Originally Posted by
50voltphantom
Is it a bad idea to replace square taper crank bolts without removing the crank arms before re-tightening?
Sorry to barge into Scrod's thread and answer a question he already answered, but I found this pretty interesting. It's an interesting "theory" that I am still not sure about, myself. But it relates exactly to what you are asking about and worth reading (and thinking about IMO).
Installing Cranks by Jobst Brandt