Colnago Master X-Light build - let it shine....

[singlespeedscott]

Hey, I agree on all points. You've more patience than me, that's for sure.

Now, I promise I'm not being picky, but what's the gap between the crown race and the lower headset cup? Just a test fit?

You haven't put the bearing race in upside down have you?

[open roader]

Hey, I agree on all points. You've more patience than me, that's for sure.

Now, I promise I'm not being picky, but what's the gap between the crown race and the lower headset cup? Just a test fit?

You haven't put the bearing race in upside down have you?

Dunno - now you all have me worried I have the instruction sheet in front of me now from the headset box and it matches the PDF sequence I actually used to press the set in place......... so no surprises there.

My partner will allow me to assemble the bike inside the house but when the grease tub/ oil rags come out I'm told to go to the shed ........
....... so I'll have to harden up and brave the current antarctic blast tomorrow and pack the bearings up and see what gives........ this was my first headset fit completely solo (with borrowed tools) so chances are............

[singlespeedscott]

Hey, I agree on all points. You've more patience than me, that's for sure.

Now, I promise I'm not being picky, but what's the gap between the crown race and the lower headset cup? Just a test fit?

You haven't put the bearing race in upside down have you?

Dunno - now you all have me worried I have the instruction sheet in front of me now from the headset box and it matches the PDF sequence I actually used to press the set in place......... so no surprises there.

My partner will allow me to assemble the bike inside the house but when the grease tub/ oil rags come out I'm told to go to the shed ........
....... so I'll have to harden up and brave the current antarctic blast tomorrow and pack the bearings up and see what gives........ this was my first headset fit completely solo (with borrowed tools) so chances are............

Don't forget when your putting it back together that the lower bearings are a little larger than the top ones. I've done that one in the past too.

[Dan]

As have I.

[grantw]

Amen to that

[vaeske]

Amen to that

we're all doing the right thing.....phew....

[dayne]

Also don't go over board with the grease and make sure it's a nice thin grease not a thick industrial or lanolin type,
And I also put mine in syringes to help keep it all clean and easy to apply.
Nice work on the build, as far as nitto v cinelli I usually build nitto on shimano groups and Cinelli on campy groups but like you say, The nitto stuff is far superior to any thing Cinelli has ever produced.

The clear coat over the frame is a great call,
Just when cabling it get an off cut of cable inner and use this under the bottom bracket, it does two things,
Helps the cable run without friction and will stop it citing into your bb,
But this frame may have a plastic guide?
Dayne

[Dan]

+1 to everything Dayne said.

[open roader]

OK, I'm stuck with a gap between the bottom bearing race and the bottom cup. I've spent enough hours trying to suss it out and really need help......

Things I do know :-

The frame head tube is squared off correctly, the tube was lightly reamed out and the cups are pressed in nice and flush to the head tube faces.

The fitment sequence is spot on, everything is placed in order and the larger size bearings are in the bottom cup / smaller bearings are in the top cup

The headset was purchased new, was factory sealed and by the looks of the neat packaging all the parts were present and correct to type.

I followed the Campag. PDF diagram (exactly the same as what appears on the paper intruction sheet supplied with the headset)

When I installed the cups etc and had my bike mechanic looking over my shoulder (I was borrowing his press and sleeves etc) my mech. did not assist me as I wanted to fit this one for myself but did offer verbal instructions and had no issues with what I did.......


Last night I spent over 90 min. flipping bearings, ring orientations etc - tighteded the whole set just up to the point of steering siezing then let it back off to smooth operation without fork stem slippage in the hope this would seat everything into place ...... but to no avail. - same gap of approx 1.8mm still exists

Any help would be most appreciated.......

Let's start from the bottom and work up - bottom race ring tapped on in correct orientation?

[open roader]

Houston, we have a problem.........

Now I reckon this is the wrong way up..........

[Dan]

Houston, we have a problem.........

Now I reckon this is the wrong way up..........

crown race is on correctly.

[open roader]

crown race is on correctly.

Well that's a relief.

Then the next flat rubber O ring sits up with the tapered bit pointing up at the centre to match the profile of the crown race underneath?

I've tried fitting it both ways - makes no difference to the fit......

Rubberised O ring taper pointing up

[open roader]

Bearing orientation - I figure the bearing retainer must be set with the base ring face down so the balls sit slightly up to engage the cup races...........

[toolonglegs]

Other way up I would have thought...

[singlespeedscott]

Yeap. You have the bearings "upside down Miss Jane".

[Dan]

Yeap. You have the bearings "upside down Miss Jane".

Correct, Blackboard.


'Bearing face goes on the race' works for me, if you're in to 'emimnemonics'

[open roader]

Yeap. You have the bearings "upside down Miss Jane".

correct Blackboard.

Ok well I had tried with both ways but no difference in fit.

I just stumbled upon this........

Inside the bottom cup - the ball race is not as far into the cup as it can go. Compared to the top cut it's approx. 1.8mm left to go before it hits home...........

DUH

[open roader]

In the absence of a press tool, do I attempt using a socket and hammer with a block of wood in between?

[Dan]

You could try that. You could also just tighten the locknut and pull it all together using the thread.

Proper way would be to use the tool, of course.

I'd be happy pulling it together, but that's me, and this is your build.

[dayne]

No hitting any thing,
If you dont have a headset press i have seen a long bolt with a block of timber top and bottom,
But i would just go to the lbs and borrow one to nip it up, Hitting a soft ally headset can bend it.

I must applaud you for being up front and asking before jumping in and breaking stuff,
Admitting we dont know everything is a mans biggest down fall and i can be guilty at times.

[Dan]

Socket into top and bottom cups, booker rod and large flat washers is the cup press I've used on every build.

[open roader]

I have some good clean 3/8 all thread rod....... might make myself a press using wood blocker well washered one end and a 1/2 " drive socket that fits into the race evenly with a tensioning nut on the other end........

I agree, knocking and banging even if the races are steel is problematic and I can be a klutz with heavy tooling.......

[singlespeedscott]

I just stumbled upon this........

Inside the bottom cup - the ball race is not as far into the cup as it can go. Compared to the top cut it's approx. 1.8mm left to go before it hits home...........

DUH

That bearing cup certainly doesn't look like its pressed into the alloy outer properly.

[Velo13]

If this is a new headset, I find this very unusual. However ...

Find a socket that will fit inside the alloy outer cup, but rest on the top of the steel inner race. Use a headset press to then compress the socket and steel race into the alloy lower cup (in a similar fashion to how you put the cups in initially).

Good luck!

[Velo13]

Also, I am loving this build, and I think the stem looks great!