Am replacing the middle chainring on an FSA Gossamer (external bearing) triple crankset for the first time. The “nuts” at the back of the middle ring that the chainring bolts screw into almost, but not quite, clear the small ring when I try to remove them out the back (toward the left side). So they won’t come out and I can’t remove the middle ring unless I either remove the inner ring first, or at least loosen it enough to allow a little play enabling the chainring “nuts” to slip out past it.

Complicating it is the fact that that my T-30 Torx is in a foldout set, and so is too long to reach the chainring bolts that hold the inner ring (from the back, or left side). Those bolts are too close to the bottom bracket for the tool to make it. Looks like I need to just remove the whole crankset and go from there.

Before going further, is there a way to remove the middle ring without removing the whole crank? Yeah, yeah, I know it’s only three more fasteners, but the crank is fairly solid now, and I don’t like disturbing it unnecessarily, or next I’ll be posting about a creaking crank! So, I'm ready to remove everything, but thought I'd ask here first, since I won't be completing the work until Sunday.

When you post about crank creak, we'll be here to help

Just remove the inner ring already. Use grease and reinstall to proper torque

Torque the monkey in a star-pattern: Tighten top bolt slow. Tighten lower bolt slow. Tighten a side bolt slow. Slow and easy so they all get up to the proper torque together. Nice & easy.

Mega-Tighten ONE-TWO-THREE - etc - is the very wrongest approach.

sounds like removing the crank would be the best way to go!

Thanks for the installation tips. Main question was does the crank have to come out?

Operator: re-read what I wrote. If I could remove the inner ring without removing the crank, I would have. So in you experiences, operator, how are you removing the inner ring without removing the crank? As I described in the OP, my Torx won't reach the inner bolts from the back (left) side as they are too close to the bottom bracket.

I believe you have answered you own question. The crank has to come off to change any of the chainrings.

Thanks, Hillrider. As you noted, that was my original thought. Having never done it before, I wanted to be sure I wasn't overlooking some simpler way.

I'm sure I could replace the outer ring without removing the crank, though. I already have it off by just removing the outer chainring bolts and sliding it past the pedal. But apppeared to me that, yes, the crank has to come off to remove the other two. Thanks, again, for the verification.

I'd remove the headset first. That way there would be no mistaking removing the crankset.