Bicycle Mechanics - What's the best half-assed way to remove the crown race from a fork?

I know there are pullers that have two bladelike jaws that vise down with the turn of the screw and pop off a crown race.

I do not have that tool.

I have in the past used a chisel and careful hammer taps. That technique was half-assed, but it worked ok.

Anyone have a better technique for removing the race without the specific tool? You can assume I have the general collection of tools - normal vise, screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, etc.

Chisel or sharp blade screwdriver and careful hammer taps.
or
Pay an LBS to use the tool.

I use a screwdriver and careful hammer taps, working my way around the crown and only moving the race a bit at each position.

I've cut one loose with a dremel and cut wheel. Obviously I was not trying to save it.

On steel or Aluminum fork where the crown race overhung the edges of the crown, removal with a punch or screwdrive and hammer was fairly easy. On a carbon fork, particularly one where the crown race is completely within the edges of the crown, the proper edge-type "bearing splitter" is the only really safe way to do it.

drift punch, instead of screwdriver, Unless you don't care about your screwdrivers..
NB Plastic handle absorbs some of the hammer force ..

What's the best half-assed way to remove the crown race from a fork?



Why do you want to do a half-assed job? ----- sorry, couldn't resist.

The others answered, and I do it similarly using an old clam shucking job to start it and a home-made mini crowbar to move it the rest of the way.

On a carbon fork, particularly one where the crown race is completely within the edges of the crown, the proper edge-type "bearing splitter" is the only really safe way to do it.

+1
http://www.kurtkaminer.com/var_cat06_14_lg.jpg

+1
http://www.kurtkaminer.com/var_cat06_14_lg.jpg
Beautiful tools but you better deal with a LOT of crown races to buy any of them. Amazon has the Park CRP-1 at $110, which is a super bargain compared to the VAR. I found a French dealer that lists the VAR DR-10100 at €441 and a Japanese dealer at ¥43,600 That's $550-$575!

sharpened putty knife

If you have a decent LBS they will do it for nothing.

Twice now, I have used a large adjustable wrench. Fit the jaws on either side of the crown, and tap the end of the wrench until the race is off.

Cheers,
Chris

Twice now, I have used a large adjustable wrench. Fit the jaws on either side of the crown, and tap the end of the wrench until the race is off.

Cheers,
Chris

This works great with crown races that overhang the crown front and back. This was the norm for years and the removers were simple U-shaped blocks of steel.

However with the advent of mtn bikes and their larger crowns that option went off the table because the crowns wire wider the crown race, so rear access was denied.

Beautiful tools but you better deal with a LOT of crown races to buy any of them.

You still need to be careful with the splitter type pullers(stein,park etc.) and carbon forks.
I have the stein I bought years ago, it is not as gentle on the fork and race
as the collet types.(hozan,var,cyclus etc.)

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=90148446101&c=Tools&sc=Headset&tc=Crown-Race-Removers

drift punch, instead of screwdriver, Unless you don't care about your screwdrivers..
NB Plastic handle absorbs some of the hammer force ..

This