How to Regrease Sealed Headset Bearings

Almost all road and mountain bicycles sold on the market today come with a proprietary sealed headset system. This system makes it easy to replace headset bearings, and ensures that your bearings will stay in good shape for as long as possible under riding stress. However, for the at-home bicycle mechanic, sealed headset bearings can be a headache because of their trash-it-and-replace-it design. With a little effort though, sealed bearings can be opened and re-greased, adding to the already long lifespan of your headset system.

Things You'll Need

  • Five-millimeter hex wrench
  • Pick or similar tool
  • Bearing grease
  • Degreaser
  • Rag or towel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set your bike in a work stand or stationary trainer so you can work without worry of the bike falling over. It is possible to complete this procedure without one; however you will need to be careful not to drop the bike when removing the fork from the head tube.

    • 2

      Loosen and remove the upper headset cap using a five-millimeter hex wrench. Loosen the steer tube clamp bolts of the stem with the same wrench. Slide the stem off the steer tube and allow the stem and handlebars to hang from the frame of the bike. Lift the front of the bike and slide the steer tube out from the bottom of the head tube. This will allow you to remove the bearings.

    • 3

      Remove the sealed headset bearings from the top and bottom of the head tube. Take them to your work bench and set them on a rag or another surface that won't scratch or dent them. Using a small metal pick or a similar object, pry the plastic seal off the outside of the headset bearings to reveal the ball bearings and retainers inside.

    • 4

      Clean the inside of the bearings by spraying them liberally with degreaser and rolling them back and forth in your hands. Allow the bearings to dry completely before continuing. Apply a liberal amount of bearing grease to the ball bearings and retainers on the inside of each bearing shell. Snap the plastic seal of each bearing back into place and take the bearings back over to your bike.

    • 5

      Apply a small amount of bearing grease to the inside of the head tube bearing races. This will keep the bearings from seizing when the headset is tightened. Set the bearings in place at the top and bottom of the head tube, then slide the fork steer tube back up into the head tube of the bike through the bearing centers.

    • 6

      Slide the stem clamp back into place on the bike's steer tube. Re-install and tighten the headset cap using a five-millimeter hex wrench to hold the stem in place. Align the handlebars with the front wheel, then tighten the stem clamp bolts using the same hex wrench. When everything is tight, pick up the front of the bike and turn the bars back and forth to feel the smooth action of your newly greased, sealed headset bearings.