Servicing your bicycle's headset, the set of components that enables the smooth rotation of your handlebars and front wheel angle, at least once a year keeps the parts in top condition. The two major types of headsets are threaded, which use locknuts and threaded bearing races to hold the front fork inside the bike frame's head tube, and threadless, which use spacers and pinch bolts at the top of the steerer tube to hold the front fork in place.
Headset Wrench
You need a wrench to loosen or tighten the locknut and threaded race at the top of a threaded headset. Typically, a threaded headset takes a 32 mm or 36 mm headset wrench; some wrenches have one size on each end. Alternatively, a wide adjustable wrench can do the job, but the thinness of a special headset wrench is better for adjusting the generally thin locknut.
Hex Wrenches
Hex wrenches, also called Allen wrenches, are used to service a Aheadset style headsets, the most common type of threadless headset. In the threadless headset, you use a 5 or 6 mm hex wrench to loosen or remove the adjusting bolt at the top of the steerer tube and above the handlebar stem. This bolt is connected to the star-fangled nut inside the steerer tube. While not part of the threaded headset itself but rather part of the handlebar assembly, the stem bolt at the top of the handlebar stem, which is attached to a wedge inside the steerer tube just below the stem, often takes a 8 mm hex wrench. Removing the stem enables you to access the headset and remove parts as needed.
Cleaning and Greasing Tools
A plastic bristle brush, as well as some rags, is invaluable for cleaning the ball bearings, bearing races and nuts and bolts of threaded and threadless headsets. Many headsets of both types contain bearing cages or retainers, which hold all the bearings together for easy removal and installation. You can add a few extra bearings and plenty of grease if you prefer to use loose ball bearings. However, Sheldon Brown recommends keeping the bearing cage, because each cage's size is particular to the headset model. Apply a thick layer of thick grease to the races and bearings inside headsets, using a grease gun if available. You can use bicycle-specific bearing grease, automotive wheel grease or marine grease.
Headset Building Tools
Unless you are building a frame from scratch, you don't need a headset press, and unless you're building a bike with a threadless headset, you won't need a star-fangled nut setter. However, to the bike builder, they are valuable tools. The headset press uses round fittings, screwed gradually against the rounded ball bearing cups, to clamp the slightly tapered flanges of the bearing cups into the top and/or bottom of the head tube. You can build your own headset press at a significant cost savings with components available at hardware stores. The star-fangled nut inside many threadless headsets needs to be set at a particular height inside the steerer tube. A nut setter taps the piece into place and keeps it wedged against the sides of the steerer. Like the headset press, unless you are building your headset from scratch, you won't need this tool.
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