Re: [CR]Seeking Stronglight headset tips

(Example: Framebuilders:Norman Taylor)

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 19:17:37 -0800
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Seeking Stronglight headset tips
References: <20001221011142.20264.qmail@web3407.mail.yahoo.com>


Craig Sandvik wrote:
> (snip)
> I still don't understand the reason for
> the spanner holes in the toothed washer.
> Has anyone ever owned a spanner that fit these?
> And why is "Stronglight" stamped upside down
> on the toothed washer?

The toothed washer that fits into the corresponding teeth of the upper cup have a flat on the inner surface that corresponds to a flat that is filed on the steerer tube (not a "keyed" slot) to keep the toothed washer from rotating. The toothed washer needs to be a tight fit on the steerer tube to not rotate using this flat-instead-of-keyed-washer technology. The two spanner holes in the sides of the toothed washer are so you can rock the toothed washer up the steerer slightly to turn the upper cup for an adjustment in the headset (one tooth adjustment at a time). The lock nut just comes down on the toothed washer to keep it engaged in the toothed upper cup to keep it from moving out of adjustment. No other washer necessary. I hope this explanation is clear enough.

Oh... the old VAR adjustable pin spanner came drilled both vertically and horizontally because other than the toothed washer with the two pin spanner holes in the sides, a lot of headset lock nuts came with either two side holes or two and four top holes for tightening the lock nut.

Your Stronglight toothed washer with "STRONGLIGHT" stamped upside down just sounds like a production error.

Which reminds me of a bunch of Campagnolo clamp-on down tube shifters Matt Gorski came across with the clamp and lever stops riveted together up-side-down!!! (yeah, more gasoline on the Campy is Crap fire... just send all your Campy cranks with the small crack in the web to me; I'll pay the postage).

Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, California (yeah it has been in the mid-70s and clear for _days_ now...sorry)