Hi all. I’ve got to remove a couple of crown races off forks for swapping round purposes. I don’t have “the tool” to do it, so before I stick a screwdriver through my steerer or something else silly, any top tips for this job?

Ta

I always used a piece of wood, but if you are stuck, pinch an old wooden spoon out of the kitchen…

Screwdriver. Mallet. Done.

Flat head screwdriver, hammer, easy does it!!

Repeat for fitting…Job done 8)

Big screwdriver here also. Tapping either side. I usually fasten a zip tie or peice of string through the headtube to catch it when if drops out.

A vacuum extension tube is the perfect size for fitting over the steerer to tap the race back on. For removal use something sharp like a stanley blade to start it off then use a screwdriver

Remove with a chisel, then a screwdriver and hammer.

Fit with a lump of wood and a hammer!

Yep, screwdriver and rubber mallet. May take a while if it’s a really tight fit but should do the job.

Screwdriver is fine, but it’s easy to gouge the crown if you’re heavy handed. Just take your time – maybe use a smaller, ‘sharper’ screwdriver to get it started then a larger one – slow and methodical round the steerer and the race will lift off nae bother.

Cheers all, suitably reassured. (Scurries off to garage to start hitting things with big mallet….)

Maany LBS inlcuding mine will pull the race of for you for free. I would recomend doing it this way as I have seem many crown seats with srewdriver marks and those need facing. Fitting the new race with a piece of wood and a hammer will do no harm. The proper parks tools will set you back about £180 (puller and crown race setter) + a fiver for 12mm threaded bar and washer + nuts to make a press.

Step and away from the bike and do a little bit more research than wood and mallet answers.

Remove – stanley blade and then a series of increasingly thicker screwdrivers plus gentle tapping – never fails. Slowly slowly catchy monkey.

Install – White plastic waste pipe – perfect fit and softer than anything it will meet- so no damage done. Good tap and installed.

Total cost £2 and it works everytime.
Hope this helps – Wally.

Of course the easiest way to get it back on is to cut a nice little slot in the race. No need for any tools at all once that’s done

e.g.

I have a special chisel. I never worry too much about cosmetics on the crown of a fork as my special chisel will leave its mark. Ho hum.

+1 for white plastic pipe to install. Put it over the steerer and whack into the garage wall. That always works fine.