replacing my dh fork

hey folks, :fro:

i'm replacing my boxxer race that came stock on my 2011 norco dh race with a marzocchi c2r3. my norco came stock with a fsa orbit 1.5" according to the specs on their site. after taking everything apart, i'm a bit stumped on how to remove the bottom cup thingy from the steerer. it's on there pretty tight. i'm supposed to remove it right? cause without it, the fork sits pretty loose…

here is the old steerer:

here is the new one:

any guidance much appreciated.

cheers!

Yes, you need it. Try using a flat head screw driver and a hammer and tap the blade of the screw driver under the bearing base plate. Work your way around the base plate and work it up the steer tube. Take your time and eventually it will pop up and you can slide it off.

Grease the new steer tube up where it flares off and use a 1 1/4 inch ABS pipe to bang it on the new fork.

Yep, you need that bottom race swapped to your new fork.

Some crowns have a little notch in them to get at it with a flat blade screwdriver. Use a small screwdriver to carefully tap it upwards. Go slowly and you'll get it off.

Edit. Leggatt beat me to it.

leaving the bottom race on the fork when selling or sending in a fork for warranty is pretty common, either way its gone and you are buying a new headset

Dude, bondo.

Screw driver or Crown Race Puller. I have the latter and it works quite well without damaging the race.

awesome thanks. what is this magical ABS pipe and where can I get one?

Its just a type of plastic pipe found at a hardware/building supply store.

They're not cheap.

Use any pipe that fits your race to put it on the new fork.

awesome thanks. what is this magical ABS pipe and where can I get one?

You can just go down to your local LBS and buy a new race for $12 or so, most places will even install it for you no charge.

Less headache and you can be assured that there are no hairline cracks in the removed crown. Happened to me when swapping forks on my AM bike, used a crown race remover and still ended up with a cracked race 3 months down the road.

Something like this but presumably a reducer 1.5 to 1.1/8 race:
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=10605[HTML_REMOVED]category=98

yup, i managed to remove the race but it cracked. sucker was on there pretty good (maybe someone glued it)

can i use the Park Tool HHP-2 Revised Head and Hanger Cup Press to get the race on the new fork (once i buy a new race of course)? the only reason i ask is i got one.

might be easier just to buy a new headset at this point… it's pocket change compared to the new fork :S

I'm mystified as to how you guys are breaking races. Are you removing them with a sledge hammer or something?

Am I right in thinking that the headset is using caged ball bearings? Looks like it from the picture of the crown race. Now would be a good time to upgrade to a cartridge bearing headset if the crown race has cracked.

I'm mystified as to how you guys are breaking races. Are you removing them with a sledge hammer or something?

the lower race on my FSA is beercan thin and is aluminum it was a pain to remove and not destroy .