Originally Posted by
FBinNY
Bad advice while it might work, crown races are through hardened and not able to tolerate much distortion. The amount of allowable expansion is engineered into the level of interference. If expanded with heat it'll be over stressed as it cools and contracts and may crack.
Ah, an unfounded internet conclusion
. FWIW, Slightly heating parts is a common method for installing races and bearing sets in industrial machinery.