Bicycle Mechanics - CF fork crown race ?

Had a heck of a time removing a crown race from an all carbon fork(Easton). The fork is all carbon with no alumimum sleeve at the point of inserting the crown race. Anyway the question is with Easton and other all carbon forks should some kind of lubricant such as the Trax stuff for CF be used when installing a new crown race on such a fork? Makes sense to me but I would like to hear some other viewpoints on this.

I'm not sure if the crown race was meant to be replaced, or if, when it wears out, you are supposed to get a new CF fork.

My guess is that the manufacturer may have used Epoxy, and not grease, when seating the race.

I'm not sure if the crown race was meant to be replaced, or if, when it wears out, you are supposed to get a new CF fork.

My guess is that the manufacturer may have used Epoxy, and not grease, when seating the race.
Not at all. Easton forks don't come with crown races installed (how would they know which one to use?) and they aren't glued in place either. You install the appropriate one for your headset like you do on any other fork.

My LBS installed an FSA crown races on an Easton EC90SLX fork using a regular Park crown race seater and, I believe, no lube.

Yes, they just press on.

I've removed them using a screwdriver and hammer, being VERY gentle, and causing no damage.

I've removed them using a screwdriver and hammer, being VERY gentle, and causing no damage.
The problem with many all-carbon forks (the Eastons for sure) is that the crown race seat is so large in diameter that the crown race doesn't overlap it in any direction. That means you can't easily get a punch or screwdriver blade under the "lip" of the race to tap it off. There are "bearing splitter" type race removers that are made particularly for this use but they are pricey and generally only an LBS can justify owning one.

Yeah, I couldn't justify $30-40 for a race splitter. Even a $5 sharp chisel could work if ti was a really tight fit, just be CAREFUL!

Well, on the subject of removal of the crown race from the Easton fork. It is true that the ouside diam. of the fork prevents the easy use of a chisel or something to drive it off without damage to the fork. I used the penknife method to get the race started off. Then after there was enough space to insert my Sears large screwdriver, I drove the crown race off by tapping(hard) the screwdriver while it was inserted at a right angle to the fork steerer tube. The fork of course was mounted in a bench mounted bike vise stand, Mioura.

I also tried 2 ideas I came up with that did not seem to improve the removal very much if at all. Once a small gap was developed between the race and the fork, I inserted a dilute solution of soap and water. The thinking was that if somehow the soap would work it's way between the steerer tube and race it migh allow it to slide off better. The other idea was to heat the crown race with a soldering iron to expand it the way you can do with a Mt. bike fork. The crown race, King, most likely had too much mass to expand and I gave up on that idea and went back to brute force.

Still remains to be answered, should you uses some kind of lubricant when reinstalling a crown race on a total carbon fork such as Easton makes? It is obvious that the crown race was originally installed with no lubricant. Only one reply saying the LBS used none.

Still remains to be answered, should you uses some kind of lubricant when reinstalling a crown race on a total carbon fork such as Easton makes? It is obvious that the crown race was originally installed with no lubricant. Only one reply saying the LBS used none.
My LBS didn't and the subject of the compatibility of regular grease with carbon components comes up here fairly often with no consensus at all.

I believe silicone grease would be a suitable lube and shouldn't cause any problems in contact with carbon. You can get a small container at hardware and auto parts stores. It is used to lube O-rings, brake parts and plumbing rubber seals so it is compatible with all plastics and rubbers.