Problem removing the crank

I hate beating on my bike with a hammer. are all the treads totally stripped out or are some threads still left. it may be possible that you use the wrong size tool to remove the crank or didnt insert the tool far enough. you may try to remove the bottom bracket cup, then try hammering the crank off the axle

The threads on the crank arm have been shaved enough to make them useless for the crank puller tool. I either have to bang it out or cut it.

RussianCyclist said:

The threads on the crank arm have been shaved enough to make them useless for the crank puller tool. I either have to bang it out or cut it.

If you don't want it..big hammer, smack it a few times. It'll come off.

RussianCyclist said:

The threads on the crank arm have been shaved enough to make them useless for the crank puller tool. I either have to bang it out or cut it.

However, if you do want to save the crank arm for some reason (now, just WHY WERE YOU REMOVING IT?), you can try using a large THREE WAY C-Clamp (there is a proper name for it which eludes me) as a makeshift gear puller [I think that the odds of finding a gear puller that would fit around the driveside crank are slim] ... the two opposing adjusters (without their end pieces) would be fit/braced between the crank & the BB, and the one in the middle of the 'C' would be inserted against the BB spindle ... put a couple of DIMES against the BB spindle (I'm presuming a hollow, square taper spindle) if the 'end' on the adjuster seems too small.

If you are really lucky, you will be able to remove the crank arm & the C-Clamp may not have suffered irreparable damage ... if you are really unlucky, the C-Clamp will have been damaged & the crank arm will still be wedged onto the BB spindle.

I think that alfeng is thinking about this
American Presto 3-arm Heavy-duty Gear Pullers : JC Whitney: Tools & Garage

slowbutnotdead said:

I think that alfeng is thinking about this
American Presto 3-arm Heavy-duty Gear Pullers : JC Whitney: Tools & Garage

YES! Mail order ... gotta luv it!

I have managed to get that crank off, but it is not useable again since I had to use the hacksaw to get it off.

alfeng, the reason I needed to remove the crank is because I needed a new crank that is meant for commuting (or a faster crank). With the original crank, the bike did not go as fast as I wanted to because it is a smaller chainring that is meant more for off-road mountain biking.

RussianCyclist said:

I have managed to get that crank off, but it is not useable again since I had to use the hacksaw to get it off.

alfeng, the reason I needed to remove the crank is because I needed a new crank that is meant for commuting (or a faster crank). With the original crank, the bike did not go as fast as I wanted to because it is a smaller chainring that is meant more for off-road mountain biking.

I'm glad you were able to remove your old crankset ...

Too bad you had to resort to the extreme measure of cutting it off ... BUT, I've had to do so, also, in the past (more than once!).

FWIW. This is after the fact, but you might have been able to achieve the gearing you wanted by changing the largest chainring to a 46t or 48t chainring (48t is the largest 4-arm, 104BCD ring that I'm aware of -- Shimano makes it in both alloy & steel -- aftermarket availability is unknown). Sometimes, of course, the cost of a replacement ROAD crank is close in cost of the replacement chainrings.

Too late to save your old crank, but worth while for those facing a similar problem:

Heat the crank with a blow-torch unitl it is hot, then hit it with a hammer using a drift...that is a bar that you hit with the hammer while the other end of the bar is positioned at the best striking point available. A drift can reach where a hammer can't and still deliver the full blow of the hammer.

The heat expands the crank in relation to the spindle so less force is needed. Go round and round bit by bit and the crank will come off with little damage.

Akadat said:

The heat expands the crank in relation to the spindle so less force is needed. Go round and round bit by bit and the crank will come off with little damage.

Except that, after you have heated the crank with the blowtorch, you might as well throw it away. The heat from the torch will completely destroy the heat treatment that your alloy crank has gone through when it was manufactured, which was essential for its strength.

Quite true! It all depends on the alloy in the crank and the amount of heat applied to loosen the fit to the spindle.

I would be throwing the crank because or the stripped threads anyway. Heating is a hit-and-miss operation but if done gently it may succeed now and then.