In what sequence do I put the compression ring in the steerer tube?

djork · Apr 17, 2013

I swapped out a fork on my 2011 Specialized Hardrock. It has a stock Cane Creek (loose ball bearing) headset. Low-end stuff. I thought I had recorded where each part of the headset goes when I took the old fork out.

Regarding the upper headset, here's what I have install in this order:

1. upper cup (already pressed into headtube
2. ball bearings in retainer
3. upper race
4. plastic dust shield that fits into the upper race
5. plastic compression ring

I just finished installing the new fork and the last part I installed was the compression ring. But it doesn't look right. I'm seeing less than a mm of it sticking out and touching the headset spacer, which should sit flushed with the headset.

Am I supposed to put the compression ring AFTER the BB retainer, and THEN put the upper race and dust shield on?

J.B. Weld · Apr 18, 2013

You need to reverse #4 and 5. The compression ring should go on top of the race, and below the dust cap.

djork · Apr 18, 2013

Thanks, JB. I thought that might be it, so today I took out the stem and spacer to see if I could switch out the dust cap and comp ring, but before I even did it I looked at what I had done and everything looks like it's in order. The comp ring looks to be the last thing on the steerer tube. There's no way the dust cap could go over it without leaving a gap between it and the upper cup. The upper race has a wedge on top in which the comp ring wedges in. Everything looks and for the most part feels right. It's just that I thought the comp ring set flush with the upper race, and the spacer set flat against the headset. It sort of does but it is still sitting on the comp ring, which has a fraction of a mm showing.

J.B. Weld · Apr 19, 2013

I realized I blew this call when I was helping a friend switch headsets between 2 different bikes today. One was a Cane Creek with the the bearing seal on top of the ring which I recall as being more the norm, and the other had the ring on top of the seal.

Goes to show that sometimes you just gotta see it.

thomllama · Apr 19, 2013

well I think you're still right JB.. most of the loose/retainer bearing style has the seal on top... but not 100% sure all did/do

In what sequence do I put the compression ring in the steerer tube?

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