Stuck Octalink Crank Arm Removal

[mike]

I tried searching, but could not find any real answers to the question
I'm about to pose. I've stripped the the extractor threads on the
non-drive arm of my Ultegra 9 crank (hollow-tech; octalink). I've done
this to Ritchey cranks before, but my only other problem with
Ultegra/DA was an extractor head that popped off. I tried a gear
puller, but couldn't get a decent grip. I also tried pulling it by
removing the BB through the drive side. I was putting so much torque
with my 2 ft 1/2" drive breaker bar and BB tool I was worried about BB
threads being stripped, so I stopped. Anyone been through this and got
the arm off? Please give me any reasonable ideas you may have on how
to remove - that allows me to save my frame. Yes I have read all the
nasty stuff about Octa, but it is what I have - please help.

Also, is extractor thread stripping symptomatic of Ritchey? I have
another one waiting to put on, and I'm now a little worried.
Thx for any help,
Mike

 

[Tom]

I've used a harmonic balancer puller with a modified steel plate behind
the crank. I drilled a hole with a slot (used a hacksaw) in the middle
so I could slip the plate behind the crank and drilled holes in the
plate to engage the bolts from the puller. When the time came I didn't
actually get to use the thing, my teenage son did (it was his bike).
It worked very well.

The actual puller bolt hits the center of the BB axle (that was
probably completely unnecessary)

Tom

 

[jim beam]

mike wrote:
> I tried searching, but could not find any real answers to the question
> I'm about to pose. I've stripped the the extractor threads on the
> non-drive arm of my Ultegra 9 crank (hollow-tech; octalink). I've done
> this to Ritchey cranks before, but my only other problem with
> Ultegra/DA was an extractor head that popped off. I tried a gear
> puller, but couldn't get a decent grip. I also tried pulling it by
> removing the BB through the drive side. I was putting so much torque
> with my 2 ft 1/2" drive breaker bar and BB tool I was worried about BB
> threads being stripped, so I stopped. Anyone been through this and got
> the arm off? Please give me any reasonable ideas you may have on how
> to remove - that allows me to save my frame. Yes I have read all the
> nasty stuff about Octa, but it is what I have - please help.
>
> Also, is extractor thread stripping symptomatic of Ritchey? I have
> another one waiting to put on, and I'm now a little worried.
> Thx for any help,
> Mike
>
with the right gear puller, it'll come right off. keep looking for a
tool with a better fit.

personally, i'd not use a ritchey crank because tom hasn't yet figured
out that "I-beam" cross section crank arms are more sensitive to surface
fatigue stress risers than modern ovalized ones like shimano & campy.

 

[Nate Knutson]

mike wrote:
> I tried searching, but could not find any real answers to the question
> I'm about to pose. I've stripped the the extractor threads on the
> non-drive arm of my Ultegra 9 crank (hollow-tech; octalink). I've done
> this to Ritchey cranks before, but my only other problem with
> Ultegra/DA was an extractor head that popped off. I tried a gear
> puller, but couldn't get a decent grip. I also tried pulling it by
> removing the BB through the drive side. I was putting so much torque
> with my 2 ft 1/2" drive breaker bar and BB tool I was worried about BB
> threads being stripped, so I stopped. Anyone been through this and got
> the arm off? Please give me any reasonable ideas you may have on how
> to remove - that allows me to save my frame. Yes I have read all the
> nasty stuff about Octa, but it is what I have - please help.
>
> Also, is extractor thread stripping symptomatic of Ritchey? I have
> another one waiting to put on, and I'm now a little worried.
> Thx for any help,
> Mike

I haven't used it but I think the Stein extractor thread repair system
works on Octa/ISIS, so if you find a shop that has it, you can save the
crank (it cuts new, larger extractor threads and then you use a special
self-extractor).

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

mike wrote:
> I tried searching, but could not find any real answers to the question
> I'm about to pose. I've stripped the the extractor threads on the
> non-drive arm of my Ultegra 9 crank (hollow-tech; octalink). I've done
> this to Ritchey cranks before, but my only other problem with
> Ultegra/DA was an extractor head that popped off. I tried a gear
> puller, but couldn't get a decent grip. I also tried pulling it by
> removing the BB through the drive side. I was putting so much torque
> with my 2 ft 1/2" drive breaker bar and BB tool I was worried about BB
> threads being stripped, so I stopped. Anyone been through this and got
> the arm off? Please give me any reasonable ideas you may have on how
> to remove - that allows me to save my frame. Yes I have read all the
> nasty stuff about Octa, but it is what I have - please help.

Are the threads gone or just buggered up? If buggered up, there are
taps for these, then use the little spud for pulling these and a good
crank puller-like Campagnolo. If the threads are gone-a tie rod tool,
which will get it off and kill the arm and the BB cup.
>
> Also, is extractor thread stripping symptomatic of Ritchey? I have
> another one waiting to put on, and I'm now a little worried.

Stripping are symtomatic of not lathering the octalink ends with
GREASE.
> Thx for any help,
> Mike