kinda the same shyt if u ask me.


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