Replacing fork--can't remove crown race.
 

Edit: PROBLEM SOLVED--THANKS TO ALL!

OK, so I've got a no-name bike with a cut-too-short steerer tube on an otherwise fine carbon fork. (This fork was manufactured in 2006, so we're talking pretty current gear)

Bought a new Nashbar carbon fork to replace too-short fork. Previous headset (brand = Vortex = no longer available) is integrated and in like-new condition, perfectly reusable except for . . . .

I've made a few faltering attempts to remove the crown race from the old fork in order to install it on the new fork. It is as though welded to the old fork, with no opportunities for purchase by screwdriver or knife blade. OK, no problem, I'll just get a new crown race for the new fork rather than risk buggering up the old fork and race.

My question is: Are crown races for 1 1/8" integrated headsets fairly interchangeable? Which is to say, will the LBS most likely be able to come up with a crown race that will work? Or am I going to have to spring for a complete new headset?

Thanks for your help! No car and no local LBS--which is why I'm asking here.

What you need is a crown race puller, otherwise known as a bearing separator. I doubt you'll have any luck with a razor blade, knife, or screwdriver, except to scar the base of the fork. The shop will be able to pull the old race, and install it on the new fork in under 10 minutes if they aren't busy.

something like this (Bearing Splitter & Large Bearing Separator) would work if you can find it. heck, an auto shop or machine shop could do it as well. A length of pvc pipe + coupler will install it on the new fork too.

edit: cheapo separator that would work fine: Small Bearing Separator Splitter Puller | eBay

There are forks with integrated crown races. Maybe this is one.

Any decent bike shop should be able to remove the crown race for a nominal charge. There are a number of tools and methods for the job, but it's not something that should stump a pro.

OK, the smart thing would be to take it to a Pro--but I have this thing about doing it all myself--I've built 3 bikes from the frame up and haven't had to ask for outside help so far - - -

The bearing splitter sounds very interesting (How have I lived this long without one??).

How can I tell?

Edit: old fork has label on it that says XDS carbon-tech. There is a clearly defined seam between the crown race and the fork, so it's probably removable.

sounds like OP has decided to abandon removing old race and wants to know if a separate race can be purchased. and, if so, hopes they are all very similar.

i can say that, IME, lower races on integrated headsets are really more closely related to compression rings on the upper cartridge bearing and serve to make a solid connection to the fork crown via the lower cartridge bearing's inner race. if that is true, then they may all have some similarities.

i would still try to remove the race on the existing fork, even at the risk of destroying it however.

i recently had to switch forks and experienced this same dilemma. i just took a good thin screwdriver and hammer, and laid the fork on something semi-soft, so as not to destroy it, and even though there was no visible gap in which to put the head of the screwdriver, i put it where i knew there would be one and i gave it a good whack, maybe two, and she opened up just a bit. from there it was all downhill.

of course, if there are special tools that can be purchased economically enough, that may be the way to go. OTOH, i rarely take anything to the LBS to have work done, but in this case it may not be a bad idea, especially so if i thought saving the fork was worth it. nice thing about that is if it doesn't work out, the LBS can always be blamed for botching the job. :lol:

OK, I threw caution to the winds and did as described above; and sure enough it opened up--Thanks!

A specifically designed crown race remover tool (like the Park CRP-2 or Stein CRR-1) is best to use. The idea of using screwdrivers and hammers on carbon forks makes me cringe. My old shop would charge a minimum service fee and do it on the spot for you.

There is no question but you are 100% right--I sorta feel like Lizzie Borden--impatience is a terrible thing.

FYI the cheaper way to do it is to go to your local autoparts store and buy a bearing puller.... much cheaper than the park one, though not as good at the job.

I've removed crown races from carbon forks using a thin bladed knife by placing the edge in the seam and tapping the back of the blade with a soft hammer. Work around the circumference with gentle taps until a gap opens up and go from there. No damage to the fork or race if you are careful.

BTW, I've never seen any fork with an "integrated" crown race. How would they know which headset you were going to use?

Possibly if the fork was intended to be paired with a frame with an integrated headset. I've seen those on BMX bikes, the headtube has bearing seats machined into the top and bottom of it, and are designed for a specific standard bearing. I can envisage forks working the same way, and these days it's a pretty safe bet that if you name a gimmicky feature, someone's designed a time trial or triathlon bike with it in an effort to shave off a few grams.

I assume that it's possible with the integrated headsets since they use standard bearing sizes and angles.
From the Cane Creek headset info:

Integrated Crown-Race
36° or 45°
Some forks have bearing chamfers molded
into the fork crown itself, these forks do not
use a traditional pressed-on crown race. These
forks are inteded for use with Integrated head-
tubes and headsets and are usually constructed
of carbon fiber. Many forks with integrated
crown races are proprietary designs, however
some are designed to work with one of the exist-
ing integrated standard headsets. To identify
the required headset it is necessary to know the
steerer-tube diameter and bearing seat chamfer
angle.
Forks with 36° chamfers are likely to be
Cane Creek IS compatible
Forks with 45° chamfers could be Campag-
nolo Hiddenset® compatible but are equally
likely to be proprietary designs
It is best to use the head-tube to identify the
correct integrated standard

There's a difference between a crown race, and a centering cone. With a traditional cop/cone headset the crown race is a functioning part of the bearing, and is press fit to the fork crown (hence the name). When using a cartridge bearing, both races and the balls are a single module, and there are no "races" to fit to the bike. But the bearing still has to be held centered on the fork. So a centering cone is pressed on, though by habit we still call it the crown race.

One big difference between a centering cone and crown race, is that the latter has to be hard and smooth enough to support the balls directly, while the former doesn't. Many headset centering cones are not pressed on, and instead are split, and use the paper to compress onto the fork the same way the centering cone does at the top.

It's possible to integrate the cone into the fork, whereas a bearing race couldn't be. IMO, while it's possible to do away with the separate centering cone, I prefer not to, so the fork stays universal and can work with any headset.