Anyone here using aluminum crank spindle bolts by any chance??
 

I have pair of NOS aluminum crank bolts that somehow ended up with a Campy bottom bracket I bought from a fellow forum member some time ago. They were made by Sugino, and they look to be of high quality, compared to some I have seen before. Question is do they "work"?? I know that you use a steel bolt to seat the cranks on the spindle first, then use the aluminum bolts just to keep the cranks from backing off the spindle. But will the aluminum bolts take the everyday riding stresses that the crank will excert on it?
I guess I just want to know whether I should use them or just keep them as a weenie curio from the past and keep them away from my C&V bikes??:rolleyes:

I wouldn't use them, even after torquing the cranks with steel bolts first.

On the other hand, they'd make great earrings. It is Mother's Day, after all.

I used them right up until the non-drive side crank arm got wobbly on a ride. Then I decided the weight savings wasn't worth replacing a non-drive campy crank arm.

I've had some 70s vintage Arnold Industries aluminum crank arm bolts in service for a couple decades with no problems. Just be sure to install the arms with steel bolts before installing the aluminum ones.

It warms the cockles of my heart knowing some weight-weenie mad scientist had a "Eureka!" moment when he came up with this idea :)

Never use aluminum cockles, however! Too dangerous.

They stay up all hours of the night scanning their lab-rat bike with a magnet in search of ferrous metals.

I have a pair of old aluminum and a several pairs of Ritchey titanium bolts. Never used the al ones.

I used the Teledyne Ti bolts way back for they would never rust. Riding along the Pacific Coast Highway will do it eventually to Campagnolo bolts and no one used the covers. I was wary of the aluminum ones.

Yes, for all those lightweight bits, torque with steel, retain with the light stuff.

I used a pair on my SS for years (bike is under reconstruction). They never gave me an issue. I was using them on a Chorus BB mated to an FSA crank. "Needed" them for the bling. [Gold anodized]. I did install with steel bolts first, then r&r with the AL.

I guess there's just enough people here that tried them on their bikes for years with no problems. I think I'll give them a try on my weeniest bike (My Vitus Carbone) I'm no watt monster anyway at my age, so I doubt if I'll tweak the cranks on the bike enough to cause the Al bolt heads to crack....... just wonder now how much tightening torque qould be enough to keep the bolts on the spindle I suspect one could shear the heads of just installing it too tight.
Thanks guys!