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should I attempt to swap forks or take it to my LBS???

TN

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
Here is some background info (some might allready know this if you have read any of my "help me!" threads :rolleyes: )...I am prone to stripping, breaking, destroying, things when I work on my bikes & I am banned from working on Laura's bike becasue of this.

BUT I need to swap her current fork with her Fox Vanilla RLC (it is sooo sad to see it just leaning against the wall). I know how to get the fork off but my main concern is the crown race. How do I swap it to the other fork? Do I need a special tool or just a hammer & flat head screwdriver? Is this going to be a job that is going to make me cuss & kick my cats? Should I just swallow my pride & realizew that I will never be a good bike wrench & take it to the LBS? Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated.

mucho gracias :monkey:
 
DHracer1067

DHracer1067

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2003
1,189
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i take a flat head screw driver and a rag. so you dont scratch up the crown too much. dont know about foxes but on the marzocchi forks i have had on the back there is like some little indent thing where i start. then i go to the front and hit it a couple time and just start working around. and to put it back on just use the screw driver with no rag. but if you really are pretty badthen you might just want to take it to the bikeshop. but its really not that hard. you should atleast just try it i would think. then if you have alot of trouble take it to someone that has that stupid tool and have them do it.
 
TN

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
DHracer1067 said:
i take a flat head screw driver and a rag. so you dont scratch up the crown too much. dont know about foxes but on the marzocchi forks i have had on the back there is like some little indent thing where i start. then i go to the front and hit it a couple time and just start working around. and to put it back on just use the screw driver with no rag. but if you really are pretty badthen you might just want to take it to the bikeshop. but its really not that hard. you should atleast just try it i would think. then if you have alot of trouble take it to someone that has that stupid tool and have them do it.
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HAHA. "That stupid tool", i never seem to have "That stupid tool".

Thanks that helps alot b/c we are replacing an old Black.
 
BMXman

BMXman

I wish I was Canadian
Sep 8, 2001
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Victoria, BC
your LBS should have hte proper tool to take it off. Takes about 15 seconds...why risk your fork consider the cost per loss ratio....D
 
dexterq20

dexterq20

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2003
3,442
1
NorCal
I wouldn't recommend the hammer and screwdriver method. Too easy to break something. Take it to the LBS and ask them to do it. As BMXman said, it takes almost no time at all to use the crown race puller, and it's also the right way to do it.
 
TN

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
BMXman said:
your LBS should have hte proper tool to take it off. Takes about 15 seconds...why risk your fork consider the cost per loss ratio....D
Click to expand...

yeah, that & the ass beating Laura would give me if I f'd it up. :dead:

I think I am gonna try it anyway, I am sick of having to rely on my bike shop & want to learn how do everything myself.
Thanx.
 
TN

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
dexterq20 said:
I wouldn't recommend the hammer and screwdriver method. Too easy to break something. Take it to the LBS and ask them to do it. As BMXman said, it takes almost no time at all to use the crown race puller, and it's also the right way to do it.
Click to expand...
then again, my bikes cringe when they see me with a tool let alone a hammer. :D
 
DHracer1067

DHracer1067

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2003
1,189
0
somewhere really ****ty
bwahah. hopefully you can live to see another day on the monkey. but i havent messed anything up yet using the screwdriver and hammer method. and ive probly used it to switch out like 3-4 forks on my bikes and one on roberts bike. all you gotta do is be carefull. its kinda hard to set the race with a screwdriver but im sure you could easily just find a piece of metal pipe that fits right to put on the race. it seems thats basicly what the real tool is.
 
The Kadvang

The Kadvang

I rule
Apr 13, 2004
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six five oh
Yeah, I've never had any problems with the hammer/screwdriver method... But for putting it back on, a piece of pvc pipe cut to size works wonders.
 
chicodude

chicodude

The Spooninator
Mar 28, 2004
1,054
2
Paradise
The Kadvang said:
Yeah, I've never had any problems with the hammer/screwdriver method... But for putting it back on, a piece of pvc pipe cut to size works wonders.
Click to expand...

I do it all the time, its done none of my stuff any harm. i just did it like 2 Hours ago for my new headset:thumb:
 
Z

Zaskar Rider

Monkey
May 29, 2002
242
0
PNW
I've made the hammer/punch method work in a pinch but if you have a shop nearby they've got tools to do it right and not mar up the crown race so that your headset will still turn smoothly. I'd take it to them with a six pack.
 
MikeD

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,735
1,819
chez moi
Man, I'm anal as hell about using the proper tool for the proper job, but crown race removal? Even Leonard Zinn's book shows a hammer and screwdriver (not even a punch!) as the proper method. There's not a heck of a lot to mangle... The 'proper tool' method is mentioned as an afterthought.

The only fork that's been difficult with crown race removal was my Sherman Slider, because it didn't have the recess for removing the race.

Getting it back on, though, you do need to be careful with. I like my $13 slide hammer, but PVC pipe works well, too. Get a length longer than the steerer and whack away with the malle.

In a pinch, I'd not hesitate to re-seat it with a punch and hammer, but that'd have to be a real pinch...all other things equal, I'd wait till the local hardware store was open and buy a length of PVC.

MD
 
Carbon Fetish

Carbon Fetish

Monkey
May 6, 2002
619
0
Irvine, CA
BigMike said:
That looks alll...... complicated and stuff!
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It's not really. It's a very cool tool for a very small purpose. The two screw handles to drive the wedges onto the race and then you screw the top handle with enough turns it will pull the race off of the crown.

 
Carbon Fetish

Carbon Fetish

Monkey
May 6, 2002
619
0
Irvine, CA
chicodude01 said:
do you really need that? Or was it just an excuse to buy another shiny tool?
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I don't really NEED it because I work at a shop but it's nice not having to drive 15 minute to get something simple like that done. Also, I'm the team mechanic for my cycling team so I've had to do some last minute fork, headset, frame swaps before races.
 
dexterq20

dexterq20

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2003
3,442
1
NorCal
Carbon Fetish said:
I don't really NEED it because I work at a shop but it's nice not having to drive 15 minute to get something simple like that done. Also, I'm the team mechanic for my cycling team so I've had to do some last minute fork, headset, frame swaps before races.
Click to expand...
That might be one of the most convenient tools I've ever used, but I've only seen them in shops. Definitely the first time I've heard of a personally-owned crown race puller. I guess if you're wrenching on other people's bikes a lot, it's not too bad of an investment.
 
J

JRB

Guest
Carbon Fetish said:
you pass my dumbass newbie test, welcome to ridemonkey
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The last time someone passed a dumbass newbie test a big America bashing from some limey ensued. :rolleyes:
 
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