Headset Maintenance 101 | How To Overhaul Your Headset Bearings

If your headset is grinding, gritty and mucky, your bearings might not be in the best shape. Doddy's got a full run through on how to strip your headset, degrease and clean your bearings, re-grease them properly and re-assemble the whole unit!

Ever thought that creaking noise could be dirt making it's way under your crown race? Did you realise that by over-greasing your bearings in the wrong places you could be attracting dirt and preventing the bearing from spinning as fast and free as it should? Check out this handy guide to all things headset!

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[chuckgliderable]

Over the last few days, I've been looking at loads of headset service videos on YouTube. This is one of the very best, if not the best! Nice work Doddy!

[redauwg]

as a mechanic this is an excellent video👍

[chrisl.]

Okay, this is why we need a GMBN Tech Channel! :-) Really love those step by step explanations. Good to know that in most cases I can do maintenance/repair stuff myself.

[trevorpark]

I really like how you say the exact materials needed in the beginning. Keep it up

[drifterxl]

Degreaser is

Parktool wall costs about 10.000 euro 😂

Brake cleaner is a really good decreaser that costs 1.50 euro for a bottle. Just make sure you don't hit any rubbers with it as it will take out the flexibility.

Go Doddy. Love the show 👌🏻

[dereklangerud]

GMBN How to... videos are the first place I start when doing bike maintenance. Doddy is the man 🤘

[brycedennis]

I’ve learned a ton from u guys! Great vid. The one thing I caught was that you aren’t packing the bearings correctly. You need to place a blob on the palm of your hand and “smush” the bearing into it in a dragging motion, until you see the grease poke out the other side. This action is done quite forcefully👍🏻

[davidmithen]

Nice video with good advice. For grease I have recently switched to a marine grade used on boat trailer bearings because it’s water proof. Lasts for ages and way cheap. When repacking the bearings I was taught to push the grease thru from one side till it comes out on the other rather than just smear it around. This ensures it is in the middle where the bearings are an not just sitting on the outside of the race.

[AndyCurriePhotography]

Never did it before...watched Doddy...job done in 20mins. Cheers mate!

[danielmontgomery]

I'm just getting into off-road riding, and have been watching / enjoying GMBN immensely. I think your GMBN Tech channel has the best "How To" videos. Thanks!

[dirtdobber]

as a guy learning to do my own maintenance, this channel is awesome. Great job Doddy on breaking down the steps so well. I would love to see a video on RockShox Pike fork teardown.

[lucreziociotti]

Doddy deserves a raise. Love the channel!

[quadrant]

Good info. If only they had some suggestions on which make of tools to buy.

[daniels_a]

One month riding my MTB on the cost. I needed to perform this by myself. This video was very helpful!!!

[Deebo]

Brilliant video, will be doing this very task today on my Mega. Was bleeding the brakes last night and noticed the headset was very rough. Hopefully a clean out like this will bring it back to life, if not then new bearings required.

[wildzeromusic]

thank you very much. this is really a part of the bike i paid no attention to until it started creaking!

[preachercom]

Thank you, Man, i fell of a bike and steering wheel started to bind, now i disassembled with your help. Great advice, bearings seem normal, probably some sand got into it :P. Time to clean rust and regrease

[johanviv]

Great job. Video gives you the confidence to take on the task. Headset sorted

[kendrickpavey]

Good no Bs video. Got mine done in about 20min although my bearings weren’t sealed units. Thanks

[Jecho]

Super helpful - panicked when doing my fork service to find my headset bearings were running rough - a quick look here gave me a way to clean them up. Thanks!