help with stripped crank-bolt (how-to remove)

[Jjpsych]

Ok, I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove
the drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a 14mm
socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom bracket (a
Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?

Thanks, Jay

 

[Ted Bennett]

> I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove the
> drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a 14mm
> socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom bracket (a
> Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?
>
> Thanks, Jay

If it was the head of the bolt that rounded off, then someone (not you, of course!) either used the
wrong size socket or used it incorrectly. But if you are tossing the parts anyway, just cut through
the BB spindle, unscrew the BB, clean out the threads and install the new stuff.

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR

 

[A Muzi]

jjpsych wrote:

> I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove the
> drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a 14mm
> socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom bracket (a
> Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?

You cannot remove the bolt? Drill with a 5/16" drill until the bolt head is off, then use a regular
crank puller.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[John Henderson]

jjpsych wrote:

> I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove the
> drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a 14mm
> socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom bracket (a
> Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?

Do you mean that the socket slips on the bolt head?

If that's it, is this a conventional socket with 12 "flats" (so that it engages the bolt head in any
of 12 positions)?

If so, buy a 6-flat socket, and you'll likely just undo it without a problem. I've accumulated a
small collection of these as a result of similar difficulties.

John

 

[John Thompson]

On 2003-11-30, Ted Bennett <[email protected]> wrote:

>> I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove
>> the drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a 14mm
>> socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom bracket (a
>> Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?

> If it was the head of the bolt that rounded off, then someone (not you, of course!) either used
> the wrong size socket or used it incorrectly. But if you are tossing the parts anyway, just cut
> through the BB spindle, unscrew the BB, clean out the threads and install the new stuff.

Have you ever tried to "just cut through the BB spindle?" Those are hardened steel, and don't cut at
all easily.

To get the crank arm off, I'd go to the hardware store and pick up a gear puller. These have several
arms that can hook behind the crank spider and a central bolt that you tighten against the BB
spindle (or remains of the crank bolt, as the case may be) to pull the arm off the spindle. If
there's a jagged end on the bolt it may be tricky getting it to stay in place.

If you really don't care about the cranks, you can forget about the gear puller and just saw through
the arm and spider (usually aluminum and much easier to cut than the BB spindle). This will allow
you to get tools onto the fixed cup anyway. Once you have the arms off you can disassemble the BB
and replace it along with the cranks.

--

-John ([email protected])

 

[Bbense+Rec Bicy]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email protected]>, Ted Bennett
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove
>> the drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a 14mm
>> socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom bracket (a
>> Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?
>>
>> Thanks, Jay
>
>If it was the head of the bolt that rounded off, then someone (not you, of course!) either used the
>wrong size socket or used it incorrectly. But if you are tossing the parts anyway, just cut through
>the BB spindle, unscrew the BB, clean out the threads and install the new stuff.
>

_ What do you use to cut the spindle with? They're generally pretty hard steel or maybe I just have
crappy hacksaw blades...

_ Booker C. Bense

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[Jjpsych]

A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> jjpsych wrote:
>
> > I was working on a winter project bike, while taking off the old components, I tried to remove
> > the drive side crank (shimano, 14mm bolt) and the bolt was so tight that it stripped (with a
> > 14mm socket). The cranks are worthless and I am planning on replacing them and the bottom
> > bracket (a Shimano UN-53). Any advice on how to solve this problem?
>
> You cannot remove the bolt? Drill with a 5/16" drill until the bolt head is off, then use a
> regular crank puller.

Thanks, That's what my plan was. JFTR, I did not use the wrong size socket.
It seems that the person that put the crank bolt in before must
have used an impact wrench, or something like that. Anyway, Thanks for the advise. Jay

 

[A Muzi]

(jay)-snip- crank screwed up -snip-
>>>Any advice on how to solve this problem?

> In article <[email protected]>, Ted Bennett
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>If it was the head of the bolt that rounded off, then someone (not you, of course!) either used
>>the wrong size socket or used it incorrectly. But if you are tossing the parts anyway, just cut
>>through the BB spindle, unscrew the BB, clean out the threads and install the new stuff.

[email protected] wrote:
> _ What do you use to cut the spindle with? They're generally pretty hard steel or maybe I just
> have crappy hacksaw blades...

If that's what you want to do, about four or six seconds with an eight inch abrasive disc in a
cutoff saw.

Not going to happen with a hacksaw blade.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Richard Chan]

[email protected] (jjpsych) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> That's what my plan was. JFTR, I did not use the wrong size socket.
> It seems that the person that put the crank bolt in before must
> have used an impact wrench, or something like that. Anyway, Thanks for the advise. Jay

Those crank bolts are hardened steel. Shouldn't be that easy to round off. I suspect the poor (class
B) fit is with the socket. I would fit another "tight" fitting 14 mm socket, mount the left crankarm
(and frame) into a vise (with two pieces of wood to protect it) so it is stationary, and then use a
hammer and sharply tap at the end of the handle. The sharp blows will do the job.

 

[Jobst Brandt]

Richard Chan writes:

>> That's what my plan was. JFTR, I did not use the wrong size socket. It seems that the person
>> that put the crank bolt in before must have used an impact wrench, or something like that.
>> Anyway, Thanks for the advise.

> Those crank bolts are hardened steel. Shouldn't be that easy to round off. I suspect the poor
> (class B) fit is with the socket.

They are not hardened steel, just ordinary bolts, albeit with a peculiar head specific to the
application. I've had these both strip and break off. That's why I take a spare bolt along on my
trips in the Alps. In the event of a bolt failure, I want to have a spare.

> I would fit another "tight" fitting 14 mm socket, mount the left crank (and frame) into a vise
> (with two pieces of wood to protect
> it) so it is stationary, and then use a hammer and sharply tap at the end of the handle. The sharp
> blows will do the job.

My crank bolts take a 15mm wrench. Don't screw in bolts that bind on installation or they wont be
easy to extract if one fails.

Jobst Brandt [email protected]

 

[Richard Chan]

[email protected] wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Richard Chan writes:
>
> > Those crank bolts are hardened steel. Shouldn't be that easy to round off. I suspect the poor
> > (class B) fit is with the socket.
>
> They are not hardened steel, just ordinary bolts, albeit with a peculiar head specific to the
> application. I've had these both strip and break off. That's why I take a spare bolt along on my
> trips in the Alps. In the event of a bolt failure, I want to have a spare.
>
> > I would fit another "tight" fitting 14 mm socket, mount the left crank (and frame) into a vise
> > (with two pieces of wood to protect
> > it) so it is stationary, and then use a hammer and sharply tap at the end of the handle. The
> > sharp blows will do the job.
>
> My crank bolts take a 15mm wrench. Don't screw in bolts that bind on installation or they wont be
> easy to extract if one fails.

I can swear many of mine are. Most seems to be heat treated and blackish in color. I can't tell the
chrome plated ones. These are from Campagnolo, Suntour Superbe, Sugino, Shimano, and the rest ??

 

[Jobst Brandt]

Richard Chan writes:

>>> Those crank bolts are hardened steel. Shouldn't be that easy to round off. I suspect the poor
>>> (class B) fit is with the socket.

>> They are not hardened steel, just ordinary bolts, albeit with a peculiar head specific to the
>> application. I've had these both strip and break off. That's why I take a spare bolt along on my
>> trips in the Alps. In the event of a bolt failure, I want to have a spare.

>>> I would fit another "tight" fitting 14 mm socket, mount the left crank (and frame) into a vise
>>> (with two pieces of wood to protect
>>> it) so it is stationary, and then use a hammer and sharply tap at the end of the handle. The
>>> sharp blows will do the job.

>> My crank bolts take a 15mm wrench. Don't screw in bolts that bind on installation or they wont be
>> easy to extract if one fails.

> I can swear many of mine are. Most seems to be heat treated and blackish in color. I can't
> tell the chrome plated ones. These are from Campagnolo, SunTour Superb, Sugino, Shimano, and
> the rest ??

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/Japan/ST_sup_grp79.htm

The color does not mean heat treatment. It is a black oxide finish to reduce rusting. The old
Campagnolo "peanut butter wrench" is a 15mm box end and is used to tighten crank bolts and track
wheel axle nuts. It is called that because bicyclists used the flat handle to spread peanut butter
on sandwiches or at least considered it useful for that purpose.

Jobst Brandt [email protected]

 

[Jjpsych]

John Henderson <[email protected]> wrote in message > Do you mean that the socket slips on
the bolt head?
>

No, I meant that the bolt rounded off. Yes, I verified that it was a 14mm and not a 15mm before I
tried to extract the bolt. When I applied the pressure, the bolt head rounded off without backing
out at all.

So, taking Mr. Muzi's advise, I bought a 5/15" cobalt drill bit. A couple of minutes of drilling,
and the problem was solved. The bolt head (or what was left) came out, on went the crank puller, off
came the crank arm....and a beer was consumed in Mr. Muzi's honor

FWIW, I would recommend this method over trying to slip a saw blade (of any type) behind the
crankarm and cut the spindle. Given that both methods are going to trash the BB spindle/BB, this way
did not risk an errant saw stroke damaging the crankarm or the frame.

 

[A Muzi]

-snip crank bolts-

[email protected] wrote:
> The color does not mean heat treatment. It is a black oxide finish to reduce rusting. The old
> Campagnolo "peanut butter wrench" is a 15mm box end and is used to tighten crank bolts and track
> wheel axle nuts. It is called that because bicyclists used the flat handle to spread peanut butter
> on sandwiches or at least considered it useful for that purpose.

Here's a photo ( bottom of the page) of the classic peanut better wrench and her
revisionist daughter.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[A Muzi]

-snip crank bolts-

[email protected] wrote:

> The color does not mean heat treatment. It is a black
oxide finish to
> reduce rusting. The old Campagnolo "peanut butter
wrench" is a 15mm
> box end and is used to tighten crank bolts and track
wheel axle nuts.
> It is called that because bicyclists used the flat handle
to spread
> peanut butter on sandwiches or at least considered it
useful for that
> purpose.

Here's a photo ( bottom of the page) of the classic peanut better wrench and her
revisionist daughter.

http://www.yellowjersey.org/sensible.html

(damn. I dropped the link the first time)
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Rick Onanian]

On Mon, 01 Dec 2003 17:25:47 GMT, [email protected] wrote:
>The color does not mean heat treatment. It is a black oxide finish to reduce rusting. The old
>Campagnolo "peanut butter wrench" is a 15mm

Er...wouldn't an 'oxide finish' be rust itself?

I once bought a set of screwdrivers from a bargain bin that said 'black oxide finish', and sure
enough, they were rusty.

>Jobst Brandt [email protected]
--
Rick Onanian

 

[Jobst Brandt]

Rick Onanian writes:

>> The color does not mean heat treatment. It is a black oxide finish to reduce rusting.

> Er...wouldn't an 'oxide finish' be rust itself?

There are different types of oxides and black oxide gives some corrosion resistance over a bare
steel surface. This oxide also is porous and will absorb oil. Bicycle chains are typically black
oxide finish unless the user lays value on a shiny nickel plated chain. The nickel plate is
microscopically thin anyway because an oily chain only tends to rust if not used and lubricated.

> I once bought a set of screwdrivers from a bargain bin that said 'black oxide finish', and sure
> enough, they were rusty.

So?

Jobst Brandt [email protected]