Chris King NoThreadset - User Manual

Congratulations! You have just pur-
chased what many people regard as the
finest headset in the world. Since 1976
Chris King has been supplying cyclists
with the best made, most reliable head-
sets you can buy. With proper installation
and maintenance you can expect to
enjoy the many years of the legendary
quality and performance built into each
and every component we make.
Installation
Headset installation requires specialized tools.
We recommend the procedure be performed
by a professional bicycle mechanic.
To ensure proper installation, the use
of headset cup press adapter kits are
recommended. Our press adapters help
to correctly align the bearing cups with
the head tube and prevent damage to
the bearings by directing pressure only
and evenly over the bearing cups. The
baseplate installation adapter prevents
damage to the baseplate by protecting
the conical bearing contact surface
from the crown race setting tool. Sizes
are available to fit all popular headset
pressing and setting tools.
Reaming and Facing of Head
Tube
Proper preparation of the head tube is
essential for best headset performance.
Every head tube must be reamed and
faced, even if the frame is new and ap-
pears to be prepared at the factory.
Ream the head tube to ensure that
th e hea d t ube b ore i s t he proper
diameter, depth and roundness. Be
sure that the head tube bore (inner
diameter) is correct (see table below)
to ensure proper press fit. Minimum
ream depth is 10.0 mm into all head
tubes except 1.5, which requires a
20.0 mm ream depth.
Face the head tube to ensure that the
ends are square and parallel to each
other, and that all paint and anodization
material is removed from the frame-
headset interface.
Us ing a sma ll file o r s and pap er,
carefully remove any sharp edges or
burrs and slightly round, or chamfer,
the inside edges of the head tube
at t he top and b ott om to pre ve nt
scraping any metal from the cups
during installation.
Clean to remove any chips, shavings,
and/or cutting oil.
The proper press fit should be with
no mo r e than .1 mm (.004”) of
interference. See table below for head
tube bore specifications. Do not file or
otherwise remove material from the
cups to make them fit.
Installation of Bearing Cups
Be sure that surfaces of headset cup
press adaptor s are cl ean and free
of burrs to minimize risk of marring
headset cup finish during installation.
Press in both bearing cups using a
headset cup inst allation press fitted
with Chris King he adset cup press
adapters. Check to assure the cups
are seated flatly against the ends of
the head tube.
Preparation of Fork and
Installation of Baseplate
Proper preparation of the fork is essential
for best headset performance.
Ream and face the crown race seat
to ensure that the crown race seat
face is square with the steerer tube.
See table above for crown seat outer
diam eter (OD ) sp ecifi catio ns . Th e
proper base plate press fit should be
with no more than .1 mm (.004”) of
interference.
Clean to remove any chips, shavings,
and/or cutting oil.
Sl i de t he b asep l ate, conic a l s i de
up , ont o the steer er tu be. Use a
crown rac e setti ng tool to set the
baseplate with the beveled side of the
baseplate installation adapter against
the baseplate.
Cutting of Steerer Tube
Us e ext re me cau tion whe n cutt ing
steerer tube to avoid injury.
Insert fork, with baseplate installed,
into frame.
Slide GripLock cap assembly, then
spacers (if needed), and then the stem
over steerer tube. Scribe a line flush
with top of stem.
Re mov e i tem s f ro m s tee rer tub e
and mark another line 3 mm below
the first. Cut on the lower line using a
hacksaw and saw guide.
Remove all sharp edges from inside
and outside of steerer tube. With a file
or sandpaper, round outside edge of
tube to avoid shearing GripLock cap
O-ring upon installation.
Installation of Star Nut
Thread star nut onto installation tool. (If
installation tool is not available, thread
bolt well into star nut and use it to drive
the star nut 15 mm below the top of
the steerer tube).
With a soft hammer or mallet, drive
st ar nut strai ght i nto s tee re r tub e
until tool contacts top of steerer tube.
Unscrew tool from star nut.
Note: A star nut is not included with
hea dsets tha t require a strai ght 1.5
steerer tube. We recommend using a
Chris King PreLoader to provide a secure
bearing preload interface when using a
straight 1.5 steerer tube.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
Head tube
bore (ID)
C r o w n
seat OD
1” 30.1 mm 26.5 mm
1” BMX 32.7 mm 26.5 mm
1-1/8” 33.9 mm 30.1 mm
1-1/4” 36.9 mm 33.1 mm
1.5 49.6 mm 39.8 mm
NoThreadset™
E
NoThreadSet™
A
L
K
I
D
C
B
A. stem cap screw
B. stem cap
C. star nut
D. scuf f washer
E. GripLock assembly
F. GripLock cap
G. cap O-ring
H. split ring
I. bearing ring
J. bearing ring O -ring
K. upper bearing cup assy.
L. lower bearing cup assy.
M. baseplate
M
G
H
F
J

Summary

Reaming and Facing of Head Tube

Head Tube Reaming

Ensures proper diameter, depth, and roundness for headset cup press fit.

Head Tube Facing

Ensures square ends and removes surface material for proper headset seating.

Edge Chamfering

Rounds inside edges to prevent damage during cup installation.

Cleaning After Preparation

Removes debris after reaming and facing for a clean installation.

Press Fit Specification

Specifies interference fit for cups; warns against modifying cups.

Installation of Bearing Cups

Adapter Preparation

Clean press adapters to prevent marring headset cup finish.

Cup Pressing

Press cups using adapters, ensuring they seat flatly against the head tube.

Fork Preparation and Baseplate Installation

Crown Race Seat Preparation

Prepares fork crown race seat for proper baseplate fit and alignment.

Cleaning Steerer Tube

Cleans fork steerer tube and crown race seat after preparation.

Baseplate Installation

Installs baseplate onto steerer tube using a setting tool for proper seating.

Steerer Tube Cutting and Finishing

Steerer Tube Marking

Marks steerer tube for cutting based on stem position.

Steerer Tube Cutting

Cuts steerer tube at the marked line for proper stem height.

Edge Smoothing

Smooths cut steerer tube edges to prevent damage to O-ring and components.

Star Nut Installation

Star Nut Mounting

Prepares star nut for insertion into the steerer tube.

Star Nut Driving

Drives star nut into steerer tube to a specific depth for secure fitting.

GripLock Assembly

Bearing Ring O-ring Installation

Assembles the GripLock bearing ring O-ring into its groove.

Split Ring Installation

Installs the split ring into the bearing ring for the GripLock assembly.

GripLock Cap Assembly

Secures the assembled bearing ring and split ring into the GripLock cap.

Cap O-ring Installation

Installs the main cap O-ring into the assembled GripLock components.

GripLock Final Assembly and Adjustment

Steerer Tube Edge Preparation

Smooths steerer tube edges to prevent O-ring shearing during installation.

Greasing O-ring

Applies grease to the cap O-ring for smoother installation.

GripLock Installation

Installs the GripLock assembly onto the steerer tube carefully.

Stem and Cap Installation

Installs scuff washer, spacers, stem, and tightens stem cap screw.

Headset Adjustment

Checks for smooth rotation without play; readjusts as needed.

Maintenance and Service

General Maintenance

Occasional cleaning and regreasing of bearings is required.

Bearing Seal Removal

Carefully removes snap rings and rubber seals to access bearings.

Bearing Cleaning

Flushes bearings with lubricant, blows dry, and cleans seals/rings.

Bearing Reassembly

Reinstalls seals and snap rings after cleaning and greasing.

Component Removal

GripLock Removal

Releases GripLock by tapping steerer tube to avoid damaging bearings.

Headset Cup Removal

Removes cups from head tube using a standard cup removal tool.

Baseplate Removal

Removes baseplate from fork crown race seat carefully to prevent damage.

Baseplate Inspection

Checks baseplate for deformities or warping after removal.

Warranty Information

Warranty Coverage

Warrants against defects in materials or workmanship for 10 years.

Exclusions and Limitations

Excludes damage from misuse, neglect, normal wear, or unauthorized alterations.

Remedy and Liability

Offers repair or replacement; disclaims indirect or consequential damages.

Chris King NoThreadset Specifications

General

Material	Aluminum
Type	Threadless
Compatibility	1-1/8" steerer tube
Color Options	Multiple (e.g., black, silver, custom colors)
Bearings	Sealed cartridge bearings