diff_lock2

I have 15mm crank bolts, and i cant get a tool to fit.

I was looking for new crank bolts but these threads are INCH threads the local hardware store only sold mm's.

I went to one lbs who didn't have crank bolts or a tool, and the rest were closed (******** closing times at 6pm)..

Oh, so how do i tighten these bolts? or should i just get new bolts?

This pic might not help much, im too lazy to get another shot...

Sheldon Brown

It's not clear to me how you think the photo would help, since it doesn't even show the crank bolt!

Not all 15 mm sockets have thin enough walls to fit into the standard 22 mm dust cap threads. Generally, you want a high quality 6-point 3/8" drive socket. I've used Snap-on and Craftsman.

Generally, lower quality sockets have thicker walls to make up for the lower quality steel they're made of.

Generally 1/2" drive sockets are also thicker because they're intended to withstand higher torques.

You might do better to just buy a purpose-buit crank-bolt wrench, such as this:


Click for details

Sheldon "6 Point" Brown

diff_lock2

Yeah i know, but i guess the dust caps/ type of crank might help somehow.


And i don't know if i can find a crank tool with a 15mm socket, the cheapie one i have is 14mm and i think they're all 14mm (here at-least). And i went to a local hardware store looking for higher quality 15mm socket, non of them fit.

I hope i have more luck at the lbs's tomorrow (if there open!)

EDIT: that tool looks SOOO nice. But the LBS's here probably would sell it at more like 30$.

Homebrew01

I have a cheapie similar in style to this one (without the puller) you can have for a few bucks if you want. A Sugino I think.

https://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Strongli...QQcmdZViewItem


Or buy this one, but check that it's a 15 mm

https://cgi.ebay.com/crank-arm-remove...QQcmdZViewItem

Or take your 15 mm socket and grind it down on a bench grinder

diff_lock2

well how sure are you that it fits? (if i don't find what i want at the lbs's ill post detailed pics)

Ill get back to you on that after i have pillaged my lbs's , what i really want is a new set of bolts, that use a hex pattern.

If only alibrie worked in vista...

diff_lock2

Problem solved, went to a lbs and they gave me 14mm bolts that fit... its all good now.

DMF 

Hah! That is a cheapie tool. It's included in the cheapie set that preceded Performance's current low-end (Spin Doctor Essentials) tookit. It has both a 14mm and 15mm socket.

You can get a whole toolkit for about $40.

HillRider

One more point. I'm almost certain the bolts are indeed metric, not "inch" sized. Crank bolts are typically threaded M8x1.0. This is a finer thread than the more common M8x1.25 bolts so a hardware store's usual M8 bolts won't fit and you think the bolts aren't metric. They are, you just need the correct thread pitch.

And Sheldon is correct. A good quality 3/8" square drive 15 mm socket will almost always fit the bolt heads as the walls are thin enough to clear the crank opening. I've used Craftsman and Proto sockets with no problems.

diff_lock2

I dono about threads, but they guy pulled out a m8 nut, and said they dont have anything like it. And then said something about inches lol.

But as i said, i found bolts with the right pitch and all, but with a 14mm thing so now a norm crank tool fits fine...

HillRider

Right. The M8 nut he tried was threaded with a 1.25 mm pitch too. Of course it didn't fit.

diff_lock2

They should teach this ***** in schools.

Thanks for the heads up either way.