Removing Centurion LeMans crank...
 

Hey there...so how do I get the cranks off of this bike? Took off the dust caps and unscrewed a big ol' nut, and this is what I have to work with...

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...gun/centbb.jpg

How do I proceed?

Looks like a fairly standard three-piece crank, which is pressed onto a square axle when you tighten that nut you removed. You get it off with a tool that first screws into the crank and then presses the crank off the axle. You can find one at any bike shop. My was from Park Tools.

Park Tools "How To" for crank removal: http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=103

Well, there is the problem...the tool I'm using is a Park Tools crank removal tool, but the thread is too big to fit the tool onto.

it should take a standard 22mm remover, but often the prob with the nutted ("Maxi style") spindles is that a standard extractor won't back off far enough to work and the tip is different. You might have to find a maxi-type remover. Make sure you're using the correct side if you have one of the Park CCP-1 pullers that have a TA (23mm) end as well as 22mm.

The knowledgebase mother lode is here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/cotterless.html

And when you get the right tool, make sure you screw it in all the way so you have maximum threads engaged.

Does that bike have pinstriping? Man I keep seeing that model all over the place lately. I think I am suposed to get one. It the high priced parks dosent work find a cheap one that isn t so finickey.

I believe CitizenChain still has several LeMans and Elite frames available; he PM'd me a few weeks ago to say they were getting ready to eBay quite a few of them but he'll make you a nice deal if you want to buy one direct.

I just bought a LeMans last week that I suspect is from the late '70s. It has an amazingly ornate lugged head tube. Silver and no pinstripping, tho.

I also have the standard Park tool and now wonder if it's going to be a challenge getting the cranks off. No doubt the BB grease is long gone....

Thanks 23Skidoo for the heads up on Citizenchain. I did pm him.

Never had a problem removing the bb on my Lemans.

The only crank that challenged me was the French Stronglight, which was a "convenient" 23.15mm thread for the puller (22mm is the norm).