Suggestions for removing frozen dust cap

I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be frozen. The cap has an alen
wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into the cap without success.
The material appears to be a cross between plastic and metal with a very smooth surface. Anyone have
a suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a bike store?

 

Usually they are just snugged down tightly, not seized in place. Usually you can break the head off
by placing an allen key in the hole and prying. It will begin to break up and you can clean up more
of it with a chisel or screwdriver and a hammer. Once you get the shoulder off that is pressed up
against the crank, you can usually turn it out using a screwdriver and tapping it around the
circumference of the opening.

Good Luck,

Scott..
--
Scott Anderson

"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be
frozen.
> The cap has an alen wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into
> the cap without success. The material appears to be a cross between plastic and metal with a
> very smooth surface. Anyone have a suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a
> bike store?

 

This would not happen to be a Truvativ crank? There was a batch of them that the caps came frozen on
from the factory (with alloy crank bots too).

G

On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 20:27:41 -0500, "BillX" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be frozen. The cap has an alen
>wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into the cap without success.
>The material appears to be a cross between plastic and metal with a very smooth surface. Anyone
>have a suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a bike store?

 

"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be
frozen.
> The cap has an alen wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into
> the cap without success. The material appears to be a cross between plastic and metal with a
> very smooth surface. Anyone have a suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a
> bike store?
>
>

"A cross between metal and plastic" Hmmmm.

Most of them are "chromoplastic" the stuff model car hubcaps are made of. Easy to drill. Those have
screwdriver slots because the material is too soft for an allen key broach.

If it has an allen, it's probably brass, chrome plated (or aluminum, but your description sounded
more like plated brass) . Easy to drill. A few are steel. Also easy to drill.

Try two holes in the face and then try to turn the cap. If that is not effective, get over trying to
save the cap. You can drill twice 180 degrees apart just along the thread with a 1.5~2mm drill and
pop out the cap in two pieces

Oh, and lubricate the new one. And not so tight next time either.
--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

In article <[email protected]>, BillX <[email protected]> wrote:
>I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be frozen. The cap has an alen
>wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into the cap without success.

1. Tap the spot with a punch to keep the drill bit from skating.
2. Your bit might be dull.

Can also dremel a slot and use a big fat screwdriver.

--Paul

 

On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 20:27:41 -0500, "BillX" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be frozen. The cap has an alen
>wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into the cap without success.
>The material appears to be a cross between plastic and metal with a very smooth surface. Anyone
>have a suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a bike store?
>

Are you sure it's a dust cap? If the "cap" has a nice shiny center with an 8mm hex opening
surrounded by a gray plastic ring, you just might have stripped the crank bolt.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

It's definitely a dust cap and not the crank bolt. For some reason it defies denting with a punch or
drilling. My bits are new so I don't think sharpness is an issue. Surface looks like it could be
crome. Haven't tried a little C4 yet ;-)

John Everett wrote in message <[email protected]>...
>On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 20:27:41 -0500, "BillX" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be
frozen.
>>The cap has an alen wrench opening in its center that is stripped. Tried drilling holes into
>>the cap without success. The material appears to be a cross between plastic and metal with a
>>very smooth surface. Anyone have a suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a
>>bike store?
>>
>
>Are you sure it's a dust cap? If the "cap" has a nice shiny center with an 8mm hex opening
>surrounded by a gray plastic ring, you just might have stripped the crank bolt.
>
>
>jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

> >On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 20:27:41 -0500, "BillX" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>I'm trying to remove a dust cap from a crank arm that appears to be
> frozen.
> >>The cap has an alen wrench opening in its center that is stripped.
Tried
> >>drilling holes into the cap without success. The material appears to be
a
> >>cross between plastic and metal with a very smooth surface. Anyone have
a
> >>suggestion on how to remove this cap other than take it to a bike store?

> John Everett wrote in message <[email protected]>...
> >Are you sure it's a dust cap? If the "cap" has a nice shiny center with an 8mm hex opening
> >surrounded by a gray plastic ring, you just might have stripped the crank bolt.

"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> It's definitely a dust cap and not the crank bolt. For some reason it defies denting with a punch
> or drilling. My bits are new so I don't think sharpness is an issue. Surface looks like it could
> be crome. Haven't
tried
> a little C4 yet ;-)

What brand of dustcap/crank are we talking about?

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

A Muzi wrote in message ...
>
>What brand of dustcap/crank are we talking about?
>

The crank is an 88 vintage Specialized. The dustcap is of unknown origin... not original
equipment. I was able to dent the cap with a sharper punch but still can't budge it. It may be
cross threaded :-(

 

> A Muzi wrote in message ...
> >What brand of dustcap/crank are we talking about?

"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The crank is an 88 vintage Specialized. The dustcap is of unknown
origin...
> not original equipment. I was able to dent the cap with a sharper punch but still can't budge it.
> It may be cross threaded :-(

That's a Sugino crank so the dustcap is 22mm. Could be any of a number of brands.

Dustcaps are commonly brass, chrome plated so they corrode mercilessly in aluminum arms if
installed dry.

They really should not be all that hard to drill though. Ensure your centerpunch is sharp, give it a
good whack and drill in the recess with a freshly-sharpened bit. Having wrestled with many of these
I assure you that you will prevail - be more forceful.
--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

Do I need drill bits designed to cut through steel? The ones I'm using are intended for wood.

A Muzi wrote in message ...
>> A Muzi wrote in message ...
>> >What brand of dustcap/crank are we talking about?
>
>
>"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> The crank is an 88 vintage Specialized. The dustcap is of unknown
>origin...
>> not original equipment. I was able to dent the cap with a sharper punch but still can't budge it.
>> It may be cross threaded :-(
>
>That's a Sugino crank so the dustcap is 22mm. Could be any of a number of brands.
>
>Dustcaps are commonly brass, chrome plated so they corrode mercilessly in aluminum arms if
>installed dry.
>
>They really should not be all that hard to drill though. Ensure your centerpunch is sharp, give it
>a good whack and drill in the recess with a freshly-sharpened bit. Having wrestled with many of
>these I assure you that you will prevail - be more forceful.
>--
>Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

"BillX" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]... -snip
dustcap, or we _wish_ we could snip that dustcap-

> Do I need drill bits designed to cut through steel? The ones I'm using
are
> intended for wood.

A regular HSS drill bit is perfect. Check the edges and sharpen if damaged. Mild steel or brass
doesn't require anything special. A $10 set of drill bits from your neighborhood hardware store
will be fine.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

Break it out of there.

Fire up MTB 03