Anyone know if I can use a TA spindle with my Swiss thread Nervar BB cups, or for that matter does it have to be a French spindle to run French cranks? I guess I'm asking are all square taper spindles interchangeble?

John

Spindles are spindles, whichever one fits. The taper is what can differ.

All square spindles have a 2-degree taper, but there are at least two different standards for the terminal width. The other variables are total spindle length and distance between the bearing races. Nervar Cranks should work fine on TA spindles, and vice-versa, and the cups should be interchangeable, as well.

Since we're on the topic of Nervar cranks, I tried to use a standard crank puller on mine and discovered that the opening is not deep enough to thread it in. Is there a special crank puller for these old units?

I believe they have different threads, I couldn't get mine to work and used a gear puller. Harris' site has some pullers for TA cranks which I think would work on the Nervars, #393 on this page:
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools...ket.html#crank
They don't mention Nervar cranks so I'm just guessing, maybe someone knows forsure.

I'm thinking of putting my Nervar on my UO8 and putting a triple on my Grand Jubile, although at times I'm wondering why I'm venturing into French bikes.

If a standard 22mm puller is too tight, I don't think that a larger diameter T.A. puller is going to fit any better. The Stronglight puller is also larger that 22mm, so it's not going to work either.

Either the threads in the crank are an oddball size or they're damaged. I think I'd stick with the gear puller.

I pulled a 70s Nervar crankset off of my St. Etienne awhile back without a problem. Sounds like the threads on yours might be buggered.

Neal

Maybe I misunderstood, I was thinking the threads wouldn't grab meaning the tool was too small, and since mine stripped that sounded correct. I saw on an old thread that Sheldon Brown said the Nervar cranks use standard 22mm pullers. Nania, you said "the opening is not deep enough to thread it in", did you remember to remove the bolt? I guess mine stripped just because it was frozen to the spindle, it did POP really loudly when it finally gave with the gear puller.

Nervar did make a puller, I still have one. It has a big hex nut, and the body is quite long.

nlerner, Dirtdrop
The threads are perfect.

amnomad
Yes, I did pull out the fixing nut before attempting to insert the crank puller. The crank puller pin protrudes about 1/4" and that is enough to prevent the shell from grabbing the threads. I hadn't considered that the threads are probably incompatible so it's probably a good thing that it didn't fit. My other option is to replace or somehow straighten the outside chainring. Everyone I've spoken to has told me you can never straighten a chainring so that it will remain reliable but I just need it to be usable for my Peugeot beater.

Excuse me if I am a little confused here, you say the crank puller pin protrudes so you can't get it in, right? Well, you need to back off that pin. The pin moves back and forth thru the threaded part so that it can force the crank off the spindle. Back that pin off until it does not interfere with screwing in the puller!

I have successfully used my old Campagnolo and modern Park crank extractors on my Nervar Star crankset.

evwxxx
You are absolutely correct but the minimum insertion point (tool pin least protruding) leaves the pin out about 1/4". The crank puller is the nashbar one. I can link it if you are unfamiliar with it but I'd rather not give them any free advertising. Is this tool defective?

John E
Good to know. I may exchange/return this piece of crap for the Park version.

Well, not sure if it is defective or not, but all ones I use can be withdrawn just about all the way in (completely out of the hole, in most cases!)