Are crown races generic or specific to each headset?

Yahoobedoo

Two bikes with different headsets - can you swap the forks straight over or would you have to swap the crown races as well?

Cheers.

Gingersaurus

Generaly you will have to swap the races over.

Yahoobedoo

Cheers Gingersaurus.

Yahoobedoo

Ooops, forgot to ask - are there any hints/tips for drifting the races off and putting back on (never done it before).

stumpyjon

Generally need special tools like this to get cups out

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail ... tem=RT%2D1

or can be done very carefully with a hammer and flatbladed screwdriver (work your way around very slowly tapping the driver so you keep the cup perpendicular to the head tube otherwise you may end up jamming the cup in the head tube or possibly distorting the head tube ).

and one of these to put them back in

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail ... em=HHP%2D3

or a mallet and piece of wood.

Screw up potential is quite large without the proper tools. Most LBS's will do it for a nominal charge (probably less than the cost of the tools).

Splasher

Stumpyjon, I think Yahoobedoo is refering to the crown race only, not the whole headset.

Splasher

There is a proper tool http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=38 but it's out of the reach of most of us.

Most use a small screwdriver to get under the race and work around a little at a time until you can get a larger, blunter one in and again just keep working around until it clears the bulge.

To put it back on the same, you need a tube to drift it back on. Either one that's a perfect size, or one that's a little big in which case you have to work around a little ata time just like prizing it off. Obviously care is essential.

One alternative is, once you have the race off, look at the lower bearing. If it is a cartridge bearing with a female chamfer and the crown race has a corresponding male chamfer, I put a junior hacksaw through the race in one poisition making it a split race. It then pushes into place by hand (and is easy to remove later) but is compressed by the chamfer on the bearing once the headset stack is preloaded. This should not be done with a loose ball bearing headset and invalidates any warranties you have!

Or safest bet, you take it to the LBS.

Good luck

Yahoobedoo

Splasher wrote:

Stumpyjon, I think Yahoobedoo is refering to the crown race only, not the whole headset.

Yep, crown race only.

stumpyjon wrote:

.........

It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result.

LOL, that's so true!

stumpyjon

Apologies misunderstood :oops: . Thanks for clearing that up Splasher.

Yahoobedoo

It's our motto at work, if we ask before we do anything it never happens :shock:

wwjjtt

you can use the wrong one but it will put uneven pressure on the bearings and the will wear quicker! i changed one on the weekend that had 2 crown races on, and the top one was upside down! needless to say the bearing was nackered!

as for getting a crown race off, just take it to your lbs who can use the propper tool! if they want to charge you it's probably because you buy every thing from the net and you haven't shown them your face before! you help them out and they will do the same for you!

supersonic

FSA split crown races are fantastic - remove by hand!