Some sort of washer that won't turn (keyed or flat section) is important to the proper adjustment and tightening so it will stay tight for threaded headsets. Leave it out and the headset will vibrate loose.
Smaller builders often do not have the ability or tools to mill a slot/groove in the steerer tube, so most often they file a flat in the steerer threads to accept, albeit a bit sloppily, the keyed washer. A proper fork & headset assembly should never be without a keyed or flat section washer!
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 USA 336.274.5959 http://www.cyclesdeoro.com http://www.classicrendezvous.com
-----Original Message----- From: chris@velo-orange.com To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 1:54 PM Subject: Re: [CR]headset keyed washers
Actually, many of the best custom builders don't mill key ways in their fork tubes. I guess the washers are nice if you only own one wrench ;<)
Chris
http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/
Kim wrote.
Hi all,
Are keyed washers always used between the race and the locknut of both the upper and lower portion of the headset? What would happen if they were not used. Thanks for the comments.