1960’s Schwinn Deluxe Headset vs. Schwinn Standard Symbol Stamped Headset which was used?

[60sstuff]

Yes it is. I love looking at your detailed pictures, They're the best on the Cabe, hands down!

I'd really like to see a headset shot of @Dave Vegas 's new 65 Deluxe, looks like it has the standard headset but can't say for sure.

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Gary,
Very kind words, Thanks!

The Sky Blue Deluxe posted recently is a KA ‘65 long frame.
The larger standard headset had already been on the Stingray’s over a year by now.

 

[Dave Vegas]

Yes it is. I love looking at your detailed pictures, They're the best on the Cabe, hands down!

I'd really like to see a headset shot of @Dave Vegas 's new 65 Deluxe, looks like it has the standard headset but can't say for sure.

View attachment 2129094

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

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The gooseneck wedge is broken in this picture. FYI, it not anything to panic about, it's a common problem and usually has no impact on how well the wedge secures the neck inside the fork steerer tube.

Obviously, if you have a new wedge with the correct angle cut lug, and diameter, you would replace it. But after 60 years these parts are not easily located, so lubricate the lug and the stem bolt threads and give it a try. In most cases it will still give 100% service.

John

 

[Marshall Waha]

60sstuff Thank you for the help the pictures and a picture from the catalog help a ton.​

 

[Marshall Waha]

GTs58 Your picture was helpful too. Thank you!​

 

[Marshall Waha]

coasterbrakejunkie1969 I appricated your help in the last form verifying the bottom bracket I needed for the 1965 despite the misunderstanding and I appreciate you verifying the information with the headset too. Thank you!​

 

[WillWork4Parts]

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This conversation now has me wondering, did the Deluxe Headset go away from the Stingray at about the same time the MAX HT casting started in the stems???

Think about it. 7/8" stems had been providing a safe enough service for how long before the high rise handlebar craze came along? The Stingray craze must have brought about enough wheelie popping and split steer tubes that Schwinn had to take a step back, realize where the problem stemmed(heh, see what I did there?) from, and do something about it.
The standard headset has twice the amount of threads and surface area. If you've ever worked on a bike where someone rode it for a prolonged amount of time with the headset loose, especially one with a thin threaded area for the race, you'll understand why more surface area is important.

 

[Rusty Klunker]

The gooseneck wedge is broken in this picture. FYI, it not anything to panic about, it's a common problem and usually has no impact on how well the wedge secures the neck inside the fork steerer tube.

Obviously, if you have a new wedge with the correct angle cut lug, and diameter, you would replace it. But after 60 years these parts are not easily located, so lubricate the lug and the stem bolt threads and give it a try. In most cases it will still give 100% service.

John

Something I've found and I'm sure others have too.
If you have crusty threads on the bolt and wedge even after soaking and attempting cleaning dont try to tighten or loosen the bolt on a free stem. Put the stem in a fork/steer tube before attempting to turn the bolt. Loose with a 1/4 turn and little effort the cast wedge will snap off.

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

This conversation now has me wondering, did the Deluxe Headset go away from the Stingray at about the same time the MAX HT casting started in the stems???

Think about it. 7/8" stems had been providing a safe enough service for how long before the high rise handlebar craze came along? The Stingray craze must have brought about enough wheelie popping and split steer tubes that Schwinn had to take a step back, realize where the problem stemmed(heh, see what I did there?) from, and do something about it.
The standard headset has twice the amount of threads and surface area. If you've ever worked on a bike where someone rode it for a prolonged amount of time with the headset loose, especially one with a thin threaded area for the race, you'll understand why more surface area is important.

View attachment 2129766

It was not a part problem that forced the change. It was the "knuckle head kids" that had to raise the stem so high that the gooseneck lug aligned with the weak stress point of where the threads ended on the fork steerer. There's not a week that goes by that you do not see a bike posted on the CABE with the gooseneck raised "too high". That's why I feel it was a "user problem", not "a part problem". The 7/8" stem diameter worked well for 70 years, even on industrial applications, Cycle Trucks, Newspaper Delivery bicycles etc., that carried heavy loads.

All of the headset parts, adjusting cone/cup, the key washer, and the lock nut were above the end of the fork threading. The taller threads on the standard headset will not provide any additional strength to the fork steer tube. The steerer tubes broke below any part of the headset.

So that brings us to the "later" 13/16" .833" fork/stem size. It allows for a thicker wall steerer tube, it's "over built" just so knuckleheads can raise the gooseneck so high they can see the ugly embossed Maximum Height Mark. Seems sad that as enthusiast's we cannot protect ourselves by doing the right things. The CPSC, and Lawyers, controlled the bicycle industry by the early 1960's.

I never liked installing the universal fit service forks from Ashtabula. They were threaded all the way down the steerer tube so they could be "cut to length" and fit any frame head size. The fork legs were strong, the stem was the weak point.

Off my soap box, LOL

John

 

[WillWork4Parts]

You missed the question posed in the "what bike did you work on today?" thread not too long ago...when did the MAX HT mark start being cast into the stems? It was before 1966! Now the question is, how long before?
If it seems too much like a derailment, I can start another thread... I currently don't have any untouched Complete example bikes from 64 and early 65 to say when the stem castings happened, so we may have to source some here. Show em if you got em!

I do know that I pulled these from Schwinns I parted out, but I didn't exactly write on them what they came from.
To the manuals for me...

Jan 65 catalog didn't show the casting, but we know how Schwinn was about not showing every detail. I'll see if I can spot a different part number stem in what catalogs I have.