Both crank arms stripped and frozen
01-24-13, 02:37 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 4,466
Bikes: many
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 16 Times
in
13 Posts
Both crank arms stripped and frozen
So, am I encountering the proverbial immovable object?
I picked up an MB-2 last weekend and began to disassemble it last night. I discovered that the crank threads were already pretty far gone and I stripped them the rest of the way trying to get them off. I wouldn't be surprised if the spindle is also frozen.
Am I at the point of having to cut off the arms or spindle? Other reasonable options? If I have to cut, what's the best way, a Dremel?
Thanks,
RFC
I picked up an MB-2 last weekend and began to disassemble it last night. I discovered that the crank threads were already pretty far gone and I stripped them the rest of the way trying to get them off. I wouldn't be surprised if the spindle is also frozen.
Am I at the point of having to cut off the arms or spindle? Other reasonable options? If I have to cut, what's the best way, a Dremel?
Thanks,
RFC
01-24-13, 02:39 PM
#2
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 256 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,827 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Of course I'd say Dremel - with a fiber cutting wheel. It'll still be a bit of work, though 
Good luck!
DD
Good luck!
DD
01-24-13, 02:41 PM
#3
You gonna eat that?
I had a date with twins once. Ended up something like that 
If you can borrow a gear puller from an auto parts store, you may be able to pull the cranks off with that.
If you can borrow a gear puller from an auto parts store, you may be able to pull the cranks off with that.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi 
"However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.
Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
01-24-13, 02:57 PM
#4
Senior Member
I used a ball joint removal tool (pickle fork) to remove a stripped crank arm, worked great. Autozone will loan one at no charge.
01-24-13, 03:02 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 1,977
Bikes: Schwinn Paramount P15, Fisher Montare, Proteus, Rivendell Quickbeam
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
Loosen the crank bolts & ride it hard.
01-24-13, 03:14 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 133 Times
in
79 Posts
Pulley, or gear puller should work. Cutting them off with a Dremel is going to be a messy, hard job. But it'll work.
Auto Zone might loan you one of these too. Two jaw version recommended.
https://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...y%20Toolsmv=rr
Auto Zone might loan you one of these too. Two jaw version recommended.
https://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...y%20Toolsmv=rr
Last edited by rootboy; 01-24-13 at 03:19 PM.
01-24-13, 03:23 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 1,597
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 95 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I did it with a Tuning fork and a hammer on one of mine. I think pickle fork/balljoint tool are the same, right?
01-24-13, 03:33 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: france
Posts: 124
Bikes: 60cm center to top, sometimes 57 center to top
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
baseball bat.
Just get the frame set up somewhere nice and soft, preferably on grass and wack with baseball bat or other wooden bat like object. you might want to put some lubricant in there and let it soak in first. So far I have removed many cranks this way and not damaged any frames. I have tried the cutting and riding around with it loose, but always have to resort to the bat.
Just get the frame set up somewhere nice and soft, preferably on grass and wack with baseball bat or other wooden bat like object. you might want to put some lubricant in there and let it soak in first. So far I have removed many cranks this way and not damaged any frames. I have tried the cutting and riding around with it loose, but always have to resort to the bat.
01-24-13, 03:34 PM
#9
vintage motor
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Posts: 1,602
Bikes: 48 Automoto, 49 Stallard, 50 Rotrax, 62 Jack Taylor, 67 Atala, 68 Lejeune, 72-74-75 Motobecanes, 73 RIH, 71 Zieleman, 74 Raleigh, 78 Windsor, 83 Messina (Villata), 84 Brazzo (Losa), 85 Davidson, 90 Diamondback, 92 Kestrel
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 167 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 104 Times
in
81 Posts
Is it feasible to tap out the threads to a larger dimension? Like the old Stronglight threads?
01-24-13, 03:40 PM
#12
- Bikes Not Bombs -
01-24-13, 03:53 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: T.O.
Posts: 174
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
I have had success this way - Secure one crank arm in a bench vise. Put a steel pipe (about 3' long) over the other crank, and rock it back and forth.
01-24-13, 03:57 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 7,270
Bikes: '72 Cilo Pacer, '72 Gitane Gran Tourisme, '72 Peugeot PX10, '73 Speedwell Ti, '74 Peugeot UE-8, '75 Peugeot PR-10L, '80 Colnago Super, '85 De Rosa Pro, '86 Look Equipe 753, '86 Look KG86, '89 Parkpre Team, '90 Parkpre Team MTB, '90 Merlin
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 840 Post(s)
Liked 2,208 Times
in
569 Posts
I had a 1st generation C-record crank become fused to a spindle. My first attempt to remove the ds crank stripped the threads, then I bent one of the spiders using a gear puller (borrowed free of charge from AutoZone), then bent the spiders some more (using a different model gear-puller borrowed from Kragen Auto Parts). From there, I had to saw it off with a hack saw. It took about 20 minutes with a hack saw while I fought back tears. From an emotional standpoint, it was like cutting off a gangrened finger.
__________________
-Randy
'72 Cilo Pacer • '72 Peugeot PX10 • '73 Speedwell Ti • '74 Nishiki Competition • '74 Peugeot UE-8 • '86 Look Equipe 753 • '86 Look KG86 • '89 Parkpre Team Road • '90 Parkpre Team MTB • '90 Merlin Ti
Avatar photo courtesy of jeffveloart.com, contact: contact: jeffnil8 (at) gmail.com.
-Randy
'72 Cilo Pacer • '72 Peugeot PX10 • '73 Speedwell Ti • '74 Nishiki Competition • '74 Peugeot UE-8 • '86 Look Equipe 753 • '86 Look KG86 • '89 Parkpre Team Road • '90 Parkpre Team MTB • '90 Merlin Ti
Avatar photo courtesy of jeffveloart.com, contact: contact: jeffnil8 (at) gmail.com.
Last edited by gaucho777; 01-24-13 at 04:07 PM.
01-24-13, 03:57 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 133 Times
in
79 Posts
I can see this is leaning toward brute force rather than subtlety. Whatever works. I think I'd be tempted to beat it with a mallet too.
But I have gear pullers.
But I have gear pullers.
01-24-13, 04:05 PM
#18
- Bikes Not Bombs -
01-24-13, 04:07 PM
#19
Goes to 11.
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Wichita, KS, USA
Posts: 2,547
Bikes: 2015 Soma Double Cross
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Dry ice would be better, as the aluminum shrinks at a greater rate than the steel spindle. You'd probably still need to whack at it though.
01-24-13, 04:19 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 7,270
Bikes: '72 Cilo Pacer, '72 Gitane Gran Tourisme, '72 Peugeot PX10, '73 Speedwell Ti, '74 Peugeot UE-8, '75 Peugeot PR-10L, '80 Colnago Super, '85 De Rosa Pro, '86 Look Equipe 753, '86 Look KG86, '89 Parkpre Team, '90 Parkpre Team MTB, '90 Merlin
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 840 Post(s)
Liked 2,208 Times
in
569 Posts
Heat should help, but it will still require some force. (Dry ice would shrink the arm more tightly onto the steel spindle.) Perhaps heat in conjunction with a gear puller. Some more discussion with various options (both destructive and non-destructive) for removal here:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hat-BB-out-now
I would not recommend simply whacking it with a big mallet, for fear of damaging the frame and/or BB.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...hat-BB-out-now
I would not recommend simply whacking it with a big mallet, for fear of damaging the frame and/or BB.
__________________
-Randy
'72 Cilo Pacer • '72 Peugeot PX10 • '73 Speedwell Ti • '74 Nishiki Competition • '74 Peugeot UE-8 • '86 Look Equipe 753 • '86 Look KG86 • '89 Parkpre Team Road • '90 Parkpre Team MTB • '90 Merlin Ti
Avatar photo courtesy of jeffveloart.com, contact: contact: jeffnil8 (at) gmail.com.
-Randy
'72 Cilo Pacer • '72 Peugeot PX10 • '73 Speedwell Ti • '74 Nishiki Competition • '74 Peugeot UE-8 • '86 Look Equipe 753 • '86 Look KG86 • '89 Parkpre Team Road • '90 Parkpre Team MTB • '90 Merlin Ti
Avatar photo courtesy of jeffveloart.com, contact: contact: jeffnil8 (at) gmail.com.
01-24-13, 05:21 PM
#22
No longer active
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,001
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 89 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
6 Posts
That's how it fell out when I first got my Trek commuter; the PO had apparently neglected it for years... The drive side came off with a little effort, but the left (& the spindle) were frozen in place & had to be sawed off before I could pull the BB.
01-24-13, 05:26 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Hurricane Alley , Florida
Posts: 3,904
Bikes: Treks (USA), Schwinn Paramount, Schwinn letour,Raleigh Team Professional, Gazelle GoldLine Racing, 2 Super Mondias, Carlton Professional.
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 79 Post(s)
Liked 32 Times
in
23 Posts
I have a snap on gear puller set that will pull those off in a jiffy. Too bad you're in AZ.
01-24-13, 05:54 PM
#24
Senior Member
I've done this dozens of times at the co-op with the pickle fork. I'm sure the thing has paid for itself many times over with all the scrap aluminum I've saved. Get a 4lb beater and every crankarm in a 20km radius will tremble.
01-24-13, 06:39 PM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 154
Bikes: '87 Peugeot PB14, '98 homegrown, '72 world sport...
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Pickle fork and a BFH i've never incountered a crankarm that doesnt come off this way