Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

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UpWrong
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Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by UpWrong »

Headset: Tange Terious SRN, Fork: Spa Wayfarer with matt black steerer. I can't seem to fit the crown race to the steerer. I have an installation tool and I have greased the race and the steerer, but it just won't go on despite bashing hard with a rubber mallet on the end of the tool. Was wondering if taking some wet and dry to the steerer to get the finish off would help?

Have to say the Tange race doesn't fit any of the tool cups that well. Have been using the cup with a 45 degree bevel but the bevel is a lot shorter than the crown bevel. When the race goes on a little, it isn't straight. Any other hints or tips?
Last edited by UpWrong on 23 Sep 2020, 11:21pm, edited 1 time in total.
Brucey
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by Brucey »

sanding will do some good if the steerer is painted or covered in some kind of soft coating. Otherwise you are likely to be there sanding a long time if there is a significant discrepancy in size.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rogerzilla
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by rogerzilla »

If the fork is at all valuable, get a shop to run a crown race seat cutter over it.

Are you mixing headset components? I don't understand "off the tool" - is this an autocorrect snafu?
pwa
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by pwa »

Or ditch that headset and fit one with a split "race" (more properly, a seat for a cartridge bearing). Hope comes to mind, but at a cost, obviously.

I have a similarly painted Spa fork and I value the protective coat of tough paint on the steerer.
Phileas
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by Phileas »

The last crown race I fitted, I enlarged the race using Emery cloth. I pressed the cloth onto the inside while rolling the race on the shed floor. Worked for me.
UpWrong
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by UpWrong »

rogerzilla wrote:If the fork is at all valuable, get a shop to run a crown race seat cutter over it.

Are you mixing headset components? I don't understand "off the tool" - is this an autocorrect snafu?


The complete headset came from Spa, so not mixing parts. I think I've corrected my post, so it should be clear.
Last edited by UpWrong on 23 Sep 2020, 10:17pm, edited 1 time in total.
UpWrong
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Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by UpWrong »

Phileas wrote:The last crown race I fitted, I enlarged the race using Emery cloth. I pressed the cloth onto the inside while rolling the race on the shed floor. Worked for me.

That sounds like it's worth a try, thanks.
UpWrong
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by UpWrong »

pwa wrote:Or ditch that headset and fit one with a split "race" (more properly, a seat for a cartridge bearing). Hope comes to mind, but at a cost, obviously.

I have a similarly painted Spa fork and I value the protective coat of tough paint on the steerer.


I've already pressed the headset cups into the frame and would rather not knock them out, although there does seem a lot of dissatisfaction with the Tange terious SRN.
PH
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by PH »

That black stuff is the ED coating, it isn’t very thick and I’ve fitted two races over the top of it, though not SPA forks. Maybe give SPA a ring and ask what they do.
I fit mine with an old stem, plenty of grease and keep turning and tapping.
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531colin
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by 531colin »

UpWrong wrote:Headset: Tange Terious SRN, Fork: Spa Wayfarer with matt black steerer. I can't seem to fit the crown race to the steerer. I have an installation tool and I have greased the race and the steerer, but it just won't go on despite bashing hard with a rubber mallet on the end of the tool. Was wondering if taking some wet and dry to the steerer to get the finish off would help?

Have to say the Tange race doesn't fit any off the tool cups that well. Have been using the cup with a 45 degree bevel but the bevel is a lot shorter than the crown bevel. When the race goes on a little, it isn't straight. Any other hints or tips?


If there is paint on the crown race seat it needs to come off before you try to fit the crown race. (and grease the seat, as you have done)
If the crown race setting tool fits properly then the crown race will go on square. If the crown race is going on wonky, then the unavoidable conclusion is that the tool doesn't fit.
Is the frame sold as having the head tube reamed and the crown race seat prepared ready for fitting the headset?
The guys at Spa will fit more headsets in a week than I have fitted in a lifetime; long ago I came to the conclusion it was worth paying them to do the job rather than me bodging about with my DIY tools.
Oh well, there you go....cross posted with PH who fits the crown race over the paint.
When I used to bother to do these sort of jobs myself, I fitted crown races using an old head tube as a slide hammer. (only on steel forks!). Can't think how a stem would work?
Def. better to get the experts to do it in my case!
AndyA
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by AndyA »

If the difference between the parts is 0.1mm or more you'll never get them to fit with a rubber mallet unless the hammer is comically massive. Metal hammer, hit it like it owes you money



Measure first though, if the difference between the parts is greater than 0.2mm something is wrong. Crown race seat should be 30.0mm, crown race 29.9mm
pwa
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by pwa »

I have to admit that as I don't have the tools for the job and only get a new headset once in a blue moon I always get a shop to do it. A tenner well spent. That could be the answer.

My Spa steer with ED coating had a very thin and even coat, a bit like anodising to look at. And of course when I presented the (FSA) race to it, there was no way it was going on at all by hand. I could not tell whether it would go on at all. It was very tight. But the bloke at the shop said it went on perfectly, with no issues.
rogerzilla
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by rogerzilla »

Ah...I have a Tange Technoglide headset with a mismatched crown race (probably for a Falcon) and another one with the correct crown race. I think they sometimes get mixed up at the factory, since they look incredibly similar. You'll need to get a replacement, and ensure Spa check it first.

I assume it's a 1 1/8" steerer? Most bike shops should have the 30.0mm crown race cutter which, if the fork was correctly machined at the factory, will merely skim off the coating. I only have a 26.4mm, I'm afraid.
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531colin
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by 531colin »

rogerzilla wrote:Ah...I have a Tange Technoglide headset with a mismatched crown race (probably for a Falcon) and another one with the correct crown race. I think they sometimes get mixed up at the factory, since they look incredibly similar. You'll need to get a replacement, and ensure Spa check it first.

I assume it's a 1 1/8" steerer? Most bike shops should have the 30.0mm crown race cutter which, if the fork was correctly machined at the factory, will merely skim off the coating. I only have a 26.4mm, I'm afraid.


Sorry, I'm confused.
There are at least 2 "standard" crown race diameters for 1" headsets.
For 1 1/8" headsets I am only aware of 30mm crown race diameter. What is the alternative diameter, please?
rogerzilla
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Re: Sand the finish off steerer to help install crown race?

Post by rogerzilla »

531colin wrote:
rogerzilla wrote:Ah...I have a Tange Technoglide headset with a mismatched crown race (probably for a Falcon) and another one with the correct crown race. I think they sometimes get mixed up at the factory, since they look incredibly similar. You'll need to get a replacement, and ensure Spa check it first.

I assume it's a 1 1/8" steerer? Most bike shops should have the 30.0mm crown race cutter which, if the fork was correctly machined at the factory, will merely skim off the coating. I only have a 26.4mm, I'm afraid.


Sorry, I'm confused.
There are at least 2 "standard" crown race diameters for 1" headsets.
For 1 1/8" headsets I am only aware of 30mm crown race diameter. What is the alternative diameter, please?

There isn't one. I mainly have to deal with 1" forks.
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