Originally Posted by
partyanimal
Thanks again all. I bought the Park Tools CWP-7 but still can't seem to get the cranks off. Definitely no washer in there but as soon as tighten it down it just stops. I've tried holding the large part that screws into the threads and just turning the inner part that pushes against the BB to no avail - both sides. Any tips? I read someone say heat it up with a torch to loosen it up. Might invest in a 3-jaw puller as well. These things are not budging at all. Also pretty positive I'm using the correct (smaller) side for these square tapered cranks.
For the square taper spindle, yes, the smaller diameter tip is the correct size. You just might need more leverage to pull the crank arm off. Do you have an adjustable wrench that is about as long as the crank arm? Often, the position of the wrench and nearest crank arm helps. For example, I ow the instruction say to screw the fixed part of the puller for the entire depth of the crank arm threads. (Note, for the crank pullers with the built in wrench handle, I've cheated a bit, and backed the fixed part a quarter turn or so (never more than a full revolution), in order to position the handle into an advantageous position.) It's often easier to squeeze your hands together, while holding the adjustable wrench and crankarm is a scissor action. Or if you position the adjustable wrench and the crank arm at 90 degrees, that gives you good leverage. Once you break the joint loose, like a 1/4 turn, the arms usually slides right off with little to no force. It's just the initial 1/4 turn that is often very hard.