Is there any way to do this without the proper tools? Seems a bit expensive ofa tool to buy for one use, I'm installing a new headset on the bike I'm rebuilding, I've read ways to make m own headset press the cups in the frame, but not seen anyting on the race on the fork.

There is no tool for setting a race, just use a metal pipe.

If you can find a piece of pipe that has an inside diameter that closely matches your fork's steer tube, that would be perfect. Just don't bang on your new crown race's bearing surface. A work-around is to use a 1" or 1 1/8" open end wrench on top of your crown race. Assuming you have the right sized crown race, it shouldn't take a huge amount of force to set it into place.

Yes, there is a stock pipe size that works perfectly on a 1" steerer. Add a couple washers to take the blow, and hammer away!

When you say use a few washers, do you mean on the bottom between the pipe and the race? Just want to make sure, before I damage somethign
This is going on a old 1 inch threaded fork, if it makes an difference.

Um are you sure about that?

Yea there is a tool, but most shops just use a pipe as it works just fine and its cheap

Ah, yes, but a special pipe. It has a brass end to protect the race. Blessed by the tool gods it will do no harm in the proper hands.
Seriously, if I catch one of my guys using an inapropriate tool, their new tool will be a toilet brush.

Yeah but how do you set a crown race with toilet brush?

hahaha Toilet brush is a very good tool in the proper hands

Perserverance.

LoL klein...There's a tool for everything.

can crown races be REUSED?
also how do u remove one?

thanks in advance

Yes, you can reuse one.
There are several tools for removing them. I use a Park model that clamps the race and then presses against the steerer to pull the race off.
You can, carefully, use a punch and hammer to tap the race off if the crown does not get in the way to much. Use some electrical tape to protect the crown from scarring. Then tap the race off, working around it to keep from cocking it to much, because that might break it.

Good luck getting a Race Face race off without damaging it-those things are ridiculously tight and the boss won't pony up for the new Park removal tool (sorry, today's frustration seems to have just come out).

To install my Chris King crown race onto my Jr.T ... me and my friend just used a piece of PVC pup that fit it perfectly... and put pieces of duct-tape around the end of the pipe.. so it wouldn't mar the metal, or make pits in the surface of the race.

Should it be really hard to push this race on? I picked up a brass pipe which was 1 inch so fits over the fork properly. And the race just wont' go down. It fits easily over the steering tube, but then can't get it past that raised part. This is a old threaded fork, did they ever make different size races? I'll probably go to my LBS tomorrow to get it installed.

Just as a experiment I took the race that was original on the fork, and attempted to install it back it fit on perfectly no real problems. I know I have the correct size headset it fit in the headtube no problem, the threading fits perfectly it is just the race I'm having problem with. Is it acceptable to sand this down?

A brass drift will work fine for removing & installing the race.

I picked up a long screw, and these brass connector things that reduce the size of the pipe to install the headset worked great! And then a 2 foot 1 inch brass pipe to install the race. It appears that the old race has a slightly larger opening then the new one, just visualy looking you can't tell but can tell a difference when installing them on the fork.