[kuksul08]

I was looking at my bike and noticed that on the upper crown where the steerer tube hole is, on the bottom where it contacts the upper bearing retainer/race, that surface is not machined evenly across.

I can tell two ways: 1.the bearing retainer is pushed down more on one side than the other, likely causing some uneven bearing load and 2. the clamps for the stanchions dont grab on the same distance from the top.They're about I'd say 1/8" off.

I've been riding with it for a year no problem, but I am worried that something might be going wrong because it developed a creaking noise right in that area. When I put on the front brake and rock the bike forward and back it goes "click click click". I disassembled it and redid the headset preload, which worked until after my next ride.

What should I do? I didn't buy the fork new so I don't think Marzocchi will help...but who knows. Maybe the noise is unrelated...



Also, unrelated but not worth another thread: Should I put any lube on the inner bearing races or anywhere on the steer tube? I put a very thin layer of antisieze just where the lower race and bearing contact... I didn't think it would hurt

 

[SKYWAYBUZZ]

My 04 888 did do that .grease everything except the handlebar, all metal to metal contacts. you can even do the all the bolts.see if that helps. the top crown sux but don't know how bad its effecting' all else. Maybe find a cheap new one from somebody that got after market flat crowns. Good luck.

 

[kuksul08]

This clicking noise is very annoying. It starts a little after I reassemble the headtube area and stays like that. I took it apart and lubed the hell out of it. That worked for 50% of a ride but now it came back. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Here I took a picture of the area in the upper crown where the steer tube goes in. I have already started sanding the surface slightly, but it didn't look much different before. I think it is clamping unevenly on the steer tube and thats why its clicking....sound right?