[ridefast]

ive always been told to run a light ring of grease inside the headtube before installing headset cups

recently i was strongly warned against this

i feel that using grease is correct, one, to stop potential creaking, and two, to prevent any bonding between metals

input?

 

[BikeGeek]

King leaves it to the mechanic's discretion. I've had some use grease and some not. I've never noticed a difference.

 

[OrthoPT]

ive always been told to run a light ring of grease inside the headtube before installing headset cups

recently i was strongly warned against this

i feel that using grease is correct, one, to stop potential creaking, and two, to prevent any bonding between metals

input?

I've always used grease for the same reasons as you. Did the person who "strongly warned" you tell you why?

 

[binary visions]

I can't possibly imagine what the problem would be with using grease on the headset cup skirts. I guess if you were really, really lax about keeping everything properly tightened, the cups would work themselves out easier when it all got loose.

In order for that to happen, your stem would have to work itself loose, your top cap would have to work itself loose, and the whole deal would have to move enough to allow the headset cups to back out... all without you noticing that your entire front end was rattling back and forth.

 

[mastercycleman]

we used grese today when installing the S-8 headsets. shouldnt be a problem, I dont see why you would want to put matal against meatal, just dont slather it on like my friend.

 

[binary visions]

Shouldn't even matter if you slather it... it's a press fit, most of that grease is going to be pushed out anyway.

 

[mastercycleman]

ok, thats a good point, could using a homemade headsset press cause any issues with the head tube or the headset?

 

[Bicyclist]

I always use grease if it's a tight fit, but if the thing slides in relatively easily I won't use it.

A homemade press won't cause issues as long as everything went in straight and it didn't press really hard on one part of the headset.

 

[w00dy]

Lube that sucka up like a post-menopausal asian woman. It'll make installation and the eventual de-stallation much easier. If the grease causes a movement issue, your headtube is already a size it should not be and you need to contact Chris King about getting some oversized cups.