Kingcycle question, help please.

[Jabba]

Having eventually received my KC via 'parcelfarce', work conspired to have it left in its extremely well-packed boxes for a few weeks, which left me salivating every time I passed them   

Anyway having bought a new headset from SJS (Stronglight 1" threaded) and got some time available (post family stuff etc ) to put the baby together I began and it seemed easy enough....obviously a bad sign as when I got to fitting the aformentioned headset I was stumped. I'm unable to get the threaded race, washer and locknut on over the headtube.

Now I don't have anything 'fancy' when it comes to bike tools just a small Park tool box and a few random LBS purchases from across the years.  So, do I need something I'm missing specifically for headset replacement, have I got the wrong size (should it be a 1 1/8"??), or am I just being a complete numpty and need to go to the LBS and cry??

Any help gratefully received

Jabba

P.S. I've seen pneumatic tyres for this 'odd' sized wheel in SJS but won't get them just yet until I get the d@mn thing up and running.

[Tim Hall]

Not sure if I understand the question, but the threaded race goes on (almost) last. The lower race is a press fit onto the fork crown. It'll be tight and needs to go on straight. It's corresponding cup is pressed into the head tube. You can either get clever with a bit of wood anna hammer or get a headest press. or a length of studding and a couple of nuts. Or take it to the LBS, crying optional.

Then at the top of the headtube you have another cup. The upper race is threaded and screws down towards this. Ball bearing between obv.

Park tools have a how to here

What size are the tyres? Spa are doing Schwalbe 406 at 11 quid a pop (possibly the wrong word to use).

[Mr Larrington]

Kingcycles all had 1" headsets, so that's not the problem.

Do you have the tube into which the stem fits installed in the fork?  IIRC the outer diameter of this for most of ts length is such that headset components won't slide over it, so it needs to be removed before the headset is installed.  This is held on by a bolt through the fork crown (the brake mounting bolt if you've got Maguras, and don't lose the little spacer...).  You may have to belt it from underneath to get it to free up once the bolt is removed.

[Jabba]

Ahh, Mr L, you describe my issue much better than me, for this is exactly what is happening, the top race and locking nut will not slide down the headtube.   the outer diameter looks to be >1".

I had looked at what appeared to be a connection between fork and headtube but was unable to fathom how the 2 pieces came apart, any help

I'll look again this weekend and try a little more head scratching, I think that the other bikes sitting in the garage wanting to be ridden have distracted me too much from actually taking the time I need to sort this out.

anyway if the outer diameter is too big then does that mean that top race et al are fitted from below i.e. threaded up over the threads and then back down onto the headset when all back together??

As for Tim's question I've got original KC wheels and a solid Green-eco-thing tyre and the front forks have not been re-brazed to accept 406s.......yet!

Cheers

[harrumph]

I don't have my trusty Kingcycle to hand for reference, but from memory,and assuming that you have the usual Magura hydraulic rim brakes: remove the front brake "horseshoe" and the bolt that holds it on, being careful (as Mr L says) not to lose the little spacer that fits into the fore/aft hole through the fork crown.

Then remove the stem extender (the black tube which sticks up from the headset, and into which the stem proper is fitted). As Mr L implies, it may be reluctant to separate from the fork steerer (particularly if it was last assembled without grease...). In this case, penetrating oil may help. Or maybe this stuff:

Normfest Super Crack Ultra 400ml

You may find (fingers crossed!) that simply unwinding the headset top nut with the appropriate big spanner and a bit of muscle will separate the stem extender and steerer, lifting the former clear of the latter - do you see what I mean? Be sure to grease them on reassembly!

If you have hub brakes, I reckon there should be a bolt through the fork crown equivalent to the one which would otherwise hold the Magura "horseshoe" on. reckon.

[Jabba]

Dear all, an update on this little situation and one more question if I may 

I found that the previous owner had also been unable to remove the 2 tubes and had hacksawed off the headset prior to shipping the bike down to me, but had not told me this only that I'd need a new headset due to the old being damaged during removal. Damaged.. , I'm not surprised, hacksaws tend to be terminal.  Needless to say I'm not very happy about that.

Anyway a few strategies have been employed to separate the offending bits:

1.  Brute force:  no joy  they just remained stuck.

2.  Vice and pipe grips: still no joy  just succeeded in digging the grips into the head tube and didn't shift it a nanometer.

3.  Penetrating oils:  again joyless  just got very very mucky.

4.  Heat:  took a blow torch to the fork tube believing that the 2 differing metals would of course heat up differently and free the head tube...... no joy 

5.  Idea:  thought about milling the head tube in place to reduce its diameter so that I could slide the headset pieces over it, then of course realised that the locking washer would not fit into the flattened thread area without milling away chunks of the tube, doh! no good therefore no joy.

6.  Finally I took it into the metal workshops near to where I work for them to have a 'butcher's' at it.  They said that they may be able to remove the head tube but could not guarantee it wouldn't be buggered in the process.

So I may have to take this option but won't until I can source a replacement, which I think I may have found at Terracycles.  They advertise a "handlebar mast" which comes complete with stem and in the correct length, though I'm unsure if it would fit into the fork tube, so I've emailed them to ask.

Has anyone on here used Terracycles or maybe even more hopefully had sight of or even used this item and know that it would fit a 1 1/8" threaded fork tube???

Here's hoping

Jabba

[nobby]

This stirs a slight memory in me.
Afair, I had a similar problem and had to cut the tube lengthways to get it out. It was then easy enough to fing a suitable length of aluminium tube to make a replacement.
Not sure that is much help but hope it is