Trying to change the headset on a ‘92 trek 930. I can’t get any purchase under this crown race. I have a crown race puller (a budget one) and it can’t get purchase. I’ve also tried hammering in utility knife blades, and I can’t even get 1mm under the race. The next step would be getting the LBS to try but I thought I’d ask here. I wonder if maybe this in an integrated race??
by Ikbensterdam
7 Comments
It looks like a fairly standard crown race. I’d go to the shop and ask them to do it with one of the pro tools. I actually struggled the last week trying to get off a crown race with my homemade puller before giving up and hitting up my former employer for their Park puller, which got the race off in about 15 seconds.
You can get razor blades and put them under the crown race on opposite sides from each other and slowly keep adding them until it comes loose there should be a tutorial on it if you search on google/safari hope this helps
A park tool puller is the answer here especially if you want to keep the fork looking nice. If I liked you, I’d probably do it for free if you brought the fork into the shop off the bike.
I use the blades for box cutters and a soft head hammer. First use one blade and tap it with a soft head hammer between crown and fork at a couple of points, than tape two or three blades together and tap em between the crown and the frok and so forth. Works for me.
If its the original one from new no way are you ever going to move that with a budget puller or by trying to slide blades under it. You are talking about a steel fork and a steel crown race that are right in the path for every bit of water thrown up at them for many years. They are a tight fit at the best of times and all you need is the smallest bit of corrosion and its going to need some serious leverage to move.
It can be done but you won’t be re using that crown race it will be damaged in the process
A sharp chisel and a hammer will sort it
If you are not keeping the crown race, use a flat head screwdriver or punch and hammer it off from the bottom. Sometimes these are just tough.