Bicycle Mechanics - How do you remove a crank?

is there any special tools/tricks to removing a cotterless crank? if there are tools is there any way to do it with out these tools?

It can be done without the proper tools but it will damage your cranks. Park makes a crank puller that costs $10/$15. It's a good investment if you're going to do your own work.

when u use it. make sure u take the washer out. i learned the hard way. thank god it wasnt my 600 crankset.

Originally posted by WorldIRC
when u use it. make sure u take the washer out. i learned the hard way. thank god it wasnt my 600 crankset.

It is gratifying to learn that I am not the only one who has neatly press-fitted a crank bolt washer onto my extractor plug. :o


Edward,
Please do not attempt to remove a crank without a proper crank extractor. Even with the proper tool, crank removal must be done with care to avoid stripping the very fine extractor threads in the crank. Also, there are two different types, one for traditional bottom brackets with square taper spindles and a slightly different one for newer Shimano splined spindle bottom brackets.

Get a book on bike repair AND the proper tool before attempting this.

There ia also a tool for the newer ISIS drive system. There are some Campy cranks that require their own extractor. You will also need either a 8 or 10mm allen wrench (depending on your crank) to take off the fixing bolts. On some of the newer cranks (ISIS and Spline) and even Stronglight they have self extracting crank bolts so a tool is not required.

Yes. There is a special tool, a crank puller. Just about any bike shop should be able to sell you one for eight or ten dollars. Take off the dust cover on the crank. Unscrew the holding nut. Make sure that the metal washer is out before screwing in the puller. If the washer is not removed the puller may not get a secure enough purchase and strip the threads in your alloy crankset.
Make sure the puller is not cross threaded, and tighten it down snugly, all the way to the bottom. Turn the puller mechanism with a wrench and your crankset will become unseated from the axle.

If your threads in the crankset are stripped you can still pull the crankset away from the axle using the right sized gear puller. With holding nut and washer removed center the gear puller on the end of the axle, place the holding arms of the puller in the needed positions, and start screwing the puller. I have seen it done.

John G. Shaw
jpsgs@hotmail.com

And lots of crank bolts require a 14mm socket to remove them.Never saw one that needed a 10mm allen wench.

Originally posted by pokey
And lots of crank bolts require a 14mm socket to remove them.Never saw one that needed a 10mm allen wench.

So............I have never seen a 10mm allen "wench."

Park Tool (http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQindex.shtml) has great instructions for working on every part of your bike.

Sorry...........that should have been WRENCH. Broke my own rule about no whiskey before 10am.My bad.I bet there are some 10mm wenches around though?

There are also 15mm crank arm fixing bolts.