Crown race spacer? Brake touching the headset.

[Lewis Moon]

I'm trying to kludge together a hack bike and have run into a problem: the Shimano 600 brake comes into contact with the Tange Levin headset. It looks like when they milled the crown, they went a bit too far. Is there a spacer I can fit under the crown race to give some room?

[pinkshogun]

Can you put a spacer behind the brake to move it away from the bottom cup

[dlui]

I ran into that problem once, I moved the brake caliper out with a washer between caliper and fork. might try that

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by pinkshogun

Can you put a spacer behind the brake to move it away from the bottom cup

It would take about 7mm of spacers. Its a straight fork so the hole on the front of the crown is a lot closer to the top.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by dlui

I ran into that problem once, I moved the brake caliper out with a washer between caliper and fork. might try that

I've had to do this. If this is not practical for the OP then I would try a different caliper or different headset.

I am not aware of any crown race spacer. The collar there at the base of the crown is usually pretty shallow.

[zennmotion]

agree with the above ^^^ Even if you can make it fit with the Tange Levin stack and not run out of threads, I think you're inviting headset adjustment headaches, like something that feels fine in the workstand but loosens up during a ride inviting damage to the headset or even headtube, or something that's too tight in the first place inviting steering problems. You need a different brake, or, if the clearance is close (you didn't hear this from me! ) file down the top of the brake arm a little, shouldn't compromise integrity much. I'd do it myself, but I'm waiting to be shouted down for that suggestion by people with better sense than me.

Edit: I seem to remember there's such a thing called a "drop bolt" that you can use to kludge your caliper brake placement. You can google it, but keep in mind it might drop your brake too much so that your tire clearance is minimal. But it was a well known fact BITD that narrow 20c tires were the fastest for time trials.
Also: Maybe try a vintage centerpull brake instead of a caliper? The top profile might fit, and there is nothing wrong with centerpull brakes upgraded with good pads, even inexpensive ones (Weinmann, DiaCompe etc).

[RudAwkning]

I know Chris King makes a +5mm baseplate for their 1 1/8" headsets, but I don't think Tange offers anything like that.

edit: It looks like Chris King does one for their 1" headsets too. But an expensive workaround, as it would require a new headset and the baseplate.

https://chrisking.com/collections/al...=8161713356845

[Lewis Moon]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mEybFQ4Yu4JxuD1Q9

Here is a pic of what I am dealing with:

[zennmotion]

Originally Posted by Lewis Moon

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mEybFQ4Yu4JxuD1Q9

Here is a pic of what I am dealing with:

Ouch, that looks like a conundrum- that's super close. Looks like they drilled the crown parallel to the ground rather than perpendicular to the steer tube- was this maybe intended as a track or fixie fork that was modified while drinking beer? I got nuthin'. Before I spent real money on a different headset, especially something high end, I'd consider putting up a WTB in the classifieds or dredging ebay for a different fork- something like an old Tange. Too bad I recently dropped off a box of old steel forks to my local co-op otherwise I'd just send you one, but I guarantee somebody here has something that would work!

[rccardr]

Bevel the top of the backside nut. If you put a washer between the nut and the fork you can bevel that as well, would probably reduce the amount removed from the backside nut.

[muz]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Looks like they drilled the crown parallel to the ground rather than perpendicular to the steer tube- was this maybe intended as a track or fixie fork that was modified while drinking beer?

+1

Originally Posted by rccardr

Bevel the top of the backside nut. If you put a washer between the nut and the fork you can bevel that as well, would probably reduce the amount removed from the backside nut.

The mounting bolt angle is wrong, and no amount of beveling will change that.

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Ouch, that looks like a conundrum- that's super close. Looks like they drilled the crown parallel to the ground rather than perpendicular to the steer tube- was this maybe intended as a track or fixie fork that was modified while drinking beer? I got nuthin'. Before I spent real money on a different headset, especially something high end, I'd consider putting up a WTB in the classifieds or dredging ebay for a different fork- something like an old Tange. Too bad I recently dropped off a box of old steel forks to my local co-op otherwise I'd just send you one, but I guarantee somebody here has something that would work!

Man, it's harder than hell to find a fork with a 245mm steerer. I think I may be able to get it to work with a combination of tricks.

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by Lewis Moon

Man, it's harder than hell to find a fork with a 245mm steerer. I think I may be able to get it to work with a combination of tricks.

agree. stack 2-3 additional star washers and grind the whole stack flat on the top-side to clear your headset. not perfect, but workable.

[Peter P.]

The fork's construction is defective. Replace it.

[danield]

dude on ebay makes tall-stack crown races to your spec- https://www.ebay.com/itm/MTB-Tools-C...r=564557084019

note it will change front end geometry