Octalink fitting - any fettling tips?

pneumatic

Just about to replace the entire drivetrain on my trusty Super Galaxy. I want to do it myself for personal development purposes

I've bought replacement Deore XT Cassette, Chain and BB and a Deore triple chainset. The fitting is octalink. (old one was square taper)

Any peculiarities to worry about?

Dryfit? Grease?

Easy job? Swearbox needed? Wish I had never started? End up in tears at the LBS?

robbarker

Easy job if you read up first then take your time.

Make sure you have the right length bottom bracket, clean out the bottom bracket shell threads really thoroughly then go for it.

You need the right tools - a bottom bracket tool, cassette lockring tool, chainwhip, pedal spanner and hex wrench or bit plus ratchet . The bottom bracket and cranks should really be installed using a torque wrench. Use assembly compound rather than grease. Park make a bike specific one, a lot of people use copper grease, which in theory can cause galvanic corrosion but rarely does.

Take a look at Park Tools for a useful guide to doing this - in "repair help".

pneumatic

got the tools. a mate of mine is very handy that way. thanks for the advice re grease - very helpful.

I feel like a small boy on the top diving board (remember diving boards?). too ashamed to turn back, too scared to plunge.

nicklouse

galvanic corrosion is a good one, any place where two different metals come into contact and get "wet" can be subjected to galvanic corrosion.

there are many types of "assembly compound" or "anti seize compound" Copper "paste" being the most common. But there are Aluminum based ones and one for prepping Ti parts.

But you will be fine with the Copper based one with your bb.

Parktools webby in the sig if you need it.

david 142

I found that the octalink Bb tool is much more prone to popping out under load than the square taper tool was. The quick fix is to use a rear axle skewer to hold it in place. This means you cant use a conventional torque wrench but remember that 360 inch pounds is 30lbft and just do it up tight with a 12" adjustable wrench

normanp

Be careful to torque up the allen bolt that secures the crank by the right amount ie not too much. This is different from taper BBs - read the instructions & use a torque wrench. My LBS warned me that this is a common error with octalink as most people are used to taper BBs.

dennisn

Make sure that the splines are lined up and ready to slide together before you tighten
things up.

Dennis Noward

nmcgann

Grease the splines - lots. It'll creak and squeak in a really annoying fashion after a few 100 miles if you don't.

Otherwise it's really easy.

Neil

pneumatic

thank you all, I now have my toes over the edge of the board and I'm staring down at the blue parallelogram of water miles below me.

Here goes . . . .