[46chief]

e-13 zerostack hs reducer, Cane creek S2 headset.

the integrated bearings felt rough inside the reducer cups, I had to knock the bearings out with a brass drift. now they feel smooth as butter. The bearings shouldn't press fit into the reducer cups should they?

anyone experienced this?

 

[HAB]

They do press in, though it shouldn't be so tight as to make things bind. Never had any trouble with mine.

 

[davep]

I have nerver felt this, but it is possible I suppose that tollerances are such that the outer bearing race is being compressed enough to make a noticable difference...

Keep in mind these are angular contact bearings and need to be axially loaded (in the correct direction) for them to function correctly. If you are spinning them with just radial pressure like you would a traditional cartrage bearing, the inner and outer race will migrate out of position and you will notice seal drag.

Also, if you have not got there yet, there is a good chance that the dust cap will contact the top face of the e-13 cup if you use the dust cap. Integrated headsets (IME on road, XC and DH applications) always require a couple micro-spacers ( http://www.bikeisland.com/images/HD4683.jpg )to get the headtube to dust cap spacing correct....yet they never come with the microspacers when purchased aftermarket.

 

[HAB]

yet they never come with the microspacers when purchased aftermarket.

My Cane Creek IS2 did.

 

[46chief]

Tore it down again and added the spacer between the reducer and the top cap which helped me get rid of the HS looseness and still have zero drag, but I had to hammer the bearings into the reducers and still get roughness. Ran it all day and it didn't loosen. that spacer was definatey the key.

 

[dirtygirlmagnet]

we've had this problem with several Zero stack, or integrated headsets where I work.
Cane Creek claims the problem has to do with the frame tolerances. If the I.D. of the headtube (where the cups are pressed in) is a little too small or not perfectly round, it sort of squeezes the cup, and in turn the bearing. Which can cause some binding or roughness.

Higher quality headsets like the 110 have much tighter tolerances, and tend to show the problem a little more than lower quality headsets.

The real sonovabitch is that we haven't found a company who makes a reamer for this type of frame yet. If anyone has found one, let me know.

 

[46chief]

Wondering if a small cylinder hone for a dirtbike or other small engine would do the trick?

suppose a reamer would be best.