I got my son a used mongoose bike off Craigslist, the bike works pretty well but the headset is loose as you can see in the video, I don't think that by tightening the nut it will fix it, but I also don't have a big enough wrench to try to tighten it. Anyone knowledgeable enough to tell me what I need to do to stop it from wobbly back and forth? Side to side it's solid, just forward and backwards it wobbles

Thanks

thank you for everyone's advice, I finally found a wrench big enough to take that nut off, I found that the nut underneath it was loose, once I tighten it then it wasnt wobbly anymore. I did take the whole fork off the frame and some ball bearings came outta the tube, not sure if that was suppose to happen. at first I thought it might be the bottom of the cup that lost its bearings, but when I tried to put in the bearings from the top of the cup to the bottom of the cup, it doesn't seem like it belong. I just put everything back together and it seems like it's working fine now even though there is a possibility that the bottom of the frame to where it matches the cup at the bottom might not have bearing?

Bike headset loose, how do I tighten it?
byu/truwrxtacy inbikewrench



by truwrxtacy

5 Comments

  1. The headset isn’t even pressed into the top of the head tube. Either the headset is the wrong size of the head tube is messed up.

  2. Active_Ad_5322 on

    The cup (part that is touching the top of the bike frame) has come out. That is not supposed to happen. That cup requires quotes a bit of force to press it into the frame, so coming out on its own in not a good sign.

    It’s a good chance that the frame is damaged and that’s why it is loose.

    Best to take it to a shop for further inspection.
    Good news is that the bike is not a high cost bike and if it is damaged beyond repair, is not a big hit to the checkbook.

  3. No_Yogurtcloset9181 on

    You can buy some generic decent headsets on Amazon just have the right specs. You can make a headset press by using some cheap tools.RJ the bike guy in youtube has a great video or perhaps try going to your local bike co-op.

  4. littlecogBigcog on

    Can you insert that cup into the tube fully using just your hands? If it slides into the tube easily then the frame is damaged

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