Dominae

I removed the dust caps and threaded in my crank puller. When I tightened it down, it simply push out the threads destroying them. Now, I have no way to remove the crank with a puller. Did I use the wrong type of crank puller. Is there a special version for these Shimano Octalink cranks? Any ideas about how to get the cranks off? Are they ruined and will I have to replace them with new cranks?

AEO

yes, octalink, splined, have a different puller from square taper cranks.
https://www.parktool.com/products/det...26&item=CCP-44
https://www.parktool.com/products/det...26&item=CCP-22

if you check the head, they're slightly different.

thesmokingman

you can also get the pedro's universal puller, it has two tips one shimano/isis and one for older cranks.

Hawaiiwrench

Make sure you take out the washer.

Dominae

Thanks for the advice so far. The problem is I have no more threads left in my crank to screw the special crank puller into. My cran is stick on the bottom bracket and I need some way to get it off. I assume I'm not going to be able to pound it off?

thesmokingman

You can get a heli coil insert and tap that into the arm then use a proper puller. You can get heli coils from mcmaster carr or local hardware stores.

Dominae

OK that great But how do I know what size and thread count for the tapper? How can I figure this out?

thesmokingman

Bring the crank hole cap with you and tell the guy at home depot what happened. You want a coil that the crank cap will fit into and about that depth. Also, whatever gear you will need to tap or drive the coil into the arm.

CO_Steve

Beg or borrow a three armed gear puller. Most car guys will have one. It will take a bit of experimenting but you can get it on the spider arms and push against the axle and it will come off. Then worry about fixing the threads.

thesmokingman

I could see doing some irreversible damage with a gear puller.

Timbert

Most car parts stores like Checker and Autozone will loan you a gear puller for free. An alternative is to drill a hole in the arm, perhaps 3/16 inch and thread a bolt into it that will cut some threads of its own. When the bolt hits the bearing or cup, it will put pressure on the arm to back out. Just an idea, I've never tried it.

HillRider

None of these suggestions will work in any practical way. . Take the bike to an LBS and let them remove the arm.

And, BTW, Ultegra Octalink cranks have an autoextractor feature. You leave the "dust caps" in place and just unscrew the fixing bolt with tha 8 mm hex wrench. As the bolt comes out, it pushes against the inside of the dust cap and pulls off the crank arm.

I_bRAD

AKA let them work the puller

Dan Burkhart 

I suggest you call your better LBS s and ask if any of them have the Stein crank extractor. I have one of these, and it works great. It taps an oversize thread in place of the stripped out one. Install an appropriately sized self extracting screw, available from Stein or Var, and you're good as new.
If you are completely averse to dropping any coin at the LBS, then by all means, go ahead and try the external puller which you could probably rent for about the same price as the LBS will charge to do the job.

Soil_Sampler

see if it is going to be worth it price wise to have them removed and fixed.
there are a few places that crankset sells for $80, 105 crankset is even cheaper.
might be time to upgrade?

you were taking off the cranks to fix something, or try out your puller?

Dominae

Thanks for your help guys. I came up with a very low-tech way of solving the problem. I dumped boiling water on the crank arm, thereby expanding it. I used a hammer and 2x4, hit it a few times and it popped right off. Now in need to try to re-thread the crank arms.

I_bRAD

I'm getting me one of those stein tools. Thanks for the tip Dan

jtarver

This is a very bad idea on so many levels...

thesmokingman

Hot water... what a great simple solution.

Get a helicoil, it is common practice on stripped pedal threads so a crank cap is nothing. Helicoil inserts are very strong, many times more than the original alu thread.

Panthers007

+1 This is a absolute last-resort. Only to be considered if the tools available to a professional bicycle-mechanic have failed. And they very, very rarely do. Sort of like not having a claw-hammer to remove a nail - and using a stick of dynamite in it's place.

Hawaiiwrench

+1 again, Octalink cranks usually come off really easy compared to square-taper.
If you leave in the washer you will push off the threads and maybe even some of the splines.
If the threads are damaged, just buy a new one...

Dan Burkhart 

Hey Brad
Stein also makes an m24x1.5 removal tool to fit the new oversize thread for those that don't want to go the additional expense of a self extracting bolt.
Not really worth it for a home mechanic, but worthwhile for a shop to have.

doughboy

+1. No crank puller is required to remove the crankarms.

I_bRAD

It is for a shop. Got in touch with Jim, and we're getting a nice batch of new tools for this season. Based on the quality of his stuff we've got already I'm looking forward to it!

jccaclimber

First off, I've gotten octalink cranks from Shimano that have not come with self extracting dust caps. In fact, I got some new ones for a project two weeks ago. Second, something was cross threaded if you stripped those threads all the way down. It's easy to do, but you should bear that in mind in the future. The Octalink/Isis cranks do need a different puller head but you can get around that. Depending on how the cranks are set up there's a common US coin (nickel?) that works with some of them. Alternatively you can use a properly sized washer, or get a short wooden dowel rod, slip it inside the spindle, and cut it to length. To do remove the second arm, remove its bolt, then put the bolt back into the first side of the spindle and repeat. Depending on how your crank spider is made, a standard three arm puller often works as does a small arbor press, although those last two may permanently bend some of the arms on your spider depending on how it's set up. Bike shops (or your successful boiling water method) are also good alternatives. I do NOT recommend drilling a hole in your crank. People have also been known to use torches, although I don't imagine this will do good things for your crank if you aren't careful.