using a crank puller

[davek]

Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
lunchtime...

One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force on
the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging the
BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?

d.

 

[Colin Blackburn]

davek wrote:
> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
> but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
> URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
> lunchtime...
>
> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force on
> the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging the
> BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
> spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?

From one example from personal experience a possibility is that you
will strip the threads on the cranks leaving crank puller and spindle fine!

Colin

 

[Simonb]

davek wrote:
> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
> but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
> URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
> lunchtime...
>
> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force
> on the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging
> the BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
> spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?

Is it a hollow spindle? If so, you need a plug to stop the puller pushing
into the hole:

http://www.sjscycles.com/store/item3310.htm (probably cheaper elsewhere)

 

[Simon D]

"davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
> but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
> URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
> lunchtime...
>
> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force on
> the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging the
> BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
> spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?
>

You couldn't have left a crank bolt washer in place inside the crank, could
you?

 

[marc]

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 12:11:56 -0000, Simon D wrote:

>> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force on
>> the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging the
>> BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
>> spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?
>>
>
> You couldn't have left a crank bolt washer in place inside the crank, could
> you?

Been there got the blushes!

 

[dkahn400]

davek wrote:
> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank
> puller, but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast.
> Having consulted URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords
> for some PlusGas at lunchtime...
>
> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme
> force on the crank puller could actually make the problem worse
> by damaging the BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank
> puller /into/ the spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to
> avoid this?

No, the blunt end of the crank puller should be too wide to fit into
the bolt hole on the end of the BB spindle, which is extremely hard,
and will not damage it. The usual mode of damage when the crank is
stuck is to pull the threads clean out of the crank. Therefore make
sure that the inner part of the puller is fully out before screwing the
outer into the crank, and make sure the outer is all the way in before
screwing in the inner.

This is supposed to avoid the danger of stripping the crank, but I've
had this happen on a really stuck crank in spite of these precautions.
I then used a car hub puller on the crank. The centre of the hub
puller, being more slender than a crank remover, worked it's way into
the BB spindle which acted as a die and cut a thread on it. (The BB
spindle itself was undamaged.) I then put a bolt into the spindle and
tried again. The hub puller finally broke the crank but still didn't
loosen its grip on the spindle. I had to saw the thing off in the end.
:-(

--
Dave...

 

[Simon D]

"marc" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 12:11:56 -0000, Simon D wrote:
>
>>> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force on
>>> the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging the
>>> BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
>>> spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?
>>>
>>
>> You couldn't have left a crank bolt washer in place inside the crank,
>> could
>> you?
>
> Been there got the blushes!

And the stripped crank threads? ;-)

 

[RG]

"dkahn400" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> davek wrote:
>> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank
>> puller, but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast.
>> Having consulted URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords
>> for some PlusGas at lunchtime...
>>
>> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme
>> force on the crank puller could actually make the problem worse
>> by damaging the BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank
>> puller /into/ the spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to
>> avoid this?
>
> No, the blunt end of the crank puller should be too wide to fit into
> the bolt hole on the end of the BB spindle, which is extremely hard,
> and will not damage it. The usual mode of damage when the crank is
> stuck is to pull the threads clean out of the crank. Therefore make
> sure that the inner part of the puller is fully out before screwing the
> outer into the crank, and make sure the outer is all the way in before
> screwing in the inner.
>
> This is supposed to avoid the danger of stripping the crank, but I've
> had this happen on a really stuck crank in spite of these precautions.
> I then used a car hub puller on the crank. The centre of the hub
> puller, being more slender than a crank remover, worked it's way into
> the BB spindle which acted as a die and cut a thread on it. (The BB
> spindle itself was undamaged.) I then put a bolt into the spindle and
> tried again. The hub puller finally broke the crank but still didn't
> loosen its grip on the spindle. I had to saw the thing off in the end.
> :-(
>
> --
> Dave...
>
Agree with all that ... but try this : Being very careful, get someone to
pour boiling water (from a kettle) over the crank area around the spindle as
you try and turn the crank puller - the theory is that the crank metal and
the spindle metal will react to the heat and expand slightly differently.
It's worked for me. In extreme cases try the heat with a gas blowlamp, and
you can always try a longer spanner (or a bit of tubing) to get more
leverage on the crank puller. Usual disclaimers!!

RG

 

[davek]

I don't think so, but I'll check before having another go at it.

d.

 

[davek]

Not hollow, I don't think, except for the hole in the end that the bolt
screws into. A stopper would definitely avoid the problem I was
concerned about, but I hadn't thought about the possibility of
stripping the crank threads so that's something else to worry about
instead...

d.

 

[Pete Biggs]

davek wrote:
> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
> but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
> URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
> lunchtime...
>
> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force
> on the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging
> the BB spindle.

They can require quite a bit of welly sometimes. Don't forget (assuming
square taper) that you're pulling the expanded crank off the spindle with
simple plain old brute force. Unfortunately I can't feel your cranks via
the internet!

~PB

 

[Simonb]

Pete Biggs wrote:

> Unfortunately I
> can't feel your cranks via the internet!

One day, Pete. One day...

 

[Mark McNeill]

Response to Simonb:
> > Unfortunately I
> > can't feel your cranks via the internet!
>
> One day, Pete. One day...
>

When the technology arrives, I somehow suspect it won't be feeling *bike*
cranks which will encourage its spread, though.

--
Mark, UK.

"CYCLIST WEDS - - News? Faith then I can't see it. Why, pray,
should cyclists not wed? Is there something in the exercise of
the craft, some secret vow, some occult commitment that makes
the founding of a family, the cultivation of the sweet domestic
arts, the cherishing of womankind (aplurally) incompatible with
cyclism? Are we to infer, forsooth, that there was never any Mrs
Sturmey Archer?"

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>,
davek ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
> but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
> URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
> lunchtime...

Use a blowtorch. No, I'm serious - I had problems with a stuck pedal
recently, mangled my best pedal spanner heaving on it, couldn't get it
to move, tried everything. Then put the blowtorch on the crank for two
minutes and the pedal came off easily as you like, and afterwards there
was no visible damage to either part. I think the trick is to heat the
aluminium crank quickly, and not leave the torch on long enough for the
heat to transfer to the steel part. That way the aluminium expands and
the part becomes loose. You need to get it off quick while it's still
hot, of course, so having the crank-puller in place before you start
heating the crank is probably a good idea.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Want to know what SCO stands for?
;; http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20030605

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>,
dkahn400 ('[email protected]') wrote:

> davek wrote:
>> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank
>> puller, but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast.
>> Having consulted URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords
>> for some PlusGas at lunchtime...
>>
>> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme
>> force on the crank puller could actually make the problem worse
>> by damaging the BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank
>> puller /into/ the spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to
>> avoid this?
>
> No, the blunt end of the crank puller should be too wide to fit into
> the bolt hole on the end of the BB spindle, which is extremely hard,
> and will not damage it. The usual mode of damage when the crank is
> stuck is to pull the threads clean out of the crank.

Been there, done that.

> Therefore make
> sure that the inner part of the puller is fully out before screwing
> the outer into the crank,

Uh-huh [hangs head in shame].

Use a blowtorch.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
; ... of course nothing said here will be taken notice of by
; the W3C. The official place to be ignored is on www-style or
; www-html. -- George Lund

 

[Simonb]

Mark McNeill wrote:

> When the technology arrives, I somehow suspect it won't be feeling
> *bike* cranks which will encourage its spread, though.

So "cranks" wasn't a euphemism then? Funny old group, this.

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

dkahn400 wrote:

> This is supposed to avoid the danger of stripping the crank, but I've
> had this happen on a really stuck crank in spite of these precautions.
> I then used a car hub puller on the crank. The centre of the hub
> puller, being more slender than a crank remover, worked it's way into
> the BB spindle which acted as a die and cut a thread on it. (The BB
> spindle itself was undamaged.) I then put a bolt into the spindle and
> tried again. The hub puller finally broke the crank but still didn't
> loosen its grip on the spindle. I had to saw the thing off in the end.
> :-(
>
Been there, done that. I grease the tapers now. FWIW, TA recommend
greasing tapers even if Shimano don't. If no-one believes me I'll scan
the instructions for the Axix Light BB.

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

Simon Brooke wrote:

> in message <[email protected]>,
> davek ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
>
>>Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
>>but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
>>URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
>>lunchtime...
>
>
> Use a blowtorch. No, I'm serious - I had problems with a stuck pedal
> recently, mangled my best pedal spanner heaving on it, couldn't get it
> to move, tried everything. Then put the blowtorch on the crank for two
> minutes and the pedal came off easily as you like, and afterwards there
> was no visible damage to either part. I think the trick is to heat the
> aluminium crank quickly, and not leave the torch on long enough for the
> heat to transfer to the steel part. That way the aluminium expands and
> the part becomes loose. You need to get it off quick while it's still
> hot, of course, so having the crank-puller in place before you start
> heating the crank is probably a good idea.
>
Works if you have steel surrounded by aluminium, not the other way round
- so don't bother trying it on a stuck stem or setapost, kids.

 

[Rich]

"davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Had a go at removing cranks last night using a bona fide crank puller,
> but with no joy - the bastards seem to be stuck fast. Having consulted
> URC archives, I'll be popping down to Halfords for some PlusGas at
> lunchtime...
>
> One question though - I was a bit concerned that using extreme force on
> the crank puller could actually make the problem worse by damaging the
> BB spindle. Is it possible to drive the crank puller /into/ the
> spindle? or is it designed in such a way as to avoid this?

Couple of things:

grease the thread between the extractor/crank, as greased threads will take
considerably more force, making it less likely to strip,

and: grease the taper before putting the crank back. Without doing this,
you can get disimilar metal corrosion which can effectively weld the crank
to the spindle - I've had to cut cranks off before now, and I tried the
blowtorch too!

I've been doing the above for 20 years now, and never have a problem
removing cranks that I've put on.
>
> d.
>

 

[Jon Senior]

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> Works if you have steel surrounded by aluminium, not the other way round
> - so don't bother trying it on a stuck stem or setapost, kids.

Can be made to work on a seat post, but requires a little more
extremism. Namely... you melt the bugger out!

Jon