How to:

Remove & Fit a headset (frame and forks).

[edit] What you’ll need:

• 5mm allen key (and a 6mm if you run a headlock gadget)
• Large punch
• Hammer
• Nylon/rubber mallet
• A couple of bits of wood
• Nice thick grease
• Preferably someone to help

[edit] Method - Forks

Remove your bars and stem, and with the mallet give your steerer tube sharp but not too hard taps in various directions, this should make removing the wedge stopper thingymabob in your headset a lot easier, as opposed to just trying to pull on it or get it out with a screwdriver. Remove your forks and whatever bearings/seals are in the headset, remember which order they go in and which way the bearings face!

If you’re changing the forks or installing a complete new headset, read this part. If not just skip it.

Remove your front brake and wheel. Clean the forks up and flip them upside down so the legs are pointing up. With the hammer and punch give some sharp taps round the edge of the bearing race (Ie left, right, front then back) to ensure it comes off straight.

Get the new forks and existing bearing race (or vice versa) and clean it all up. Put the forks over a piece of wood on the vice or other solid object like below (get someone to hold them if possible). Put a smear of grease round the inside of the bearing race and place over the steerer tube. You can use a punch or a large flat bladed screwdriver for this bit, but I find it easier with a bit of metal tube. As with removal, give sharp taps round the bearing race to re-fit, when it’s done hold it up to the light to check its seated correctly.

[edit] Method – Frame

With someone else holding the frame steady, place the frame over the piece of wood on the vice/solid object. Put the punch down the head tube, and give some hefty taps round the inside of the lip like before until the cup drops free. Flip the frame over and repeat.

Health warning! If you can, use a nice heavy hammer and a bloody long punch, the punch I used was a bit short and slipped, resulting in me crushing my thumb between the headset cup and a 2lb ball-pane hammer – not nice!

Take the lower cup and the frame you’re putting it into and smear a bit of grease round the edge. With your glamorous assistant holding the frame up (if you’re sad like me) line up the text/logo on the headset as you want it. Get the hammer/wood or a decent nylon/rubber mallet and smack like mad until it’s seated correctly in the frame. Repeat for the upper and hey presto, you’re done.

When it comes to fitting bearings I think I’m pretty oldskool in the fact that I cocoon everything in sight with huge amounts of the thickest grease I can find. Get a big blob and smear it round the upper and lower cups, put the bearings back in the correct way round then smear even more grease over the top. Cake the bearing race on the forks with just as much and refit your forks. Slide whatever seals, races and covers you have back over and re-fit your stem and top-cap, then go forth and ride the thing.