Plug for Shimano hollow bottom bracket / splined crank

A LBS just showed me a tool that Shimano sells for plugging the hollow bottom bracket and pulling my
Ultegra crank arm off using a conventional crank puller tool.

I would like to get one. Doing a Google search I found the part number to be TL-FC15. I only found a
couple of places selling them (all the web sites seemed to look the same). They were only a couple
bucks but they also said that they were for 105 cranks only.

So what is the deal? Is the plug slightly different for a 105 vrs Ultegra? Shimano Europe website
didn't mention anything about this.

Any info is appreciated, including alternative places to buy them.

Tom

 

Thomas Reynolds wrote:
> A LBS just showed me a tool that Shimano sells for plugging the hollow bottom bracket and pulling
> my Ultegra crank arm off using a conventional crank puller tool.
>
> I would like to get one. Doing a Google search I found the part number to be TL-FC15. I only found
> a couple of places selling them (all the web sites seemed to look the same). They were only a
> couple bucks but they also said that they were for 105 cranks only.
>
> So what is the deal? Is the plug slightly different for a 105 vrs Ultegra? Shimano Europe website
> didn't mention anything about this.
>
> Any info is appreciated, including alternative places to buy them.
>
> Tom

I think a nickel is supposed to work wonders - and its only five cents (and returnable
indefinitely!). IF its not a nickel, its some other coin, experiment a bit.

Jon Bond

 

On 1 Apr 2003 12:49:52 -0800, [email protected] (Thomas Reynolds) wrote:

>A LBS just showed me a tool that Shimano sells for plugging the hollow bottom bracket and pulling
>my Ultegra crank arm off using a conventional crank puller tool.
>
>I would like to get one. Doing a Google search I found the part number to be TL-FC15. I only found
>a couple of places selling them (all the web sites seemed to look the same). They were only a
>couple bucks but they also said that they were for 105 cranks only.
>
>So what is the deal? Is the plug slightly different for a 105 vrs Ultegra? Shimano Europe website
>didn't mention anything about this.
>
>Any info is appreciated, including alternative places to buy them.

The TL-FC15 is a simple steel plug that fits into the space created in the bottom bracket spindle
when you remove the crank bolt from one of Shimano's splined cranks. It provides a solid stop
against which a conventional crank puller can exert force. Across all Shimano splined models, the
crank bolt dimensions are the same, so the TL-FC15 fits Dura-Ace road, Dura-Ace track, Ultegra as
well as the 105 that you note.

Some track riders change crank length for various events and I encourage those with splined Shimano
cranks to use a TL-FC15 in concert with a conventional extractor rather than rely on the stock
integrated aluminum dustcap/extractor for frequent crank removal. We sell 'em for four bucks.
They're listed on the "Small Parts and Tools" page of the track section of our website. For those
who prefer not to take the scenic route through our main page (URL below), the express link is
http://www.businesscycles.com/trpart.htm (listed under the "crank bolt" section.

-------------------------------
http://www.businesscycles.com John Dacey Business Cycles, Miami, Florida 305-273-4440 Now in our
twentieth year. Our catalog of track equipment: seventh year online
-------------------------------

 

[email protected] (Thomas Reynolds) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> A LBS just showed me a tool that Shimano sells for plugging the hollow bottom bracket and pulling
> my Ultegra crank arm off using a conventional crank puller tool.
>
> I would like to get one. Doing a Google search I found the part number to be TL-FC15. I only found
> a couple of places selling them (all the web sites seemed to look the same). They were only a
> couple bucks but they also said that they were for 105 cranks only.
>

The Bike Tools Etc. site says that it'll fit all Shimano spindles: http://tinyurl.com/8n84

I've heard that you can substitute a small coin (penny? dime?). I can't say for certain- I'm a
square-spindle stalwart myself.

Jeff

 

Thomas Reynolds wrote:
> A LBS just showed me a tool that Shimano sells for plugging the hollow bottom bracket and pulling
> my Ultegra crank arm off using a conventional crank puller tool.
>
> I would like to get one. Doing a Google search I found the part number to be TL-FC15. I only found
> a couple of places selling them (all the web sites seemed to look the same). They were only a
> couple bucks but they also said that they were for 105 cranks only.
>
> So what is the deal? Is the plug slightly different for a 105 vrs Ultegra? Shimano Europe website
> didn't mention anything about this.

This tool works with all of the Shimano splined bbs, but theoretically is only _needed_ with 105,
'cause the higher-end models have self-extracting doodads in the arms.

If you don't trust the self-extractors (and I won't say you're wrong) one of these little plugs is a
good thing.

The trouble is, this is a REALLY easy tool to lose, it's quite small and looks like nothing much, so
when you need it, you may not be able to find it unless you're tidier than I am.

The Park CCP-4 crank puller is designed to work on splined cranks without any additional stuff.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools.html#crank

Sheldon "Now Where The Heck Did I Put That Thing..." Brown
+-----------------------------------------------+
| A government that robs Peter to pay Paul | can always depend upon the support of Paul. | --George
| Bernard Shaw |
+-----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

Capt Bike-<< The trouble is, this is a REALLY easy tool to lose, it's quite small and looks like
nothing much

Or use a shortened rear axle-into the BB spindle, with the bolt on the other end, for a normal crank
puller to push against-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Capt Bike-<< The trouble is, this is a REALLY easy tool to lose, it's quite small and looks like
> nothing much
>
> Or use a shortened rear axle-into the BB spindle, with the bolt on the other end, for a normal
> crank puller to push against-
>
>
> Peter Chisholm

That's the best idea yet. A shortened rear axle or anything else of about the same shape that
will fit throught the BB. As a aged Chevy hot-rodder I'm sure I have something in my garage to
fit the bill.

Thanks, Tom