Problems removing crankset

"John Appleby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I am having problems getting my crankset off. The bolts (allen type) seem pretty much welded to
the BB and my attempts have purely managed to round them off.

Is there anything I can do to get it off now except for to take a drill to the bolts?

I'm planning on replacing the crankset anyhow, so I'm not hugely bothered

if

Quoted message said:

I ruin the existing crankset and BB in doing so.

Drill out the crank bolts. Maybe What kind of cranks? Are they self extracting bolts? If they are,
they are likely part of the problem. If you drill them out, you're going to have to figure out a way
to replace them. I personally do not like self extracting crank bolts for this reason. John Rees

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am having problems getting my crankset off. The bolts (allen type)

seem

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

pretty much welded to the BB and my attempts have purely managed to

round

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

them off.

Is there anything I can do to get it off now except for to take a drill

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the bolts?

I'm planning on replacing the crankset anyhow, so I'm not hugely

bothered

Quoted message said:

if

Quoted message said:

I ruin the existing crankset and BB in doing so.

Drill out the crank bolts. Maybe What kind of cranks? Are they self extracting bolts? If they are,
they are likely part of the problem. If

you

Quoted message said:

drill them out, you're going to have to figure out a way to replace them.

I

Quoted message said:

personally do not like self extracting crank bolts for this reason.

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific.

It's a Trek 9900 OCLV frame with a UN-72 high-profile BB and 1992 Deore LX chainset. All the rings
have gone and need replacing which is why I need to get it off and it also creaks like hell.

The bolts are regular steel bolts; I managed to get the non-chainset crank bolt out and then screwed
an extractor all the way in. On tightening the inner part of the crank extractor to try to extract
the crank, it tore itself out and dethreaded the crank.

I'm planning on replacing the crankset and BB so I'm not too bothered if I ruin anything in the
process. Other than the frame!

Regards,

John

"John Appleby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am having problems getting my crankset off. The bolts (allen type)

seem

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

pretty much welded to the BB and my attempts have purely managed to

round

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

them off.

Is there anything I can do to get it off now except for to take a

drill

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the bolts?

I'm planning on replacing the crankset anyhow, so I'm not hugely

bothered

Quoted message said:

if

Quoted message said:

I ruin the existing crankset and BB in doing so.

Drill out the crank bolts. Maybe What kind of cranks? Are they self extracting bolts? If they
are, they are likely part of the problem. If

you

Quoted message said:

drill them out, you're going to have to figure out a way to replace

them.

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

personally do not like self extracting crank bolts for this reason.

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific.

It's a Trek 9900 OCLV frame with a UN-72 high-profile BB and 1992 Deore LX chainset. All the rings
have gone and need replacing which is why I need

to

Quoted message said:

get it off and it also creaks like hell.

The bolts are regular steel bolts; I managed to get the non-chainset crank bolt out and then
screwed an extractor all the way in. On tightening the inner part of the crank extractor to try to
extract the crank, it tore itself out and dethreaded the crank.

I'm planning on replacing the crankset and BB so I'm not too bothered if I ruin anything in the
process. Other than the frame!

Wow. I guess it's time to take a hack saw and cut the crank off at the spindle on the non drive
side. The thread off the bb (if that is willing to give in) and pull the wretched thing off the
other side, bb still attached to the crank. Oh wait, you can't get a bbt tool on the drive side yet.
Man, that sucks. Is un72 square taper or octalink? You could cut the cranks off by cutting where the
square is. then throw the whole lot into a river! John Rees

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific.

It's a Trek 9900 OCLV frame with a UN-72 high-profile BB and 1992 Deore

LX

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

chainset. All the rings have gone and need replacing which is why I need

to

Quoted message said:

get it off and it also creaks like hell.

The bolts are regular steel bolts; I managed to get the non-chainset

crank

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bolt out and then screwed an extractor all the way in. On tightening the inner part of the crank
extractor to try to extract the crank, it tore itself out and dethreaded the crank.

I'm planning on replacing the crankset and BB so I'm not too bothered if

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ruin anything in the process. Other than the frame!

Wow. I guess it's time to take a hack saw and cut the crank off at the spindle on the non drive
side. The thread off the bb (if that is willing

to

Quoted message said:

give in) and pull the wretched thing off the other side, bb still attached to the crank. Oh wait,
you can't get a bbt tool on the drive side yet. Man, that sucks. Is un72 square taper or octalink?
You could cut the cranks off by cutting where the square is. then throw the whole lot into a
river! John Rees

You can probably rent/borrow a gear puller from your local NAPA Auto Parts store that'll get that
pesky crank off without resorting to hacksaws or blowtorches. Since the crank is just a press fit,
it shouldn't take too much to get it off...

Mike

"John Appleby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I am having problems getting my crankset off. The bolts (allen type) seem pretty much welded to
the BB and my attempts have purely managed to round them off.

Is there anything I can do to get it off now except for to take a drill to the bolts?

I'm planning on replacing the crankset anyhow, so I'm not hugely bothered if I ruin the existing
crankset and BB in doing so.

TIA,

John

Reciprocating saw. Metal blade.

Good luck.

App

Quoted message said:

Wow. I guess it's time to take a hack saw and cut the crank off at the spindle on the non drive
side. The thread off the bb (if that is willing

to

Quoted message said:

give in) and pull the wretched thing off the other side, bb still attached to the crank. Oh wait,
you can't get a bbt tool on the drive side yet. Man, that sucks. Is un72 square taper or
octalink? You could cut the cranks off by cutting where the square is. then throw the whole lot
into a river!

1992 LX crankset? Octalink? What's that? 🙂

To be fair it has served me well through several bike frames, but I think this time it has finally
given up the ghost. Mostly because good quality non-compact rings are getting harder to find, as is
a front mech that will fit. Since my front mech has given up the ghost as have all the chainrings, I
thought I might as well replace the lot.

Isn't the BB pretty hard to hacksaw through? I'm wondering about the bucket of boiling water and a
hammer approach.

I don't even want to THINK how hard it's gonna be to remove the BB. I didn't install it; it came
with the frameset, which I bought in August 1997. Here's praying that they greased it well. At
least the Shimano BB tool is a pretty solid contraption, though I think mine was bought some 12
years ago or more🙂

John

Before you give your BB spindle a lobotomy, Try some WD-40. Saturate the bolts and let them soak,
allowing the etch to work on the corrosion that had "welded' your bolts in place.

Someone in this group had a similar problem wioth his seat post. It took a little patience (and a
lot of WD-40), but he managed to salvage both post and frame.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

The cranks are a lot easier to cut than the axle (aluminium vs. steel). Use a Dremel tool with a
cutting wheel to make a cut opposite the arm of the crank and in line with a corner of the axle.
Make sure to hold the tool so it tends to kick away from the frame when it jams in the slot. No need
to cut all the way through - once you have a deep enough cut, you should be able to put force on the
pedals and stretch the hole in the crank.

Tue, 1 Jul 2003 11:06:18 -0700, Mike S.:

Quoted message said:

You can probably rent/borrow a gear puller from your local NAPA Auto Parts store that'll get that
pesky crank off without resorting to hacksaws or blowtorches. Since the crank is just a press fit,
it shouldn't take too much to get it off...

2- or 3-arm puller will most likely not work on their own. But - combined with heating the crank
with an "electric hot air gun" (like used to remove paint or shrink shrink sleeves) or a gas burner
it is easy to pull of the crank, because aluminium expands much more while heated than steel.

Andreas

Quoted message said:

2- or 3-arm puller will most likely not work on their own. But - combined with heating the
crank with an "electric hot air gun" (like used to remove paint or shrink shrink sleeves) or a
gas burner it is easy to pull of the crank, because aluminium expands much more while heated
than steel.

Yeah I thought of using a heat gun - is that safe to do around a carbon frame though?

Regards,

John

-Several attributions were lost in earlier edits-

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. It's a Trek 9900 OCLV frame with a UN-72
high-profile BB and 1992

Deore

Quoted message said:

LX

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

chainset. All the rings have gone and need replacing which is why I

need

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

get it off and it also creaks like hell.

The bolts are regular steel bolts; I managed to get the non-chainset

crank

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bolt out and then screwed an extractor all the way in. On tightening

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

inner part of the crank extractor to try to extract the crank, it tore itself out and
dethreaded the crank.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm planning on replacing the crankset and BB so I'm not too bothered

if

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I ruin anything in the process. Other than the frame!

Wow. I guess it's time to take a hack saw and cut the crank off at the spindle on the non drive
side. The thread off the bb (if that is

willing

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

give in) and pull the wretched thing off the other side, bb still

attached

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to the crank. Oh wait, you can't get a bbt tool on the drive side yet. Man, that sucks. Is un72
square taper or octalink? You could cut the cranks off by

cutting

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

where the square is. then throw the whole lot into a river!

"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in message news:s4kMa.174606$eJ2.932@fed1read07...

Quoted message said:

You can probably rent/borrow a gear puller from your local NAPA Auto Parts store that'll get that
pesky crank off without resorting to hacksaws or blowtorches. Since the crank is just a press fit,
it shouldn't take too much to get it off...

Have you actually tried that? A gear puller or a steering wheel puller is a poor fit across a
5-arm crank
. The experience is unforgettable.

A VAR 932 slips over the arm (not across the spider) and is very quick and effective for better
quality arms. Modern inexpensive arms are so soft that the VAR tool will bend them without removal.

If the crank will not be reused, heat the crank. Once the crank is hot, a smart tap from the inside
will knock it right into the waiting bucket of water .Oxy-Acetylene directed right on the meatiest
part of the crank is best. The crank expands fairly quickly so you can do that without extraneous
heat effects . With a small propane tank, the flame temperature is lower so you end up with a lot
more total heat. That risks burning the grease in the BB and possibly paint damage.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Wed, 2 Jul 2003 11:29:48 +0100, John Appleby:

Quoted message said:

Yeah I thought of using a heat gun - is that safe to do around a carbon frame though?

Build a "heat shield" made from cardboard. Try to heat up the crank very quick (highest power
setting of the hot air gun). I don't expect any problem for the frame (up to 70°C should not damage
the resin, the carbon fibers can stand much more).

Andreas

"John Appleby" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I don't even want to THINK how hard it's gonna be to remove the BB. I didn't install it; it came
with the frameset, which I bought in August 1997. Here's praying that they greased it well. At
least the Shimano BB tool is a pretty solid contraption, though I think mine was bought some 12
years ago or more🙂

The problem I've had with BB removal is the tool teeth and matching slots in the BB are very
shallow and the tool tends to cam out with any significant torque. If the Shimano tool doesn't have
a bolt (the Park I have doesn't) you can buy a bolt & some washers. I had to do this & use a *big*
wrench to get a BB off recently. Unfortunately, to do this, you have to get the existing bolts out
of the BB...

Peter Cole said:

The problem I've had with BB removal is the tool teeth and matching slots in the BB are very
shallow and the tool tends to cam out with any significant torque.

Not if you use the TACX tool....: "the keys come with an axle and pressure spring that can be
screwed into the cartridge to prevent keys from slipping and damaging the bicycle".
tacx.nlframeset.cfmOpen ↗

grets, Derk

"Derk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Cole said:

The problem I've had with BB removal is the tool teeth and matching slots in the BB are very
shallow and the tool tends to cam out with any significant torque.

Not if you use the TACX tool....: "the keys come with an axle and pressure spring that can be
screwed into the cartridge to prevent keys from slipping and damaging the bicycle".
tacx.nlframeset.cfmOpen ↗

Yeah, but at 25 euro a pop, I think the Park tool combined with an M8 bolt is a better deal. I
haven't seen the TACX, but I wonder why a spring is necessary.

si l'usine ou livres de wud se réunissent les sans secs de crank/spindles jamais-nous saisissent que
le wudn't ont ces problèmes.

"Peter Cole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<MPlNa.11288$I8.3992@rwcrnsc53>...

Quoted message said:

The problem I've had with BB removal is the tool teeth and matching slots in the BB are very
shallow and the tool tends to cam out with any significant torque. If the Shimano tool doesn't
have a bolt (the Park I have doesn't) you can buy a bolt & some washers. I had to do this & use a
*big* wrench to get a BB off recently. Unfortunately, to do this, you have to get the existing
bolts out of the BB...

i have a bb spline tool, and like anyone else i suppose, have trouble using it on shallow splines,
or with stuck bbs. instead of going to the hardware store, i cut a 2.5" x 2.5" square of 1/4"
plywood, and drilled a hole in the center. using a crank bolt, you can just thread it into the
crank, and the wood holds the tool from popping out of the splines. finger tight works a charm, and
you can tighten it or loosen it as you work the tool.

i also have a 1/2" wood piece. between these two wooden 'washers', i have had no trouble, and
havent broken teeth off a welded-in cheapo left-out-in-the-rain-for-two-years plastic adjustable
cup in two years. 😉

(nothing new here, just saves a trip to the store, and a lot of places dont carry m8 bolts anyway)

anthony