Hello all,

I'm wondering if there's anyone that can give me some tips on how it's assembled correctly. I'm putting a headset on a used frame and fork I got. It *looks* like the original lower bearing race is on the fork, but after playing with it for awhile, not really sure anymore!



The bottom seems like this is the original race and the middle race is the one I want to put on the fork. The middle race seems to fit the bearing correctly. If I put on the bearing with the original race, there's some play and it doesn't work that way. I started out trying to pry the original race off, but thought I'd post up my question before going all caveman on this thing!

Here's a pic of the middle race and the original race "assembled" and it doesn't look right!



What am I missing on doing this job. I do want to do a good job and do it right. Thought everything would be kinda self evident I'm from the school of threaded headsets and I thought things were easier and self evident nowadays. :-(

I can get better and more pics if needed.

Any and all help responses are most welcomed here!

The crown race (or centering cone for cartridge bearings) matches the headset and is pressed onto the fork. You need one, and only one, so remove the wrong one.

Well, this is something I've never seen before!

You need to remove the old crown race that was already on the fork and put the new one in its place. Right now by the looks of it you have two crown races on your fork.

Yeah I guess "centering cone" is more appropriate of a name than a race since the bearings are never contacting this part. I guess they aren't a "one size fits all" deal on these things? I also guess that these should be included if you are buying a new or used headset? I didn't want to get all all caveman on removing this till I got some direction here. I guess to see some video on removing this I would search "removing the centering cone"?

Its still called race even if the actual ball bearings don't touch it. You will find better results if you search for something like "how to remove the crown race without tools". To remove the crown race I usaully take a cheap crappy butter knife and stick it just under the race and tap it a few times with a hammer and then to the same on the opposite side. That usaully moves the race up enough to then use the flat head screw driver do pretty much the same thing you just did with the butter knife just this time face the screwdriver at a upward angle and tap lightly with a hammer all around the bottom of the race.

Just guessing at the situation, but one of those will have a 26.4mm inside dia., and the other one will be 27.0mm.