Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Shimano 5500 crankset arms not in line with each other

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Shimano 5500 crankset arms not in line with each other

Old 12-08-20, 08:15 AM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Cluj-Napoca
Posts: 8

Bikes: Chesini, Atala

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Shimano 5500 crankset arms not in line with each other

Hi there!
I need help for a new build.
The frame is a vintage Chesini the group is Shimano 105 - 5500 (9 speed, yellow).
The BB is completely new and genuine for this groupset,the crankset is used but in god's condition.
The problem is that the two crankarms when installed on the BB are not in the same line and I don't get it why.
(Sorry, I cannot attach pictures as I am a new member on this site)

Hope you guys have some ideas,
Thanks in advance

​​​​​​​Dávid
csibi_david is offline  
Old 12-08-20, 08:20 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,653
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 380 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 106 Times in 80 Posts
When you get 10 posts post a picture so we can see your problem. Roger
rhenning is offline  
Old 12-08-20, 09:27 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: South Shore of Long Island
Posts: 2,762

Bikes: 2010 Carrera Volans, 2015 C-Dale Trail 2sl, 2017 Raleigh Rush Hour, 2017 Blue Proseccio, 1992 Giant Perigee, 80s Gitane Rallye Tandem

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1073 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times in 710 Posts
That should be an octolink which will let you install the arms on wrong, being one notch off means unaligned. Was dumb enough to do that once on a customer's bike which made for a funny moment and a bit of ridicule.
It may have a self extracting crank bolt, which would make it easy. just unbolt and reinstall. If you have to use a crank extractor you'll need an octolink specific one.
Russ Roth is offline  
Old 12-08-20, 11:20 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,095 Times in 741 Posts
Octalink bottom brackets and cranks will indeed let you install the crank arms out of line. You have to watch for two possible errors:

1. You installed one arm one notch out of line. Cure: remove and reinstall exactly at 180º apart
2. You didn't get the splines on the crank arm and bottom bracket spindle aligned properly and the splines didn't "nest" fully. Cure: remove and be sure the splines interlock correctly.
HillRider is offline  
Old 12-08-20, 11:47 AM
  #5  
Really Old Senior Member
 
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Posts: 13,822

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds.

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1774 Post(s)
Liked 1,230 Times in 851 Posts
Octalink misalignment would mean your arms are some increment of 45 degrees off, since it has 8 splines.


https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...66801&Enum=115
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Old 12-08-20, 11:59 AM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Cluj-Napoca
Posts: 8

Bikes: Chesini, Atala

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks for the answers.
The thing is that the difference is much smaller than 45° , I removed the arms, checked the BB and it really seems to me that the two sides of the BB are not perfectly aligned (I measured exactly). Is it possible that this particular BB has a factory problem?

P.s. I will make some other posts so I can upload some pictures for you to see
csibi_david is offline  
Old 12-08-20, 12:23 PM
  #7  
Really Old Senior Member
 
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Posts: 13,822

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds.

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1774 Post(s)
Liked 1,230 Times in 851 Posts
Originally Posted by csibi_david
Thanks for the answers.
The thing is that the difference is much smaller than 45° , I removed the arms, checked the BB and it really seems to me that the two sides of the BB are not perfectly aligned (I measured exactly). Is it possible that this particular BB has a factory problem?.......
I would be concerned that the splines are "messed up". There was a reason they went to V2 from V1.
Likely an "installer" problem.
What happens if you have the arms at 3 & 9 o'clock and stand on it?
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 03:36 AM
  #8  
Blamester
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,043

Bikes: Peugeot teamline

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 264 Post(s)
Liked 122 Times in 101 Posts
Originally Posted by csibi_david
Hi there!
I need help for a new build.
The frame is a vintage Chesini the group is Shimano 105 - 5500 (9 speed, yellow).
The BB is completely new and genuine for this groupset,the crankset is used but in god's condition.
The problem is that the two crankarms when installed on the BB are not in the same line and I don't get it why.
(Sorry, I cannot attach pictures as I am a new member on this site)

Hope you guys have some ideas,
Thanks in advance

Dávid
So when installing these cranks the first turn of the bolt is loose and you can align the cranks then. Wiggle them till you find the slot and then tighten. Then the bolt should tighten up as it pulls the crank on.
Your idea of the crank splines not lining up is almost certainly wrong. More like the crank is buggered from installation or not lined up correctly. 45 deg is not correct it is much less between splines.
blamester is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 07:29 AM
  #9  
Really Old Senior Member
 
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Posts: 13,822

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds.

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1774 Post(s)
Liked 1,230 Times in 851 Posts
Originally Posted by blamester
So when installing these cranks the first turn of the bolt is loose and you can align the cranks then. Wiggle them till you find the slot and then tighten. Then the bolt should tighten up as it pulls the crank on.
Your idea of the crank splines not lining up is almost certainly wrong. More like the crank is buggered from installation or not lined up correctly. 45 deg is not correct it is much less between splines.
Bull.
360/8 = WHAT?
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 07:38 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
SJX426's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
Posts: 9,580

Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8

Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1601 Post(s)
Liked 2,187 Times in 1,092 Posts
@csibi_david If you post in your gallery in your profile, others can see and post in this thread.
__________________
Bikes don't stand alone. They are two tired.
SJX426 is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 07:54 AM
  #11  
Blamester
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,043

Bikes: Peugeot teamline

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 264 Post(s)
Liked 122 Times in 101 Posts
Ok so I thought there where more splines and you can sit it against a spline which would leave it less than 45 which the op said it was.
No need to be angry.
Was the rest of the post ok.
blamester is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 08:16 AM
  #12  
Really Old Senior Member
 
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Posts: 13,822

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds.

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1774 Post(s)
Liked 1,230 Times in 851 Posts
Originally Posted by blamester
Ok so I thought there where more splines and you can sit it against a spline which would leave it less than 45 which the op said it was.
No need to be angry.
Was the rest of the post ok.
It was a waste.
Read posts 5 &7.
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 08:28 AM
  #13  
Blamester
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,043

Bikes: Peugeot teamline

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 264 Post(s)
Liked 122 Times in 101 Posts
Originally Posted by Bill Kapaun
It was a waste.
Read posts 5 &7.
Yours where very informative.
blamester is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 08:56 AM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: South Shore of Long Island
Posts: 2,762

Bikes: 2010 Carrera Volans, 2015 C-Dale Trail 2sl, 2017 Raleigh Rush Hour, 2017 Blue Proseccio, 1992 Giant Perigee, 80s Gitane Rallye Tandem

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1073 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times in 710 Posts
Somehow its built wrong. I would suggest getting a pin spanner and removing the outer lockring then the bolt and not removing the arms. See if the splines are actually lined up. I've seen these installed where it was a slightly tight fit so it was assumed things had been lined up and instead it was off by a few degrees and the bb cut slightly into the crank splines. Because it wasn't all the way it was possible to pull the crank and reinstall properly. But you want to look. If this has happened and it cut too deep that arm is garbage. If this isn't it, I've never heard of the arms or bb being milled wrong but anything is possible, I have seen other cranks bent out of straight by BMXers but that seems equally unlikely for road cranks
Russ Roth is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 08:59 AM
  #15  
Really Old Senior Member
 
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Posts: 13,822

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds.

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1774 Post(s)
Liked 1,230 Times in 851 Posts
Originally Posted by Russ Roth
.....I've never heard of the arms or bb being milled wrong but anything is possible, ..
The only "other" thing I can think of is if the arms are from different models/brands and don't "index" with each other.
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 09:43 AM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,095 Times in 741 Posts
Originally Posted by Russ Roth
Somehow its built wrong. I would suggest getting a pin spanner and removing the outer lockring then the bolt and not removing the arms. See if the splines are actually lined up. I've seen these installed where it was a slightly tight fit so it was assumed things had been lined up and instead it was off by a few degrees and the bb cut slightly into the crank splines. Because it wasn't all the way it was possible to pull the crank and reinstall properly. But you want to look. If this has happened and it cut too deep that arm is garbage. If this isn't it, I've never heard of the arms or bb being milled wrong but anything is possible.
That's exactly the situation I described in my post above. When I had a couple of FC-6500 Octalink cranks, I would always remove the autoextracting retaining ring and bolt so I could look at the interface as I assembled the arms onto the spindle. I was remarkably easy to butt the splines up against each other rather than nesting them correctly is you didn't watch.
HillRider is offline  
Old 12-09-20, 09:44 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
masi61's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 3,672

Bikes: Puch Marco Polo, Saint Tropez, Masi Gran Criterium

Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1158 Post(s)
Liked 439 Times in 312 Posts
blamester & Russ Roth are on the right track.

In my experience with Ultegra 6503 triple Octalink cranks, the One-Key Release makes removal with an 8mm Allen wrench easy.

It is with reinstallation where the one key release can make you think that the splines are fully lined up when they are not. So csibi_david - I believe with your 5500 crank the first thing you should do is to back off the 8mm Allen bolt and examine the spines on the back of the crankarms and also the BB axle splines for gouging. Hopefully they are not damaged.

For proper reassembly I have found that an 8mm Allen socket mounted on a sliding T-bar offers the necessary tactile feedback to apply even, 2-sided pressure to the bolt as it is snugged down. A short Allen wrench does not. I apply grease to the threads in the hollow axle in order for the One Key bolt to turn smoothly. Grease on the splines I believe is optional. As you start the threading the first turn or two with the T-bar onto the spline, you can wiggle the crankarm slightly forward and back to gauge if the splines are mating or “riding high”. If it is the latter, it will clunk down then you will feel that the splines are now squarely mating up on a sort of 8 point taper. Your T-bar with 8mm Allen socket can now be used to safely advance the crankarm with even pressure until it bottoms out. If you do it this way you will feel the greased threads and know that you have done it correctly, no torque wrench required.

The opposite crankarm installation is identical. You can visually tell if you are one spline off in which case Bill Kapaun is correct and that would be an obvious macro mismatch of 45 degrees from horizontal (drive side to non-drive side).

If you do the technique I outlined above where you wiggle the crankarm side to side when you first start to attach the 8mm One-Key release bolt, it will drop onto the splines correctly and you can pretty much see from the get go that any wonky-ness (if there was any to begin with) has now been dealt with and the arms are completely tight on their splines and in line with each other.

I hope this helps.
masi61 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.