# Help!!!  What can I do to fix this?



## Ignaz Schwinn (Jan 31, 2013)

I just finished scrubbing and rebuilding a 1948 Schwinn DX. It was going great. The last thing to go on was my fork.  It was only then I found out my frame has an ovalized headtube!!  My top cup rocks back and forth in the headtube.

Has anyone fixed this problem before?  Would JB Weld work?  Any advise would be helpful before I try anything...

Thanks in advance!


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## bricycle (Jan 31, 2013)

You can make it round again by squeezing it round again with a large pr vice-grip. Then if the cup is still loose, just run a strip of "Duct tape" on inside of fork tube (after it is clean) and reinsert cup. snug as a bug!


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## cyclebuster (Jan 31, 2013)

some mountain bikes have a slightly larger tube, you can press in one of those cups.


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## Rambler (Jan 31, 2013)

*shim it*

I have fixed that problem with a paper thin metal shim wrapped around the cup flange before pressing the cup into the frame.


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## rockabillyjay (Jan 31, 2013)

Make a shim with a Coke can, use some epoxy and boom, fixed.


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## Hb Twinn (Jan 31, 2013)

I've found that thin aluminum shims work acceptably without having to use the epoxy. As long as you get the cup in square to the head tube and it is tight with no front and back or side to side movement, you should be good to go!


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## Ignaz Schwinn (Jan 31, 2013)

*Thanks!*

Thanks guys!  I like your suggestions! I think I'll try in this order:

1) Gentle squeeze with some large channel-locks. I'll wrap a cloth first.
2) Beer can shim without epoxy
3) Beer can shim and epoxy

The headset I have now is new and works great.  I'm concerned if I put a larger MTB cup in, it will create new issues. 

Now... To work on that beer can. Mmmmm!


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## GTs58 (Feb 1, 2013)

Ignaz Schwinn said:


> Thanks guys!  I like your suggestions! I think I'll try in this order:
> 
> 1) Gentle squeeze with some large channel-locks. I'll wrap a cloth first.
> 2) Beer can shim without epoxy
> ...




Depending on how you want your paint to look after squeezing the headtube, I suggest using a good C clamp or pony clamp/bar clamp or vise with rubber booties. Channel locks have teeth and you don't want teeth.


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## Rivnut (Feb 1, 2013)

x2 for the clamp.  

Besides the jaws marks from the channel locks (bad), you can create a lot more controlled pressure with the clamp (good.)  Do you have anything with an ID that's the same as the OD of your fork tube.  It would be easier to control what gets squeezed and to what limits it can be squeezed. It would also be easier on your paint.

Ed


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## old hotrod (Feb 1, 2013)

Shim it, the headset was run loose (probably for years) and has pounded and stretched the tubing. Clamping or the channel locks will not fix the stretched-ovalized tubing. You are only going to push the tubing back round and it will still be loose. Another thing...are you using a factory cup or a replacement? I have found that nothing fits the headtube like an original cup.


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## vincev (Feb 2, 2013)

Some great solutions.Have to remember them.


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## Rivnut (Feb 2, 2013)

Dave is correct. If it's stretched there's nothing you can do but shim it. If it's smashed, you might be able to reform it.  Lots of heat would help reform it.  

The only way to reform it if it is stretched is to cut if vertically where the stretch is, reform it, then weld it back together.  Shimming will be a lot easier.

Ed


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## Ignaz Schwinn (Feb 21, 2013)

*Fixed!*

Hi Guys,

I decided to forgo the squeezing and went with a beer can metal shim.  Worked like a charm and is super solid now.  Thanks again for the great advise!

My new problem is a crappy "new" Sturmey Archer S2C two speed hub.  Three warranty rebuilds and it still won't hold first gear and seizes if I roll the bike backwards at all.  My shop guy is great and will be replacing it with a SRAM automatic 2 speed.  I'll be rolling soon!


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## old hotrod (Feb 21, 2013)

Please let us know how the Sram works out for you...thinking about a build up with one too...


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