4Rings6Stars

I have been piecing together parts to upgrade my Merckx AX for months. Today the last piece finally showed up (Chorus UT crankset) and I had the afternoon free so I decided to strip the old parts off and build it up.

Pulled the pedals off easily. Dug out my crank puller and greased the threads, threads in smoothly and the drive side crank arm slides off like butter. Grease threads again, thread tightly into non-drive side, start to torque the crank puller and it resists a little more than the other side...I didn't want to risk anything so I backed it out. Applied some penetrating oil to front and back of the spindle interface and let it sit for a while. Tapped it with a rubber mallet a little to free help things up, and tried again. Resistance, resistance...ahhh it's free. Not. The crank remover came out nicely....along with all of the threads from the crank.

I don't want to damage the frame, but I have no problem wrecking the bottom bracket spindle and the crank arm even. It's 9s Campagnolo Athena in nice shape, so certainly far from junk but means nothing to me compared to the frame.

What are my options?

I was hoping to be able to just pull the BB out with the arm still attached, but the crank arm is in the way and I can't remove the nds cup.

Hack saw the spindle? Cry?

Here is what was waiting for me when I got home from class and how I was hoping to spend the evening...



Here is how my day ended up...

Rodion R

I've never had a problem like this but why not just hack away at the crank arm. I don't imagine it is of much use now anyway with the striped threads.

wrk101

Automotive style puller, can usually borrow them for free at your local auto parts store.

echo

I've heard wedges work good for this.

auchencrow

Have you tried a torch? (Alloy expands faster than steel so you might be able to pry if off if you heat it good.)

Chris_in_Miami

Ugh, what a drag! If you could get the cup out, it would be a simple matter of pressing out the spindle, then you've only lost the arm. I'd probably try looking for a ball joint tool ("pickle fork") that is wide enough to straddle the spindle.

In all honesty, I wouldn't bother with that unless you're planning to reuse the crank arm. Time to break out the sawsall and cut the arm off.

teetime

Clean the threads of the crank. There is a tool for that. https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-...uare-type-only

Use a different extractor next time. Do not grease the threads.

If you must destroy something, destroy the crank arm, since it's halfway there. Nothing wrong with the BB, yet.

BentLink

I used a gear puller plus a hot water bath to thermally expand the arm (coefficient for the Al crank arm > coefficient of the steel BB).

whatwolf

What if you put the other side back and ride it till it falls off?

Edit: as safely as possible, of course.

teetime

From the Park link I posted above:

If the threads are completely stripped, the arm is basically ruined. A simple removal method uses the concept of how arms are kept on the bike. Pressure from the crank bolt keeps it on, so you will need to remove that pressure. Loosen the bolt or nut three or four turns. Ride the bike hard, uphill. The crank hole is a tapered fit onto a tapered spindle. The flexing under stress will cause the arm to loosen, but it will also cause the crank hole to become enlarged, ruining the arm. Use care when riding; you don't want the arm to fall completely off when pedaling.
It is also possible to use a hacksaw to cut into the arm at the spindle joint. A cold chisel can then be used to split the arm. Again, the arm is basically ruined when the threads are completely stripped, so destructive removal should be considered as an option

4Rings6Stars

Thanks for the info everybody.

I thought about the pickle fork idea, but I don't want to use that until it's removed from the frame since I don't want to pry against the bb shell.

I live in a small apartment in the city and have almost nothing for real tools. I'll probably bring it out to my parents' house this weekend and go at the arm with a hacksaw.

The idea of putting it together with the bolt not tightened all the way and riding it sounds okay too, but I think it's pretty fused on there so it might take a while.

WNG

You need an idler arm or tie rod remover/puller. You may be able to borrow them at your local Autozone store.

thread the bolt back on leaving some gap. Slide the puller over the back of the arm and tighten the extractor against the bolt face.

https://www.harborfreight.com/tie-rod...ller-1752.html

Novakane 

I had this happen once with a crank I didn't care for. I used a cutting wheel on my dremel and sliced it off. Took a little time but it came off fine. I tried a saws-all but found I had a hard time keeping things in place for the reciprocation to not buck things around.

4Rings6Stars

Excellent idea (and I think others were alluding to it above but I was picturing something else).

Thanks everybody!

teetime

Ride it or cut it, if you can't clean up the threads sufficiently with the referenced Bicycle Research Company tool, the TC-8. I have a TC-8, and have used it successfully.

As the Park site explains, physics holds the crank on, easier to ride it off than pull it off. You don't want to ruin the BB.

Henry III

I think someone else mentioned it also but you could always ride on it but no hard. It might work it loose. Just thread spindle bolt in half way. I wouldn't take a hacksaw to it even though the crank arm is kind of hosed. Otherwise the crank idler pulley works as I have one in my bike tool box for pulling french cranks. If you do pull it with the puller just thread the bolt in half way or you might mess up the spindle also.

10speedterror

if your gonna ride it off do it on a trainer so youre not stuck walking home!

robtown

+1 I tried an auto puller and couldn't figure out how to use it - a $15 mistake. The dremel with cutting disc worked fine. I cut through one side and the crank pulled off.

Dan Burkhart 

You could look for someone with a Stein or Var crank extractor system to remove it for you, and then fit it with the oversize self extractors so removing it in the future won't be a problem.
I'm equipped to do that, but I think you could find someone a wee bit closer.

puchfinnland

I was just pulling my Campagnolo 150mm junior set the other night and wanted to take no risks as they are unreplaceable.

I did as you did, greased the tool and when I noticed the prssure was getting too high I stopped.

I removed the tool, and heated the arm up toasty hot, using leather gloves I quickly used the tool and it came off with little effort.

In your current situation use the automotive tool but do heat the arm up before the pull-
heat does wonders in these situations

by no means do you need to "hack the spindle"

if all else fails drill a series of holes across both sides of the crank arm to weaken the metal,
it will then take only light use of a chisel to have it free.
a hacksaw to the crankarm also works.
make sure to properly recycle your aluminum!

MetinUz

You can also re-tap the crank threads to TA or Stronglight diameter, then use the appropriate extractor (after applying some heat). Any decent bike shop should be able to do that.

randyjawa 

Actually, this is not a difficult problem to solve.

With the non-drive side crank removed, you can use the adjustable cup and some spacers to load up the drive side of the bottom bracket/crank arm. just thread the adjustable cup in, install a couple of spacers between the spingle bolt/nut and then loosen off the adjustable cup. You can put a fair amount of pressure on the assemble.

With pressure applied and a nut or bolt installed in the drive side end of the spindle, give a smart rap with a metal hammer. A couple of raps will be sufficient. Do not beat the pi$$ out of it. Just a couple of sharp raps. Now check the adjustable cup for loose and apply more pressure. Repeat and the drive side crank will eventually pop off.

rootboy 

You were picturing something else because I don't think the one shown will work. I've got all sorts of small pullers. Let me know if you want to borrow one. I'm on the Cape so shipping it up wouldn't be too much trouble. That said, they're pretty cheap at the parts store.

PeregrineA1 

Randyjawa's suggestion is good. When I used to do alot of work on automotive suspension we would use a similar method on steering ball joints. Loosen up the nuts, a couple of sharp wraps on the tie rod and the ball joint would fall out. The assembly of the ball joint and tie rod are very similar in concept to a crank arm and spindle.

Bianchigirll 

Stein makes a great tool for this but it is pricy. It is a tap that over sizes the threads to 23.5 or was it 24 don't recall. Then you put a special sefl extractor that they make. I'll see if I can find a link.

I was thinking of buying one but it is about $200 for the tools and about $25 for a few extractors.

https://jastein.com/Html/Tools_for_Cranks.htm

Here is a another thread on the subject and better tool of the Stein tap.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ein+crank+tool