How to Remove and Install Headset Bearings

This video is a step-by-step tutorial on how to remove and reinstall bicycle headset bearings. It is useful for removing the bearings for the purpose of cleaning or replacing them.
This will also show how to remove and reinstall a bicycle fork (since this is required for removing headset bearings).

[@MrMisaKulicka]

8yrs on and this video helped me take mine apart - much appreciated, great explanation and demonstration.

[@imadesbeats2059]

Just wanted to let you know...5 years later and this video is still useful. Thank you for your service.

[@Gizmoimages]

You're videos are so thorough, no need to watch any additional videos. Great job as usual.

[@joecanuck3751]

8 years later and its still a good video. Good pacing with no hype and no acting like a cool biker dude.

[@skypiratez]

Some of the best amateur MTB maintenance videos on the net. Thank you for doing those Clint. I recently crossed the line between LBS and home DIY and your videos are showing in great detail exactly what I need to know.

[@bp8764]

Best video you KZbin for doing what you did. Park Tool and GMBN are OK but leave out a lot of detail that you included here. Thank you.

[@Geordo1960]

Excellent as usual Clint! Thanks for the time that you take to make these videos. I realize it takes a lot of time out of your life and making videos is very difficult. One of my other hobbies besides cycling is photography and I can appreciate the time and effort it takes to make these quality videos. Your efforts are very much appreciated. You keep me motivated and loving this sport making my life longer, healthier, and happier. Your calm, confident, demeanor is awesome. I can't thank-you enough!

[@ClintGibbs]

+Geordo1960 thank you

[@Geordo1960]

👍

[@bobbyhempel1513]

Geordo1960 my thoughts exactly. Well said

[@michaelwalsh6357]

Thanks for the video. Good stuff man. Please make more. Have you made any about replacing shifter cables on drop bars? How about a brake bleed on drop bar shifters? Your brake bleed video on your straight bar was the best I've seen on the subject. More videos with drop bar shifter maintenance please

[@ClintGibbs]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ7bq3mloreMhMk kzbin.info/www/bejne/opm4lY14bc6Brsk kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5LTlnmlab9_bqc

[@MichaelFreeman-hb9kd]

Thank you for this video, used it as a guide to pull my fork and clean the bearings on my road bike. Bike is tight and clean again. Thanks again!

[@bryanm1498]

Awesome video, it helped me a lot!. Was able to correct the play in the front wheel by cleaning and regreasing the bearings on my wife's Gary Fisher hybrid. No more clicking noise when I turn the wheel back and forth. Thank you!

[@clivepritchard]

Great video, saved the day, thank you! Went to remove my stem to measure it (and buy a shorter one) and forgot that the top nut held the whole lot together! Idiot! So ball races, bevelled washers and wedge all over the place in the dark. getting the pieces back in the correct order is kind of crucial and this is one of the few videos I found that really helped with that. I went for greasing everything when re-assembling

[@ClintGibbs]

+Clive Pritchard 😀

[@kj-759]

Line up tip: look over the handlebars and down dead center and move your head slowly forward whilst still looking down . notice the bottom four forward facing lugs at bottom of fork tubes begin to appear. line handlebar up with those appearing at the same time. millimetre perfect each time.

[@kj-759]

I’m using rockshox so if you haven’t got lugs perhaps use the bottom edge of the tubes, this is the best method I’ve found and I want them STRAIGHT thanks for your excellent videos, it’s saved m😂e a lot of stress, don’t like shops touching my bike 😊

[@map9020]

Hi Clint Gibbs. I bought the same Giant Mtb. After your fine review of it. Have seen all your videos, and learned a lot from you, thanks. Easy Videos to follow and well told. Looking forward to a video in which you must shift the bearings in the full suspension and there will be another super video out of it. :-) Continue the good work :-)

[@ClintGibbs]

Mikael Pedersen Excellent! Changing pivot bearings (once you've dis-assembled the pivots) is similar to changing the bearings Stans hubs (shown in the video I just made last week). You tap out the old bearings and press in the new ones. But next time I do it I'll shoot a video.

[@darrellhornick7764]

Great to the point video. Thanks for sharing.

[@K_Nunez]

Thanks for sharing this useful video. 🤜🏼

[@davidtynis4066]

Thanks Clint for a great video !

[@virkelie2]

Another excellent and useful tutorial! Thanks!

[@ChhayaEang]

Hey Clint! Thanks for making these awesome videos. I have a question, do they sell headset replacement kits? The bearings you have are nice and sealed, I took my cap off yesterday to raise my handlebar and everything came apart and the greased bearings were exposed. I figure your type of bearings would be better and easier to service. I recently had a shop swap my fork so I'm not sure if its supposed to be like that or not. Thanks.

[@TorontoAreaNestBox]

Fantastic video and very methodical explanation; top notch! My lower bearing rotted out - a Raleigh street bike. Is there a standard size for these bearings so that I can buy online?

[@MrDUBMACK]

If I had taken pictures I wouldn't be here!

[@ivangerasimenko6066]

Thanks a lot from Russia 😊 nice explanation

[@Ryet9]

A good way to align your forks is to turn them 180* and then line them up with the frame... it will be a bit closer to the frame and easier to eyeball, very easy if you have a BMX with a gyro set up, but not so hard with other bikes.

[@bongcollao7330]

Nice demo.

[@imbrah2925]

Your videos are awesome!

[@macario1983]

I have one giant like in this video but I want to know where I can find the type of bearing that I should be for my rear suspension

[@llspragulus]

How do you measure your headset for new bearings? Mine has SUPER cheap bearing and I like to replace them with sealed bearings like you have.

[@401SNelson]

I like the rubber band trick!

[@blondiepalermo7884]

Very nice video I like it

[@jfro5867]

Great tutorial 👍

[@Ben--Samsara]

Great videos. Very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

[@keithmorris9185]

Excellent, thanks!

[@hilltopper600]

place a dowel rod between fork and brace and eye the top of bar-line them up and you are perfect

[@Dr4g0nW00d]

Nice bike Nice video Good explanation thumbs up

[@ClintGibbs]

ThunderStruckCoach if you grease the upper bearing then you don't really need to add grease to the wedge since it touches the bearing. Yes, it would be a good idea to wipe off the steerer tube where the stem contacts it, if some got on there.

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

Clint Gibbs 10-4 Doing mine right now.......... Thanks!!

[@ClintGibbs]

Cool. Let me know how it goes.

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

Clint Gibbs It went just like your video. I thought mine would've had more grit, as I live & ride in the SoCal high desert, but it was fairly clean....... Thanks again Clint!

[@ClintGibbs]

Excellent!

[@candyflipyizz2993]

+Clint Gibbs sir can i ask you if what type of FSA headset that is compatible on giant anthem 2015-2016?

[@musmuk5350]

Thank you for this nice video!

[@dexterslab9143]

Hi i wanted to replace my standard bearing to a sealed bearing is it possible? Or i will need to replace the whole headset? Rather than the bearing it self...

[@TiberiusMaximus]

yea I definitely wished I took a pic, I'm gonna just buy a new headset I don't like the way my old one looks. Definitely a good investment

[@bobbyhempel1513]

Thank you Clint. Unfortunately the used bike I just bought has a steel steerer tube that has seized to the aluminum spacers.having hell trying to remove it

[@ClintGibbs]

+Bobby Hempel spray some WD-40 in there and let it sit overnight, if you haven't tried that yet

[@johnrovicgerong433]

Hello sir im having trouble with the little golden wedge, you see i cannot stick it in properly so my fork shakes upward and downward instead of just turning left and right. Please help.

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

Good video Clint. Thanks. Two quick questions; would a light coat of grease on the wedge help prevent creaking, and what about any grease that got onto the steerer tube / stem interface before installing stem?

[@ayeleraberra4338]

Thank you, that was helpfull.

[@GilACB]

Hello Clint. I like your videos a lot. A question I have on this one. By doing this will help me to eliminate clicking noises coming from the headset? the clicking noise only comes out when riding on dirt trails, climbing etc, but not on asphalt pavement.

[@ClintGibbs]

+Gilberto Casique if you've cleaned it and tightened it appropriately then there's a chance it could be worn out and you need to replace the bearings.

[@GilACB]

Clint. I got my bike about 3 weeks ago and I have not clean the headset yet. I will keep your suggestion in mind and then I will see if it keeps making the clicking noise. My bike is a Specialized Epic. Thanks so much for your response.

[@AbideinChristFully]

Every video shows the bearing falling out. Mine seems integrated into the crown race, because even though it is a new bike, it WILL NOT COME OUT. It broke apart trying, and the bottom is stuck.

[@stefandinkov858]

the best

[@neilhamilton2621]

What size are those bearings

[@officialdreymedina3468]

quick question can you rearrange the spacer in different if you want your stem to be in higher position my stem is in the same place as yours just wanna be sure hehe

[@ClintGibbs]

Yes, you would move spacers below or above the stem to raise or lower the stem.

[@MrMecatalin]

are these bearings sealled? don't you need to add grease in the joint of the bearing rings so it functions smoorhly ?

[@kj-759]

I’ve found you can thumb some grease thru the small gap on the inner surface with grip pressure to keep one point more open.

[@nabcia]

Hi, I have a Anthem x29 2013 with overdrive2. I know that it is 1 1/4" at top when the most stems are 1 1/8". How did you do to fit a new FSA stem? Did you find it with the right size or convert someway?

[@ClintGibbs]

+Kevin I believe the only way to do it is to get a a Giant stem that's 1.25 inches at the top.

[@huntingtonbeachsasquatch]

I have the same headset however I can't get the wedge freed. Any Pointers Please!??

[@ClintGibbs]

Try taking everything apart and then rocking the steerer tube back-and-forth

[@ns671fr]

Thats some XC stem you got there

[@ClintGibbs]

This was a few years ago! Stems have definitely gotten shorter

[@ns671fr]

@@ClintGibbs I mean long stems are still around especially true old school XC racers but unusual to see it rather in somewhat modern bike you have with newer parts

[@TiberiusMaximus]

Is it typical for a brand new fork not to have a race on the bottom??

[@ClintGibbs]

Forks don't come with a race. That's part of the headset

[@karencarroll1324]

Front brake left hand lever???

[@ClintGibbs]

Yes, in the USA the left lever is typically the front brake

[@hisir750l1]

Dunno about anyone else but after you cleaned the parts I heard grittiness sounds when you were reinstalling

[@shameemkmr]

What is the headset size?

[@ClintGibbs]

Been a few minutes since I own that bike but I think it was a standard tapered head tube.

[@johngta7172]

nice video - but for cleaning mineral spirits would do a better job

[@toidinsohari]

I LIKE YOU VIDEO DUDE...BUT STILL DIFFICULT FOR ME TO PRACTICE. ..TOO AMATEUR TO DO

[@duderama6750]

Am I the only one to notice that you reversed the order of the gasket and wedge?

[@kittukittu3665]

Smal things, but very important , I changed only one time in my life 😀 when I purchase 2nd hand cycal 😎😂😂😂

[@JJ-cc5gn]

Why taking brakes off to do headset 😊😊

[@Unibomber2u]

Why not just cut the forks shorter and eliminate the 2 top spacers?

[@ClintGibbs]

+Tucker Not Sucker! I like having the option of being able to raise the stem for certain riding situations, such as more aggressive trail riding compared to cross country.

[@lancashireliberty7603]

I really should of watched this before taking everything apart

[@johnrichards9011]

Waffles on...

[@Soundafek]

I just bought a GIANT bike from Falmart.

[@wikiloqueando8878]

Thank you for the video. Always enlightening. AREM, Spain.