I have an old set of Italian cranks 1980's Galli's the issue they do not stay tight and today I was forced to walk home. I am afraid to crank down on them because they are old and seem softer than my Shimano's??? Is there a standard torque setting...not that I have a torque wrench yet but I need to do something.

No. Park Tool has a table but they just list specific manufacurer's recomendations: https://www.parktool.com/uploads/files/blog/torque.pdf. I didn't find anything on Sheldon's site.

Get a torque wrench. It'll save you from ruining those hard-to-replace crankarms. Here's a table of torque values:
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-...s-and-concepts

If they "don't stay tight" they could already be toast. Getting enough torque on the bolts from the beginning is critical.

+1 If the crank worked loose while riding, the square taper recess is probably damaged beyond repair and the crank is indeed toast. Cranks must be tightened properly right from the start and a torque wrench is the best way to assure they are.

IMO Big chance the galli are ISO and you have a JIS BB??? Is your BB shimano by any chance?? U dont need a torque wrench, nobody was using one 30 years ago when galli was in the market.

This is what I would do... add some carbon assembly paste to the crank and the BB just to add some friction, second thing is to add some blue loctite or red loctite to the BB bolts, just put it in the threads and let it dry, then install them in the BB ok? just to be sure the bolts will be in place all the time. And crank the sh...t out of the stuff.

If your axle is shimano u would try the miche one, is cheap enough to give it a try.

Get a torque wrench, grease the tapers and torque them to 25ft.lbs. and hope you haven't destroyed the taper in the arms.

Thanks guys...I never switched out the BB or cranks so it is all original stuff....I fear it is already toast but will try the loctite idea and see what happens..dam shame bike is nice.

Loctite won't help if the cranks are woggled out. It's not that the bolt loosens up, the problem is that the fit between the spindle and the crankarm isn't correct. If it's not just right, all the glue in the world won't keep them together.

check tha angle of the spindle "flats as well, a lot of Italian crnakds have a " campy" taper, if someon eput on a spindel with a shomano or standart taper that is what is causingyour problem, also make sure your fllats are completely grease free b4 you put them back together or you wil overtighten and deform your cranks

I'm having a similar issue, my left crank doesn't stay in. Three minutes after I start to pedal it loosens. I've had it at my LBS a few times, last time they replaced the washers (I think), I took it home but within 3 minutes of pedaling, loose again (should have tested it in the store). So I have a few questions:

1) What's the life expectancy on these things? I've had the bike maybe 4 - 5 years, and about 3000 miles on it. They're Truvativ Sram.
2) Is there a way to easily tell if it's toast (i.e., is my LBS being a bit lax when looking for the problem)?
3) They're suggesting using loctite next but I'm concerned if it's a busted crank (seems to me this should work naturally, without loctite), I may get stranded somewhere.

Thanks for the help.

There is a lot of variation in the recommended torque for tightening cranks to BB spindle, but most square taper alloy cranks attached to ball-bearing seated ales take from 20-35 ft-lbs. If your cranks are loosening I'd worry about worn out axle-crank mating surfaces.