Mercier Kilo TT Repair / Build
 

I was recently given a Mercier Kilo TT by a friend and am currently in the process of fixing it up.

It is missing handlebars, brakes, seat and needs crank adjustment.

I think I can figure out most things searching the forum but I am having trouble with the cranks. Currently, they do not line up. They are almost completely perpendicular instead of being parallel with each other.

Any idea how to fix this?

Photo - drive.google.com/file/d/1Jq47OUm2Kc72foQosRtcVh63_JWDIu0H/view?usp=sharing

Pull the non-drive side crank arm off and replace it in the correct orientation.

So... I decided to grab an allen wrench and jump right in.

However, after removing the cranks and having a little trouble getting them exactly parallel with each other, I noticed that the teeth inside of the crank seem to be somewhat worn down. Is this normal? Or is this the reason they were slipping?

Photos - drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UWVtPWDkQOyqYxkyzAGdF32lALY7lngy?usp=sharing

Really appreciate any help!

What is the crankset and model #?

It's a Powerspline bottom bracket in your photo.

It sounds like time for a replacement crank arm.

Not sure of the model number. It says "truvativ powered by sram" on it. I believe the model is "Touro" but I can only see "TO" as the rest is worn off. Looking at photos online though that seems to match.

Thanks! That is exactly what I did... Seems like the teeth inside are worn out though?

Gotcha. Are those teeth part of the other crank arm? Time to replace the entire thing? Sorry for the newbie questions....

No, the other side is the same.

Don't let me talk you out of replacing the whole thing if you are looking for an excuse...

Any recommendations on what to replace it with? I do have a spare crankset on an old 80s Fuji but I don't know if it is compatible or worth the trouble. Photo of spare crankset attached....


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f70323bed3.jpg

This is the crank picture
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1437b21569.jpg

Is this considered the crank or the bottom bracket? Sorry learning my terminology a bit..

Bottom Bracket

The splined shaft and bearings inside the frame are considered to be the Bottom Bracket assembly (BB).

The BB splined shaft is steel and unlikely to have been damaged by the softer aluminium crank arms or more specifically the teeth/splines inside those crank arms.
Not fitting (torquing) a crank arm correctly can result in it spinning on the splined shaft and damaging the soft aluminium splines/teeth in the crank arm.
Riding a loose crank will accelerate the damage.

I'd suggest cleaning those splines on the shaft and crank arms. Then inspecting the crank splines for damage.
Given that you suffered some spinning it is likely you have damage inside one or both crank arms.
If the damage is limited to the Non Drive Side (NDS) (the side without the chain ring) then replacing just that crank could be a cheap fix.
If your inspection shows damage on the Drive Side (DS), well... time to pay up.

Whatever you choose to do regarding parts, do get the correct torque when performing the reassembly.
If I'm correct, it looks like about 30 foot/pounds. You are unlikely to achieve that using a ~6" allen wrench.

All the best

Barry

Thanks! Are they all the same size usually? Could I swap cranks/bottom bracket from my 80s Fuji?

NO.... not even close!

The shaft design and size varies across brands.
EDIT: And even within a brand

Good to know!

Thanks, Barry! Very helpful. Does the bottom bracket look worn out to you? Or is it hard to tell? It looks worn out to me but I guess I don't really know what its supposed to look like in the first place.

As I said the BB teeth/splines are inlikely to have been damaged.
BB wear occurs in the bearings inside the frame.
It's not possible to judge from a picture.

Twist the shaft with your fingers, Does it feel smooth, does it bind up at all, does it have any play in it.
Even these tests are only an indication. It may be issues when actually under load.

Go look at your cranks first and determine if you are going to need to replace one or both.
It's possible the replacement cranks (if required) may require an entirely different BB. It may even come with one as a package.

Barry

Thanks, Barry. That is very helpful. The BB appears to be in good shape. It turns smoothly, doesn't bind up or have any play that I can notice.

The Drive Side Crank appears to be in good shape as well. I did not completely disassemble it but I used an allen and took off the cap and inspected the teeth inside. They seem in great shape and there is absolutely no play between the DS and BB.

Here are some photos of the NDS crank. My knowledge here is limited but the teeth do not seem to show excessive wear (?).
There is some wear to the interior (see second photo) but I don't know if this matters or not.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...25f2fa7efa.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...17a8696dca.jpg

The "is some wear to the interior"..... is where the teeth used to, and are supposed to, be!
The teeth/splines are GONE in that crank :eek:
That sir is a dead crank.
The remaining teeth are furthest away from the BB and don't actually engage with the splines in the BB shaft. Which is why they are still there.

Assuming the DS has not suffered the same fate, you now know which side needs replacement.


All the best

Barry

I concur. That crank arm is dead. It has shuffled off this mortal coil. It has ceased to exist. The only solution would be to find an exact replacement of the some make and model. Unlikely, as this is a relatively specialised item. Time for a new crank and matching bottom bracket

WOAH! Haha, I had no idea. No wonder. This is starting to make some sense to me now.

How would I check the DS crank? There isn't any play in it but want to be thorough. Do I need a crank puller?

This is all really helpful. Appreciate it. Hope I'm not boring you all too much!

You have to remove the DS crank. Same bolt in the middle as the NDS. It may come loose with a little tap... it may not.
But it's worth a try.

Although dedhed appears to be a man of few words, the link he provided is great!
Looks like it may prove to be just what you need. HOWEVER, you will need to check with someone in the know for Truactiv.

I'm more a Shimano kinda guy.
Even my fixed is shimano.

All the best

Barry

BTW on the inside of the crank will be a length in mm.
Usually between 165mm and 170mm
You will need to buy the correct length replacement crank.