A thicker alloy washer suggests it was being treated as a crush washer. You cinch the headset and the washer will deform slightly and keep everything tight. If the headset was taken apart many times, it would be advisable to replace the washer. It's possible the thinner early washer was found to be not as elastic as was needed.
Warren Young Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Mark Buswell wrote:
> That's what I thought the conclusion was: SR headsets always had
> aluminum keyed washers. Early types were thin (standard) 2mm type,
> later ones were the fancier 4mm type, with PATENT CAMPAGNOLO engraving.
>
> The whole reason this thread started was because of this photo:
> http://tinyurl.com/
>
> I also just received 2 Super Record Pista headsets - one NOS with the
> thin washer, one used with the thick washer.
>
> Anyone have an idea of what year the switch was made? I don't see any
> of the PISTA models in the catalogs with the thicker 4mm type.
>
> Mark Buswell
> SF, CA, USA
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 22, 2007, at 8:32 PM, hersefan@comcast.net wrote:
>
>> Hmmm,
>>
>> I may well be mistaken on this - but wasn't there also a 2mm aluminum
>> keyed lockwasher that came with some early super record headsets? I
>> seem to have one on my 74 or so Raleigh Team bike - and if memory
>> serves me (which it doesn't always), I've seen SR headsets in the box
>> with a thin aluminum keyed lockwasher as well. In fact, I don't
>> recall seeing a steel lockwasher on any early SR headsets.
>>
>> Mike Kone in Boulder CO
>>
>> -------------- Original message --------------
>> From: Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
>>
>>> Here's a conundrum. See what you all think.
>>>
>>> The Super Record headset originally came with a chrome steel keyed
>>> washer that is 2mm thick. Later this was changed to a aluminum keyed
>>> washer with flanges and lettering around it that is 4mm thick.