How to Remove a Crown Race From a Bike Suspension Fork
There are two basic ways to remove an old crown race from your bike forks. The traditional method utilizes tools most people will have on hand so it costs practically nothing. The downside is it requires skill, aim and a steady hand. Some forks are delicate and expensive, so if you are unsure of your skill, you can opt to buy a special tool made by J.A. Stein Company that takes the guesswork out of this task.
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Things You'll Need
- Crown race remover tool (if opting for this method)
- Shop towels
- Bench vice
- Shop hammer
- Flat bladed screwdriver (3mm, 1/8 inch)
Instructions
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Using the Crown Race Remover Tool
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1
Place the jaws of the crown race remover around the bottom of the crown race where the beveled edge meets the fork. Make sure you get the sharp side securely inserted between the two edges.
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2
Tighten lightly the Allen head screws while keeping the jaws centered in the puller body. Do not overtighten.
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3
Use a bench vise to secure the fork and the remover. Use caution when tightening the vise because you do not want damage your forks. At this point the bearing race will be separated from the forks by 1 to 2 mm. Make sure the jaws are still centered in the body.
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4
Tighten the Allen head screws until they are snug.
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5
Hold the fork in one hand and the slide hammer in the other. Gently "un-pound" the race from the fork. Make sure the jaws don't slide back in the puller body and that the bolts are tight, or the jaws will break. The slide hammer connecting tube needs to stay tight in the puller body. It will take many small blows to remove the crown race.
Traditional Method
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6
Wrap the middle of the steer tube with a shop towel and place it snugly between a bench vice with the forks facing up. Take care to not damage the steer tube.
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7
Place the flat bladed screwdriver between your crown race and forks at a slight angle on the beveled edge of the crown race.
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8
Tap the shop hammer lightly on the back of the screwdriver. Repeat this step again a few centimeters from your last tap and continue to work around the race until it pops off the fork.
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9
Wipe off the steer tube and slide on the new crown race if you are installing one. Lightly tap it into place.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Special tools are made for bike maintenance and can be purchased online or from most bike shops.
When installing a new crown race you can drop some oil on the fork tube base before sliding on the new one to ease installation.
If your bike has aluminum parts you might want to consider using the Stein crown remover tool to reduce the chance of damage to your bike.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit mountain bike downhill image by Maxim Petrichuk from Fotolia.com
