headset removal from steerer tube
 

I have the unfortunate pleasure of having a 1 1/4" headtube on an early 90's cannondale mountain bike. The bike is in great shape is very light etc, but I need to replace the front fork. The headset, despite being about ten years old is in pretty good shape, the races are worn but clean and the headset has been pretty snug, so, since 1 1/4" parts are hard to find and I dont want to put a lot of money into the bike I was hoping to re-use the headset.

But...I cannot get the lowermost ring (it is a Dia-Compe Aheadset Threadless) that sits on the fork crown off. I have tried to whack it off with a hammer and a screwdriver but it does not want to budge.

My question is: does anyone have any ideas about how to get the ring off? Or am I better off coughing up the $30.00 bucks for a new headset?

Thanks.

what you can do snake is this... get some wd 40 and spray the inside of your head tube wait 1 hour (let the stuff penitrate) get a section of metal tube and slide it in to the head tube until it rests on the lip of the lower ring and TAP the tube with a hammer then go to the opposite side of the ring (still on the inside) and tap again dont wack it hard you can strech your head tube tap lightly around the whole ring and it will come off eventualy

Thanks Auger. I actually got it off last night. It was not the cup part that I was having trouble with, it was the ring that sits on the fork crown and provides the other half of the bearing race.

What I did though was similar, soaked it in penetrating oil for a bit than whacked the thing pretty good with a large screwdriver and hammer. It eventually came off. So now all I have to do is find a 1 1/4"" fangled nut, cut the new steerer etc...and I'm off.