Newbie here trying to figure out what headset will work on my frame? Wanted to use a threaded bmx 1" fork but 1" cups are too small and 1 1/8" slide right in without pressing them and are just a bit too small as well. Any input is appreciated
1957 JC Higgins frame
- Thread starter JHV
- Start date
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Yeah, they might, if your local bike shop really knows vintage American bikes, and has a massive stock of vintage parts. Most of the shops by me haven't even heard of a JCHiggins, and wouldn't even know where to begin on anything that doesn't adhere to the modern "standards" as far as headsets go. I think a few of the old-timer shops would know what they were looking at, but wouldn't have the part. My best bet would be VIA in Phila, which is pretty close, but it's also a pretty special shop. In all fairness, there are a lot of shops around the nation that could easily set you up, but they represent a rare, tiny percentage of bike shops, overall.If even a 1 1/8" headset fits loose in your Higgins, you probably have a Murray-built example. JCHiggins wasn't a bike manufacturer; it was a badge-engineered brand that Sears created to sell bikes by a few different makers at their stores. (They also sold other sporting goods--including firearms!-- under the JC Higgins label.) Murray bikes, BITD, had the most ridiculously oversized headtubes available, and took a special size headset with big ol' cups, but the forks were 1" threaded with standard 24tpi hardware and threads. Your best solution would be to find a used Murray headset and run your 1" stuff http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sea...ns-Cruiser-Tank-Bike-ForkMurray-/380931870155 ( typical eBay ad; I think the price is steep. Try the wanted section on RRB) or you could run the 1 1/8" stuff with a shim. I've shimmed some slightly loose headset cups using some aluminum tape that i bought at the hardware, but normal ppl seem to cut up beer cans and use that. The beer can will fold better---stay more round-- if you fray the inner edges like crazy.
HTH
-Rob
PS- Welcome to RRB! Be sure to post-up an intro.
Sears sold loads of different sporting goods items with the JC Higgins name. Rifles, shotguns, and fishing reels are among the most common items but there were many many other items that bore the name.
Measure the ID of the headtube in mm, and give that to your lbs. If they can't help, try masterlowrider.com He lists his headtube sets with metric measurements, so you can measure your ID and get an exact to see if there is a match. If the current set is very loose, you may need a 30mm set (but check to be sure, so you don't order something too big). But if the 1 1/8" set is not too loose, I'd try snipping some strips from a tin can as spacers between the cup and tube. If it is more loose, cut longer strips and wrap them twice, etc, until you get what you need. It may sound kind of rickety, but it will work fine, and saves money.
Yeah, an old Murray built will have a headtube ID of a little over 34mm; 1.125 cups are 34mm, and may fit with a shim, but sometimes the way the headtube is machined will interfere with the cups, depending on their design. Masterlowrider has the "standard" road/mtb/mini size (30mm), the bmx/Schwinn 1" size (32.5mm), and 1 1/8" (34mm). I've yet to try a Wald #4080 in a Murray, but i've read that it fits. http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/spaceliner-headset.32003/
For about 8bucks, the Wald 4080 might be the best deal; I run them in some Worksman and old Schwinn builds.... The three bumps can be crushed or filed to fit smaller headtubes; i'm just not entirely 100% sure that they're big enough for the Murray headtube.
For about 8bucks, the Wald 4080 might be the best deal; I run them in some Worksman and old Schwinn builds.... The three bumps can be crushed or filed to fit smaller headtubes; i'm just not entirely 100% sure that they're big enough for the Murray headtube.
