Schwinn Racer problem

[Uncle Stretch]

I took the forks off of this racer I got the other day. I figured I could do a quick straighten on them. The top of the neck has a race in it instead of a cup. Is this normal or could I knock the race out and stick a cup in it like the bottom. I'm wondering if there is a reason this is done like this. :shock: :?

 

[CCR]

certain years they were like that, the cup and race on top was reversed. must be an early racer !!! or someone just borrowed parts from an older bike. when i find them they usually have a brass badge too. you can swap them out for a normal set.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Its a 1962 racer and it has a regular Schwinn badge. Its weird that the bearings on the bottom are a size bigger than the ones on the top. I see what they did ,I just don't understand why they did it....strange.

 

[Rat Rod]

I'm wondering if someone switched the bearings out.

I don't remember Schwinn using loose bearings in their headsets.

I actually like those older headsets with the with the top cups like that.

 

[2manybikes]

Its weird that the bearings on the bottom are a size bigger than the ones on the top. I see what they did ,I just don't understand why they did it....strange.

The bottom bearings carry a lot more load than the top, maybe thats why they are a little bigger.
I have never seen with loose balls either (can I say that )

 

[CCR]

without a bearing cage, wouldnt they have to use a little bit bigger ball to take its place ? dont know why theyd do it unless the original bearings were trashed or got lost. something had to give to bend the fork like that though :mrgreen:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I was wrong they arnt loose balls. When I pulled it apart they all fell out. They have regular caged bearings ,just the bottom ones are in a regular cup and the top have that funny upside down thing. I stuck the forks in my pipe bender and a couple cranks later they were straight. Believe it or not I have enough good Schwinn parts to build this bike . I hate to chunk it. I have the wheelset that came off of the last throwaway Schwinn and I laced a coaster to the back rim . Good set of Schwinn pedals I got off of that speedster I stretched.

 

[bebanovich]

I have never seen with loose balls either (can I say that )

No, that's a loose-ball foul. :wink:

 

[Rodland]

Its a 1962 racer, regular Schwinn badge, bearings on the bottom are a size bigger than the ones on the top, the top cup and race are backwards? You had better clean it up and keep it forever. That is one of the most uncommon of ALL schwinn bikes. Definitely a KEEPER. :roll: :lol:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I seriously doubt if its anything special. I am going to redo it. The paint is shot so nobody will get mad if I repaint it. It will give me a chance to get rid of most of those pesky Schwinn parts laying around. :lol: Once I got all of the Columbia parts off there wasnt much left.

 

[Bendix]

I actually like those older headsets with the with the top cups like that.

+1, i don't think i've ever had one that wasn't reusable fwiw, some mtb headsets (ritchey for example) used the 'innovation' of larger lower balls in the 90's......

racers rule!!

(schwinn racers that is.... 8) )

 

[maddogrider]

I dont think they are that uncommon i have a few frame and fork combos like that. Its just Schwinn quality that you have come accross Uncle Stretch they do that so you cant put inferrior parts on it :wink:

 

[NLCTVWguy]

Hey Uncle-

Was out of state for a day or would have seen this and set you on the right course sooner--

That design is what Schwinn called their "deluxe" headset.

The bottom race and cup is normal, the top is an insert in the top of the head tube and the bearing rides in a cap around it. I dunno why they used it.

You'd usually find it on bikes with stem mounted shifters, but the Racer never had this. It takes a normal fork, a normal top nut on the stem, but a fatter, "pagoda" shaped top race nut and obviously the odd thin insert in the frame.

You can knock them out of the frame tube just like you would any other style crank.

They're standard on a lot of Collegiates, Suburbans, some years of Breezes. Maybe Continentals as well.

Good luck with it...
--Rob

 

[Rustinkerer]

I had a 1960 Speedster middleweight that had that. I believe they used that around 60-64. I'd bet it was somehow cheaper to do it that way, or as an advertising gimmick. But eventually, they dropped it. -Adam

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Thanks guys for the information. I was going to do my usual hack job on it ,but I have decided to build it up as it was. maybe somebody will want it. I wish it was the speedster with the hump top bar. I have a welder and pipe ,but I have hacked enough Schwinns,so I will let this one go. I really like the chainguard. It has a cable holder I guess in case it was the one with the 3 speed instead of the kickback. Its been around since 62 and there is no sense in me messing it up worse than it is.

 

[ratina]

I agree, it was done around 60-64. My 63 Traveler has that set up, and I've had others around those years with that as well. Not sure why they did it either.

 

[B607]

Schwinn used the smaller #73 bearings on the upper and lower cups on all prewar bikes. The #73 bearings were too wimpy for the lower cup so after the war they went to the heavier #2552 bearings. All top end post war bikes used the "deluxe headset" with the #73 bearing and race insert on the upper head. The Phantoms had an upper adjustable cone for the #73 bearings that was made from hex rod. Jaguars and bikes like your Racer used the knurled (non-hex) upper adjustable cone in the late 50's and 60's. If you look at the way it is designed, it does a better job of keeping rain from running down into the headset than the usual upper adjustable cone. Actually, Schwinn probably had 1 million #73 bearings left over from prewar times and had to use them up and that's the way they did it. Gary

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Very interesting. Thanks for the history lesson Gary. Its kind of a weird setup if you not expecting it.

 

[Rustinkerer]

I really like the chainguard. It has a cable holder...

That was originally for girl's bikes, but I've seen them factory on men's coaster bikes.-Adam

 

[NLCTVWguy]

I have a bunch of older Collegiates and I can tell you they used it on all of them, at least up to '71. I have an '80 that doesn't have it.

I have a '64 Racer, a 65 Collegiate, a 67 Collegiate, and right now a 69 ladies Collegiate that's apart in the back of my car, and they all have the setup you're describing. I had 3 other '69 Collegiates, a 71 Continental, a '72 Varsity, and a number of 72-73 Breezes, that all had it. I have a 75 or so Breeze and I believe it has the standard headset (same cups top and bottom).

It's a bit weird, I don't see what advantage it provided for anything, except maybe to keep water out. The bottom bearing does carry just about all the load.

The good thing is that bottom bearing is the same as the top and bottom bearing in all those other bikes, so if you damage one it's easy to replace it.

I think it's a cool looking arrangement but most of them are hidden by stem-mounted shifters.
(Which by the way I like to paint in the little (S) in red.)
--Rob

Schwinn used the smaller #73 bearings on the upper and lower cups on all prewar bikes. The #73 bearings were too wimpy for the lower cup so after the war they went to the heavier #2552 bearings. All top end post war bikes used the "deluxe headset" with the #73 bearing and race insert on the upper head. The Phantoms had an upper adjustable cone for the #73 bearings that was made from hex rod. Jaguars and bikes like your Racer used the knurled (non-hex) upper adjustable cone in the late 50's and 60's. If you look at the way it is designed, it does a better job of keeping rain from running down into the headset than the usual upper adjustable cone. Actually, Schwinn probably had 1 million #73 bearings left over from prewar times and had to use them up and that's the way they did it. Gary