Crown race installation

[Devilock]

Ive got a stubborn one & my conventional method of hammer & screwdriver will not suffice...

Yes I know I should get the correct tool but does anyone have suggestions please...?

[mattuknc]

A screwdriver to get it in?? Or is this to remove?
I use the long threaded bolt and plastic plates to squeeze them in and a hammer and long drift to remove.
You could try a vice? Miami style?? 

[ozone]

A screwdriver to get it in?? Or is this to remove?
I use the long threaded bolt and plastic plates to squeeze them in and a hammer and long drift to remove.
You could try a vice? Miami style?? 

He's on about the crown race, not the cups.  A length of tubing/Scaffy bar and a hammer is usually a winner.  Removing excess powder and paint from the area also helps.   

[mattuknc]

Ah yes, that reminds me of school. RTFQ. 
I still use a drift to fit mine, working round slowly.

[not johndub71]

Crown race in a bike shop was a weighted tube that slid up and down the steerer in a similar action to a slide hammer. Other method is a good flat blade screw driver and a hammer and some patience. Get it started tapping at 0 and 180' then every 90 and 45 to get it home. I suppose you could put the crown on and put the forks upside down in a vice with the crown resting on top of the jaws and tap the bottom of the top tube with a long socket. That how I do them now.

[CustardLips]

25mm copper pipe @ about 12".
Slide it over the steerer tube and belt it a few times.
It's worked a treat for me ! 

[Devilock]

Ok this has somehow been misconstrued- I know HOW to install & the correct tool one should use! I was asking if anyone had any other methods other than said tool (as I do not have one) & a flat-head screwdriver & hammer. 

Anyway, thanks for the replies. 

Ill get a piece of pipe!

[midschooljon]

I use an adjustable wrench. Drop the race on and then adjust the wrench so that it is the same width as your for steer tube. Then wack the race down using the wrench. The wrench obviously hits the race on both sides as opposed to one side at a time with a screwdriver. Works a treat. 

[Devilock]

I use an adjustable wrench. Drop the race on and then adjust the wrench so that it is the same width as your for steer tube. Then wack the race down using the wrench. The wrench obviously hits the race on both sides as opposed to one side at a time with a screwdriver. Works a treat. 

How do you apply enough force using this method? Do you use a hammer to hit the wrench?

[midschooljon]

I use an adjustable wrench. Drop the race on and then adjust the wrench so that it is the same width as your for steer tube. Then wack the race down using the wrench. The wrench obviously hits the race on both sides as opposed to one side at a time with a screwdriver. Works a treat. 

How do you apply enough force using this method? Do you use a hammer to hit the wrench?

It takes a lot less force then you think. Say for example the race is resting on the crown. I just slide the wrench up the steerer about 4 inches then wack it down on the race. On old bikes it normally goes on with a single hit. More stubborn ones take about 4 or 5 blows. Saying that my adjustable wrench is quite a large one, probably abut 12" long and fairly heavy.

[TwoBobRob]

Yep.  That, or a big ole ring spanner that you then whack with a hammer.

I've always just used hammer & punch myself though. I had (until it was stolen) a very large Snap On punch - around a foot long and quite substantial - which would get even the most stubborn races on with just a couple of taps.

[Devilock]

I use an adjustable wrench. Drop the race on and then adjust the wrench so that it is the same width as your for steer tube. Then wack the race down using the wrench. The wrench obviously hits the race on both sides as opposed to one side at a time with a screwdriver. Works a treat. 

How do you apply enough force using this method? Do you use a hammer to hit the wrench?

It takes a lot less force then you think. Say for example the race is resting on the crown. I just slide the wrench up the steerer about 4 inches then wack it down on the race. On old bikes it normally goes on with a single hit. More stubborn ones take about 4 or 5 blows. Saying that my adjustable wrench is quite a large one, probably abut 12" long and fairly heavy.

Nice one cheers Jon, Ill certainly employ this method! 

Yep.  That, or a big ole ring spanner that you then whack with a hammer.

I've always just used hammer & punch myself though. I had (until it was stolen) a very large Snap On punch - around a foot long and quite substantial - which would get even the most stubborn races on with just a couple of taps.

Pardon my ignorance but whats a punch...? 

[midschooljon]

A punch is like a big blunt chisel. 

[Devilock]

A punch is like a big blunt chisel. 

 

[HARORIDER]

i would use another old crown race on top of the new one them tap it down-i fooked one up before using a flat screwdriver so wouldn't recommend that 

[GaryN]

I use some emery paper with oil on it to remove any paint/rust from the steerer tube and also the inside of the race.

I then slide the race onto the steerer tube and the open up the jaws on my workmate so that the upper side of the race is sitting on surface of the workmate jaws, the fork legs are then facing upwards.

I then use a Thor soft face hammer to whack the bottom of the steerer tube, normally one or two sharp hits are enough to drive the race on.

I haven't tried the copper tube method but that sounds good as the copper is not hard enough to damage the race.

[Devilock]

i would use another old crown race on top of the new one them tap it down-i fooked one up before using a flat screwdriver so wouldn't recommend that 

I use some emery paper with oil on it to remove any paint/rust from the steerer tube and also the inside of the race.

I then slide the race onto the steerer tube and the open up the jaws on my workmate so that the upper side of the race is sitting on surface of the workmate jaws, the fork legs are then facing upwards.

I then use a Thor soft face hammer to whack the bottom of the steerer tube, normally one or two sharp hits are enough to drive the race on.

I haven't tried the copper tube method but that sounds good as the copper is not hard enough to damage the race.

Nice one, thanks guys. 

[QUADROPHENIA]

Grind the fooker out a bit to start, won't kill it

[Devilock]

Grind the fooker out a bit to start, won't kill it

I would but at the mo Ive got no grinding based tools!! 

[Spen69]

All of the above Rich

Bit of gritpaper to clean, then bit of lube. Big hammer, blunt chisel or decent punch or old shifter (adjustable spanner) and work your way round 90 degrees then 45 degrees to finish.

Never had to use a scaffold tube but that's where i'd go if I couldn't use method 1 above.

[HARORIDER]

i personally would't hit the bottom of the steerer tube as if the forks are powder coated you'll chip a nice chunk off 

[Peter J]

Like the copper tube idea 

But as him above said  make sure the powder is removed

Run a stanley knike around the edge where the race sits so you get a clean edge and then clean off the excess powder with a stanley blade and some wet and dry

or

cut a clean edge and just use the excess powder as a bit of a shim to make sure its a tight fit   

[animal]

I stick a tube over the steerer that longer . Then invert the forks and wack down on a piece of wood  It helps 2 clean off any paint and rust from forks and inner of crown race, plus a dab of grease on the inside of the race