Help with headset...

W

wario

Member
Hi

Just trying to sort out a headset for my Sons Birthday.

I got him a Phoenix Deck and District pro (I think) headset.

I'm new to working on scooters so just wanted someone to tell me if I'm on the right track!

I added both cups to the deck- no problem.

..added the bearings and the other bits, also no problem.

The forks are thread less and seem to be held in by a long bolt that goes through them and into the handlebars where there is a female nut located inside.

So when this bolt is tightened it pulls the headset together, is that it?

the headset is purely being held together by the bolt pulling down the handlebars onto the head set?

Cheers for any replies
 
W

wario

Member
Thanks

What would be a better type?

I was guided by the guy in the scooter shop, so basically if it gets loose I simply tighten the bolt up?

I originally had the bolt up mega tight but the bars weren't spinning too freely.

I did think the system was a bit flawed if i'm honest. I was expecting the Headset to snap in position or something but nothing happened.

Cheers for the reply.
 
Joe Riley

Joe Riley

The Gypsy
Staff member
A couple things could be wrong that you can check for.
- Crooked headset cups
- Cups not in all the way
- Cups in upside down
- Bearings upside down
- Missing crown race (Common problem for some reason haha)

ICS is kind of like dial-up internet. It's outdated and hardly used.

There are three other options you have, including SCS, HIC, and IHC.
For IHC to work, you'd need to buy Blunt IHC forks. There's a shim that goes over the forks and tightens down to compress the headset. This is my favorite form of compression because it allows you to use standard sized bars.
For HIC to work, you need to buy HIC/oversized bars. Certain companies don't include the HIC kit so you may need to purchase that as well. It works the same way as IHC but on all forks except IHC forks. Although, you need oversized bars.
SCS is considered the "best" because you can use oversized or standard bars. The way it works is similar to a BMX stem. You tighten it down to the fork, put the bars in the clamp (with NO slit on the bars) and compress the clamp around the fork AND bars by tightening the four bolts.
 
dpnelson31

dpnelson31

Steel Member
With ICS, you need to loosen the clamp on the bars before tightening the compression.
Finding the fine line where everything is tight and proper (aka "dialed") on ICS is a bit tough. People recommend blue lock tite to keep it in place.

Other compressions include HIC, IHC, and SCS. HIC and SCS are the most common, where they compress the bearings with a bolt and starnut in the forks, reverse of ICS. It is a lot to get into, and ICS is a great start. The more you look into other compressions, you will notice the more money you will be looking into spending.
 
W

wario

Member
Thanks guys.

To be honest with you, my lad just turned 10 and the Deck, Headset and Wheels cost me a fortune as it is but he really does hammer his scooter pretty hard so I don't mind spending out on something that is good quality.

Great info though guys, i'll be sure to post on here when I look to upgrade next time.

Just trying to familiarise myself with how the scooter goes together as i'd rather have the knowledge to do it than someone in a shop.
 
W

wario

Member
Joe Riley said:
A couple things could be wrong that you can check for.
- Crooked headset cups
- Cups not in all the way
- Cups in upside down
- Bearings upside down
- Missing crown race (Common problem for some reason haha)
Click to expand...

- Pretty sure the cups are OK
- Cups deffo in all the way
- Cups are the right way- District logo is right way up and youtube vids say they are OK
- must be the right way, pretty sure the chamfered parts line up.
- just googled it, Crown race is on as I had to tap in position as it was a tight fit.

I thing (as said) it's a fine line between too tight and too loose. think i got it now, many Thanks

Edit: Just took a look at what's available out there. So basically it's not the Headset that's bad, it's the Forks and the way the forks join to the bars that isn't a great system.

I'm definitely going to look into something better when the time comes.
 
yoyoflavored

yoyoflavored

Steel Member
do you have a clamp on the bars? haha. Might be a stupid question, but i didnt see it in the description of the parts you ordered your son.
 
W

wario

Member
Clamp was undone when I took the bars off his old deck.

I also tightened the forks on before I slid the clamp down and tightened.

It all seems fine function wise, i just wanted to double check it was OK and the feedback i got about the other systems was a useful bit of info too. Cheers Guys!!
 
W

wario

Member
Cheers

Great Forum BTW.

Believe it or not I posted a thread in a random UK based Scooter forum before I realised they were the type of scooters that required Petrol and ridden by Chavs.

Really glad i found this place now.
 
B

Broccoli1

Bronze member
wario said:
Thanks guys.

To be honest with you, my lad just turned 10 and the Deck, Headset and Wheels cost me a fortune as it is but he really does hammer his scooter pretty hard so I don't mind spending out on something that is good quality.

Great info though guys, i'll be sure to post on here when I look to upgrade next time.

Just trying to familiarise myself with how the scooter goes together as i'd rather have the knowledge to do it than someone in a shop.
Click to expand...
Good site
http://scooterdad.com/

Tighten the bolt so that it allows the Bars to spin around about 2 times.

Without the bars on the scooter, it will be harder to spin the forks and this is normal since the weight of the Bars will make it spin faster.

another good site to see the types of Compression

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRyIAW7jh7U&feature=context-chv
 
B

Broccoli1

Bronze member
wario said:
- Pretty sure the cups are OK
- Cups deffo in all the way
- Cups are the right way- District logo is right way up and youtube vids say they are OK
- must be the right way, pretty sure the chamfered parts line up.
- just googled it, Crown race is on as I had to tap in position as it was a tight fit.

I thing (as said) it's a fine line between too tight and too loose. think i got it now, many Thanks

Edit: Just took a look at what's available out there. So basically it's not the Headset that's bad, it's the Forks and the way the forks join to the bars that isn't a great system.

I'm definitely going to look into something better when the time comes.
Click to expand...

The ICS is notorious for coming loose so teach your Son how to tighten it and that the Clamp needs to be loosened before tightening up the ICS bolt, then tighten up the Clamp.

( Although I've been running ICS on my Son's for a while and it seems to be holding just fine)

A small lock washer helps keep it tight.

Get some White lithium grease for the clamp bolts: the Clamp is aluminium but the bolts are Steel and they'll tend to "Grab" in the soft AL giving a false sense of tightening but with the clamp not actually clamping all the way.. This leads to Stripped bolts or threads since kids/adults too :) use more torque.

The Grease allows the bolts to thread through easily, increasing the clamping ability.
 
Connorh333

Connorh333

Steel Member
What he said is completely untrue... ICS works by pulling down your bars against your top cap which compresses your headset. It makes your headset tight it doesn't "Only hold it in place."
 
B

Broccoli1

Bronze member
Connor Hedden said:
What he said is completely untrue... ICS works by pulling down your bars against your top cap which compresses your headset. It makes your headset tight it doesn't "Only hold it in place."
Click to expand...

I think he just worded it incorrectly because he was demonstrating that you need to get the bars all the way down first before tightening the ICS bolt.

Don't use the ICS bolt/system to pull the bars down on to the Headset.
 
7

702_dialed_rider

Silver Member
Go buy headset grease and put it in side the headset bearings and I have ics and it never comes lose on me and make sure you tightens the ics before totem the clamp or it will not compress and make sure you're clamp is really tight and you're ics will never come lose I have ics and my scooter is "702 dialed" better than a basket ball
 
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