need advise on a bike build

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I have been building this bike over the summer. runs nice. but the old head set cups that sold with the head set. top one moves / rocks back and forth. was testing springer fork on speed bumps and pot holes. that's when I notes' the top cup rocks. thinking
I can make a shim. from a alloy soda can. like a seat post shim. or should I just say screw it buy a new head set. if I go new what size standard 1" threaded or try 1 1/8 lose ball threaded cups or do I need a odd size? frame I think is a Rollfast frame. any way what would you do?
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Should be the old standard 1" headset. Is the cap loose in the frame? Swap the lower cap in to see if it has the same problem. That might indicate someone hammered one in crooked and widened the head tube diameter.
I would say that's a Rollfast frame also, the dropouts look like later model Rollfast, and the ones on Emory bikes, which used Rollfast stuff in the beginning in 76.
 
Should be the old standard 1" headset. Is the cap loose in the frame? Swap the lower cap in to see if it has the same problem. That might indicate someone hammered one in crooked and widened the head tube diameter.
I would say that's a Rollfast frame also, the dropouts look like later model Rollfast, and the ones on Emory bikes, which used Rollfast stuff in the beginning in 76.
cool may try that bottom cup is tight in bottom of frame. just top ones lose. ya if it's widened the might get away with squeezing a 1 1/8 cup in.
 
I made shims for the 40 rollfast frame I did a few years back. The cups that came with it were small enough I fit a ring of 14guage sheet metal on them then pushed the cups in with a vise. Snug fit, No more rocking after that.
 
I made shims for the 40 rollfast frame I did a few years back. The cups that came with it were small enough I fit a ring of 14guage sheet metal on them then pushed the cups in with a vise. Snug fit, No more rocking after that.
ya I think it's so small a space a soda can can make my shim.
 
Your springer is completely missing the main spring to it. That looks like a Shelby springer fork. It should have a big bolt sticking out in front with a big spring on it.

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2 cents more: There's a a few different sizes of "one inch" bearing races on old bikes, they're not always interchangeable, including modern replacements. I've had some luck using metal HVAC tape "shimming" loose fits when I can't find the right ones.
 
It looks like they replaced the bolt and spring with just a nut and bolt so it's a rigid fork.
It's not broken, just missing the long bolt and spring. You could easily find a good spring and long bolt and make it operational. Even a small strong spring would work or even a rubber grommet would give you some fork action.
 
It looks like they replaced the bolt and spring with just a nut and bolt so it's a rigid fork.
It's not broken, just missing the long bolt and spring. You could easily find a good spring and long bolt and make it operational. Even a small strong spring would work or even a rubber grommet would give you some fork action.
it dose spring when I hit bumps or hop/ drop off curbs. but only then.
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2 cents more: There's a a few different sizes of "one inch" bearing races on old bikes, they're not always interchangeable, including modern replacements. I've had some luck using metal HVAC tape "shimming" loose fits when I can't find the right ones.
cool will try the metal HVAC tape
 
Yeah, you'll have to move the basket farther out if you want to fix that springer. It's just a stationary fork in it's current configuration.
 
Here is how it should be assembled.


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but that would have my basket be in the way.
I see.
You can still improve the ride with the existing bolt you have and not interfere with the basket. There is room for a rubber grommet on the front, which will give you a cushioned ride. Use the same bolt, but only use one of the nuts on the back. That will give you enough space at the front of the bolt to fit a grommet of some kind. Even just a half inch thick will give you a much better ride. Then when you bolt it all together you'll have a cushioned ride. Where you need a grommet is the blue arrow, where the extra nut is is in red.
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edit: You can get a little more room by compressing the inside spring. That inner spring gives you spring action from rearward movement of the wheel, like if you bumped into something. A spring or grommet on the front is what will give you the good ride, they call these springers "knee action" because there's no flange at the wheel, it's just a back and forth motion, not up and down.
 
Yeah, you'll have to move the basket farther out if you want to fix that springer. It's just a stationary fork in it's current configuration.
long as it looks cool. I will use it this way for now. may change if I find a cool looking spring to swap on.
 
I see.
You can still improve the ride with the existing bolt you have and not interfere with the basket. There is room for a rubber grommet on the front, which will give you a cushioned ride. Use the same bolt, but only use one of the nuts on the back. That will give you enough space at the front of the bolt to fit a grommet of some kind. Even just a half inch thick will give you a much better ride. Then when you bolt it all together you'll have a cushioned ride. Where you need a grommet is the blue arrow, where the extra nut is is in red.
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edit: You can get a little more room by compressing the inside spring. That inner spring gives you spring action from rearward movement of the wheel, like if you bumped into something. A spring or grommet on the front is what will give you the good ride, they call these springers "knee action" because there's no flange at the wheel, it's just a back and forth motion, not up and down.
thank you.
 
long as it looks cool. I will use it this way for now. may change if I find a cool looking spring to swap on.

Your bikes gotta feel right to you man. Ain't nothing at all wrong with it, if you like the springer as it is with the cool basket. Have fun!
 
Your bikes gotta feel right to you man. Ain't nothing at all wrong with it, if you like the springer as it is with the cool basket. Have fun!
ya basket stays my passengers need a seat.
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