How to remove FSA crank

Terror Stain

Hello,

I want to take apart my FSA cranks but when I try undoing the allen bolt shown in the pics below, after a few turns it starts to "tighten" as if I'm unscrewing it against something. Should the surrounding plate with six holes come off first, and if so how as an allen key doesn't fit and there doesnt appear to be any sort of bolt etc in any of the six holes (they are very small)?

I would like to clean/replace the bearings as when I spin the cranks with the chain removed, I can hear a slight "click." Are the bearings servicable, or are they throw away items? If so, do I have to go to FSA to get replacements? When I've changed wheelbearings on motorbikes in the past, I've gone to a local industrial park where a bearing supplier has always matched me up replacement sets for a fraction of the cost from Honda/Suzuki etc.

Another question (probably stupid), but are the bearings located in the crank or in the bottom bracket? If I need/want to strip the bottom bracket, do I need a "special" FSA tool or do bottom brackets use a standard fitting?

Many thanks in advance!

supersonic

Looks like a one key removal - the crank bolt pulls against that outer ring and pulls the crank off.

So is normal!

Keep screwing!!! (or unscrewing ;-))

Terror Stain

supersonic wrote:

Looks like a one key removal - the crank bolt pulls against that outer ring and pulls the crank off.

So is normal!

Keep screwing!!! (or unscrewing ;-))

OK, I'll give it another try later this week when I'm next off work. I was worried that if I kept unscrewing it, it was going to damage something, it really didn't feel right at all :oops:

Thanks for your help, I will report back in a few days! 8)

Terror Stain

Hello again,

I was looking through the tools section on Chain Reaction when I came across this:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=36383

This looks to fit my crank as shown in the pics in my original post. The question is, if I continue with the suggested method and just keep unscrewing the allen bolt despite the resistance I felt, will it just come out OK and pull the outer ring with the six holes with it, or will it knacker something?

I can't tell but could that outer ring with the six holes be threaded, and therefore screwed in place? Maybe that FSA tool that I have linked to is needed to unscrew it?

I don't want to damage anything but I really don't know what to do. That FSA tool is expensive at £55.00, so I don't want to waste money on it if I don't need it.

I was planning to have another go at stripping the crank tommorrow when I'm free, but now don't know wether to proceed.

I would appreciate any help!!

Cheers 8)

nicklouse

yes that is what the extraction ring is for. the bolt needs to pull agianst something.

why would you spend 50 pounds on a tool that you do not need. there is no requirement to take the cap off.

Terror Stain

nicklouse wrote:

yes that is what the extraction ring is for. the bolt needs to pull agianst something.

Sorry, my appologies but I don't quite understand. What part is the extraction ring? Are you saying that if I keep unscrewing the allen bolt, as it gets tighter and tighter it won't snap/damage something (it feels like its going to)?

nicklouse wrote:

why would you spend 50 pounds on a tool that you do not need.

I don't want to, which is exactly what I posted above.

nicklouse wrote:

there is no requirement to take the cap off

OK, thats cool. But just so I understand, is the cap (with the six holes) screwed in place or just pushed in? Do you use that tool I linked to on Chain Reaction to physically UNSCREW the cap? What is the cap actually for?

Many thanks 8)

supersonic

Its a self extracting, one key release. The outer 'bolt' is threaded into where a crank extractor would fit.

As you unscrew the inner bolt it pulls against the outer, and then the crank comes off. Can take a lot of force!

Terror Stain

Hello again,

Just thought I would let you know that today I followed the advice here and just kept on unscrewing the allen bolt, the crank came apart! Many thanks for all the help offered, much appreciated!!!

On a side note, that outer ring with the six holes IS threaded, when I was undoing the allen bolt it started forcing the ring out and exposed its thread. I then used a set of circlip pliers to poke in two of the six holes and unscrew it fully. I haven't had a chance to look any further at the bearings etc or investigate the bottom bracket, I will continue my journey into MTB mechanics when I'm off work next week

Once again, thank you for all your help and advice! 8)