And when I test fit them there is this decent gap. Does it matter? I don’t have a lathe do I send em back or try and sand that extra metal down so everything fits flush?
Online you can see this when you really zoom in. https://www.gambacicli.com/en/force-steel-mtb-fork-26-v-brake.html
by pdx503
7 Comments
Gah! Forks. Goddamn iPhone.
You press the race on. It’s supposed to be *really* tight.
Not a bike mechanic here, but I saw that some crown races had a split design. So when I was faced with this issue I just cut a slit in the race I had and fitted it on. Haven’t had a problem since.
Having a correctly installed headset matters a great deal to the safety, handling, and bearing life of the bike. The crown race will set with a fair amount of force with tools designed to seat it correctly but it is also possible to with a mallet and correct diameter pipe. Plenty of YouTube tutorials.
Curious… how did you get cups in?
If the old race just fell off, that’s bad.
This is intentional you have to seat the bearing race on it . It’s not a complicated job TBH its a more brute force than precision but you will need something to slide over the steerer and press the race into place.
Headset cups, and crown races are installed using what’s called an interference fit.
The parts have to be just ever slightly too tight so they stay in place
Google how to install a crown race with PVC pipe.
A thin layer of grease can help it slide on