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Crank puller

(26 posts)
  • Started 8 years ago by DaveC
  • Latest reply from DaveC
  • This topic is not a support question

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  1. DaveC
    Member

    I'm about to order a crank puller to remove a crank arm from a Stronglight Crank off a square taper BB. Do I need anything other than a crank puller. I'm replacing it with a Shimano, and have the crank and BB already. I have a tool for removing the Square Taper BB, as the splines appear to be inside the BB tube.

    What else do I need? I assume a crank puller is only for a Square Taper, and that there and not two types for square taper and Shimano road BB?

    I have a chain whip, a cassette locking socket, a shimano bottom bracket removal tool (socket).

    Would I benefit from a lockring spammer, and perhaps a Hollowtech II BB And Crank Arm Tool?

    I'm trying to become self sufficient, as I have a large stable of bikes now, and am thinking of upgrading the things I left out before like headsets and BBs.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    What else do I need?

    You need sympathy with aluminium - remember you'll have a steel tool screwed into soft alloy. Big bearings can seize up like they're welded and you can rip alloy threads with ease.

    Be gentle, feel what's going on as you do the work.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    When you say "Shimano Road" do you mean the sort with the external cup BB and the hollow axle?

    If that's the case then there's no crank puller, you just shove each half of the crankset together by hand through the BB and you just need to tighten up the plastic setting bolt thing (you can use your fingers, ish, or get the special proprietary shimano plastic key with the correct shaped head to do this. Don't use anything metal to do it as you will just overtighten and mash the plastic bolt) before using an Allen key to clamp the thing together on the non-drive side crank arm.

    The external cup BBs have external splines and you need the correct adaptor tool to tighten these up. Shimano recently changed the shape and size, requiring a new tool, but the last one I got had another adaptor piece in the BB box, to mate the new BB splines to the old BB tool!

    AS IWRATS says you do not need to go mad with the tension and screw the new BB in so tight that it damages the innards of your BB shell. It's all kind of held together at the correct tension by those 2 little Allen-head bolts on the non-drive side crank arm. And some magic. For this reason it's important to pay attention to the amount you tighten each of these bolts as there should be equal tension on each. As you tighten up one, the relative tension on the other side changes so give each a check after tightening the other. Otherwise you can have at best creaks or at worst one of the bolts working loose.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. DaveC
    Member

    Cheers, this is to remove the old Square Taper BB and crank and put on the Shimano BB and 105 road crank. Its initially for my Cylocross as I fancy giving it a try this winter.

    Then if I can tackle this I want to think about upgrading my MTB. Its got a cheap Deore Crank (~2010) and Hollowtech BB.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. wingpig
    Member

    Last weekend I tried to remove a left-hand Stronglight crank arm (in order to put it back on tighter with a proper crank bolt) after the self-extracting crank bolt minced its self-extracting bit a month or two ago. I now have a few turns of shredded thread on the crank where the crank puller was mightier than the crank it was pulling. Even though I can get the half-knackered self-extracting bolt out I can't then get the crank arm off by levering it from the back as the BB thingby on that side is plastic. Might require use of a large adjustable wrench and a mallet, or possibly a bike shop.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. DaveC
    Member

    @Wingpig.

    http://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-reversible-gear-puller-4-100mm-/12510?kpid=12510&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=Cj0KEQjwg8i_BRCT9dHt5ZSGi90BEiQAItdjpCMamAYxGa45KI7eLwHYA1FQtzpT5ea4yqhUz3RYB_EaAsu28P8HAQ

    This might help.

    Infact I may get one myself.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @wingpig

    Blowtorch mate. Heat, cool, heat again and then batter it.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. kaputnik
    Moderator

    @DaveC there's Hollowtech and Hollowtech II, I'm reasonably sure (others please correct me if I'm wrong) that the Shimano external cup "road" BBs are the same system as HTII just without using that name. My touring bike certainly has Deore XT crankset in Hollowtech II, as is the BB, and I've never needed a different tool from the one I use for the Shimano road BBs (until they've brought in this weird new adapter piece)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    @iwrats when you batter it do you still have to feel what you are doing, or can you just batter it.?

    Note that I am just south of stonehaven on the train. Feeling zen like yourself as has been a lovely sunny day so far, though lower cloud over cairn o mount way, having just left Laurencekirk on the choo choo.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @gembo

    Feeling and sympathy avoid the need for battering. Once things have gone wrong, rage and violence are not only appropriate but necessary.

    I did once fix a bicycle using a blowtorch and two of us battering it with club hammers. The other guy suggested molten germanium (I'm not making this up and he did know what he was talking about.) but we kept at it and got there in the end.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. gembo
    Member

    @iwrats, I guess when applying zen principles, the secret is to know when feeling and sympathies are appropriate and when battering is appropriate.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. DaveC
    Member

    ... molten germanium ...

    Is this a new Hybrid Anglo German bicycle?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Yes, you need a crank puller to get them off but you only need a BB socket and adjustable spanner to remove and fit the new BB and a hex key for the cranks. In theory. In practice imo the cranks will be seized. A good mechanic (e.g. cyclops) is then your best bet (and may well have been from the start).

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @DaveC

    Guy is Estonian. They like their amphoterics. I'm Scotch. We like our alkali metals. So it would be a Balto-Caledonian Periodic Mash-Up.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  15. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    In practice imo the cranks will be seized.

    Depends who put them on, how long ago and how the bike's been ridden. They're designed not to stick....

    Posted 8 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    That Screwfix tool is a gear puller with three 'hooks'. I never managed to work out to use on a crank without slipping.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  17. kaputnik
    Moderator

    So it would be a Balto-Caledonian Periodic Mash-Up.

    "Pure Baltic" would be a good name for a Scottish:Estonian business joint venture.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  18. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Scottish:Estonian business joint venture

    A cream liqueur based on herring. Forest products that get drunk and steal things. An internet gambling site that threatens you before you've even signed up.

    Just blue-skying this one, guys.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  19. wingpig
    Member

    @Iwrats How survivable are repeated blowtorchings for a cheese-alloy crank?
    Seeing as cranks sometimes spontaneously loosen themselves through normal use I was considering just removing the crank bolt then going for a quick trundle up a safe hill before trying anything breaky.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  20. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @wingpig

    Generally once you're blowtorching it means that the threads are knackered and you'll be hammering a joint splitter in between the bottom bracket and the crank to remove it.

    But sometimes not - just heat, cool, heat and tap sharply with a ball-peen hammer and the extractor will do the rest.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  21. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    ime got spell-checked to imo. I've had two Hollowtech cranksets seize. I wouldn't bother with them but I prefer the period look of the old Dura cranks on my venerable ally frames.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  22. DaveC
    Member

    Yes, I know Hollowtech II have a rubbish rep, and will be replacing it asap.

    I've bought a Crankpuller as no one said there were any flavours.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  23. Cyclops
    Member

    There are two different sizes of crank puller - square taper and splined. As square taper are far more common you've likely bought one of them.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  24. DaveC
    Member

    [Thumbs Up!] Cheers Cyclops.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  25. wingpig
    Member

    If it wasn't you can borrow mine, though I won't have time to be going anticlockwise along the NEPN on any of this week's mornings.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  26. DaveC
    Member

    Many thanks Wingpig. I've been offered one from a work colleague but want to be self sufficient, and am reluctant to borrow tools, except from Baldcyclist, I borrow his wheel building jig los and lots!

    Posted 8 years ago #

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