[noapathy]

I was looking at the ones online and thinking that I could pretty much do the same thing with a 12" long 1/2" diameter bolt, and some large washers/nuts. The washers would have to be pretty long big though. As far as removing the races go, could you not just tap them out from the inside with a long socket extension or something like that? Surely if you used something that wasn't sharp, and just tapped around the inside hole little by little you could get them out without hurting anything. I've pretty much did the same thing to get bearings out of dirt bike hubs more than once or twice over the years.

You can tap them out that way, sure. Just take your time and work all the way around a little at a time.

If l'oiseau is right, you may not even need to do that bit (can't remember what's compatible but it wouldn't surprise me). You could either piece together the individual 40 series parts or buy the whole headset and have a spare set of cups, which would be easier and likely cheaper.

 

[mack_turtle]

If the headset was designed that way and any bike shop mechanic modified it because it "doesn't look right," that would be a lousy mechanic. It's weird that Cane Creek made them that way. Usually the dust cover has a "skirt" to cover that gap because if the aluminum cover gets too close, it will bind up. That gap is a good thing. If you can somehow shave some material off the top of the wedge a wafer-thin layer at a time, that's not a terrible idea if you can do it right. I would rather see some sort of gasket added to the dust cover.

 

[MX9799]

Any of you guys know if either one of these top-cap assemblies would work for a short term fix to the gap problem?

https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/pr...reek-40-series-zs-short-top-subassembly-zs44-28-6-black?nosto=frontpage-nosto-1

https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/pr...-creek-110-series-zs44-28-6-short-top-subassembly-black?nosto=frontpage-nosto-1

The Cane Creek website says the internal parts are cross compatible between the 10, 40, and 110 series headsets, but who knows what is actually in the bike and if the top subassembly is considered an internal part. I would think the ID of the bearing is all that matters for the top subassembly to work, so it might be worth $14 on the 40 series part to find out.

 

[mack_turtle]

have you asked Cane Creek? a quick phone call would answer the question with confidence and you wouldn't have to wait around for the chance that someone on the forum "knows" the answer.

 

[MX9799]

have you asked Cane Creek? a quick phone call would answer the question with confidence and you wouldn't have to wait around for the chance that someone on the forum "knows" the answer.

I checked their contact on their website, but only got a phone number instead of an email. I figured if I called, I'd probably be waiting on the phone to get to talk to someone longer than I would be waiting here on the forum. I also figured it would be difficult to explain the headset concoction that is on my bike over the phone without pictures to whomever I did get to talk to on the phone as well.

 

[790097]

The bearings are the same and all have the same chamfer. I "know" they are cross compatible so those top caps should work. The 40 series one should be sufficient but it's a lower height than what you have so you'll have to add spacers under your stem to preload, so order those.

 

[MX9799]

The bearings are the same and all have the same chamfer. I "know" they are cross compatible so those top caps should work. The 40 series one should be sufficient but it's a lower height than what you have so you'll have to add spacers under your stem to preload, so order those.

Thanks l'oiseau. I'll get the 40 series one since it's about half the price of the 110 series. Got plenty of spacers as well, so that shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[mack_turtle]

I figured if I called, I'd probably be waiting on the phone to get to talk to someone longer than I would be waiting here on the forum.

the last time I called Cane Creek, someone picked up right away and answered my question in less than 30 seconds. that's why I recommended it. you can call an actual expert on the phone and have an answer in less than a minute, or wait around for a week for some armchair "engineer" to give you a half-assed answer. it could not hurt to try.

 

[phalkon30]

Just picked up a TimberJack NX for my wife this weekend, and it had that huge gap in the headset. Looking through the TJ thread here there are several others that see it as well.

It bothered me too, and I worry about debris getting in there...but it feels great right now. Maybe I'll dig out some old Lizzard Skins to see if they fit

https://www.amazon.com/Lizard-Skins-Headset-Seal/dp/B07CPGYW97

 

[MX9799]

Just picked up a TimberJack NX for my wife this weekend, and it had that huge gap in the headset. Looking through the TJ thread here there are several others that see it as well.

It bothered me too, and I worry about debris getting in there...but it feels great right now. Maybe I'll dig out some old Lizzard Skins to see if they fit

https://www.amazon.com/Lizard-Skins-Headset-Seal/dp/B07CPGYW97

One of those should help keep debris and dust out of the headset, but I would still think water could soak through and get in. I was thinking of just cutting a piece of felt to put in there kind of a washer to keep dust and debris out, but that was before I found the replacement top cap for $14 bucks. I got it instead, and it should be delivered today, so I never bothered with anything else.

 

[phalkon30]

Let us know how it works out, $14 is cheap compared to replacement in a few years, thanks for the reply

 

[MX9799]

Well, I couldn't get the $14 CC top subassembly to work on the bike last night. It seemed to fit OK on the stem, and set flush on the top of the headset with no gap, but I couldn't get the headset tightened sufficiently using the new top cap. Anything more than just getting the stem cap lightly tightened would make the handlebars really hard to turn. I tried tightening the stem cap fairly tight, and the headset still had some play in it if I held the front brake and pushed the bars back and forth. I put what came on the bike back on and everything tightened down and worked just fine. I'm sort of scratching my head on this one....

 

[790097]

Well, I couldn't get the $14 CC top subassembly to work on the bike last night. It seemed to fit OK on the stem, and set flush on the top of the headset with no gap, but I couldn't get the headset tightened sufficiently using the new top cap. Anything more than just getting the stem cap lightly tightened would make the handlebars really hard to turn. I tried tightening the stem cap fairly tight, and the headset still had some play in it if I held the front brake and pushed the bars back and forth. I put what came on the bike back on and everything tightened down and worked just fine. I'm sort of scratching my head on this one....

That is odd. I assume the blue compression ring was in the cap?

Pull the bearing out and see how it fits in. Perhaps there is some difference in the cup that is causing it to be held up? I'm sure the bearings are cross compatible.

Now might be a good time to call CC...

 

[J.B. Weld]

That is odd.

I don't know, I would have been surprised if it worked.

 

[MX9799]

That is odd. I assume the blue compression ring was in the cap?

Pull the bearing out and see how it fits in. Perhaps there is some difference in the cup that is causing it to be held up? I'm sure the bearings are cross compatible.

Now might be a good time to call CC...

Yeah, it had the blue compression ring in the cap. I didn't think to pull the bearing out and see how it fit. Gonna give CC a call when I get a chance. Might just have to run the OEM setup until I get some downtime to replace the entire headset.

 

[desertwheelsltd]

The 40 series is shorter if I recall, so you would need to make up the lost space with spacers. Remember spacer/stem needs to sit a few mm above the steerer tube to get proper preload.

 

[MX9799]

The 40 series is shorter if I recall, so you would need to make up the lost space with spacers. Remember spacer/stem needs to sit a few mm above the steerer tube to get proper preload.

Yup. I added a 7.5mm spacer below the stem to make up for the shorter top subassembly. With the CC40 ZS44 top subassembly on the OEM headset, the problem is that no amount of preload will get the headset tightened up good so that there is no play in it, and pretty much just about any preload on the headset makes the steering really tough.

 

[790097]

Any update on this?

Probably should have told you to try the low stack 10 series cap. Thing is, other than the rubber seal on the outside rim, it looks exactly the same.

 

[MX9799]

Any update on this?

Probably should have told you to try the low stack 10 series cap. Thing is, other than the rubber seal on the outside rim, it looks exactly the same.

View attachment 1211443

Haven't had a chance to call CC yet. I've been slammed at work, and get even busier when I get home trying to deal with two young kids. I'll post an update as soon as I call CC and hopefully talk to someone there.

 

[MX9799]

So I got a chance to call Cane Creek today. To my surprise, when I pulled the up the contact tab on their website, I noticed the address to their factory is in Fletcher, NC only about 15 minutes away from my wife's parent's house. Might have to go check the place out when we're visiting sometime.

Anyhow, I explained to the guy that I talked to what I had on the bike, and the problems I was having with the new 40 series ZS44 top subassembly, and he told me that the headset on my bike was actually a series 5 headset, and not a series 10 headset like what is listed on Salsa's website. He said for that headset, the gap at the top is normal. Unfortunately, he told me that the 5 series headsets weren't compatible with any of the other headsets they sold, and that's why my new 40 series top subassemly wasn't working correctly. He told me he could sell me the 40 series bearing and cup to go with my new top subassembly to get it all to work for another $15. I didn't wind up buying it over the phone, but figured I'd run with what's on the bike for now, and just upgrade the entire headset when the set that's on the bike now needs to be replaced. In the meantime, I'm going to try to cut a piece of felt or something to fill the gap to at least help keep dirt and dust out of the OEM headset.