Seized stuck parts

I'm finding either I'm completely weedy (quite a possibility) or my bike's parts are just jammed on way too tight. Either that or I just don't get it (quite possible too
).
Been struggling with removing the crank. A Firex GXP that uses an 8mm key fitting and no matter what I try it seems stuck fast.
And giving up on that (was so I could service the pivots on my i-drive), now I can't get the cassette off the rear wheel. Read all the numerous threads on stuck cassettes, and checked out various guides and videos. I'm certain I'm doing it right, it's just like others have found, it's stuck damn tight.
I'm thinking that getting a bike pre-assembled isn't such a great thing and starting to realise that using a torque wrench is actually very important else you end up over tightening. I'm betting the monkeys who did mine (yeah, I know, it was Halfords, although I'm not sure they assembled it), just did everything with brute force and nothing else.
It's really annoying me now as everything I try to do some maintenance on is just stuck hard.
Got myself a torque wrench anyway so if and when I do get these things off, I can do them up properly. The guy in the LBS (not Halfords) even gave me a demonstration on how to use it properly.
Still haven't got the cassette off. I'm up to soaking the lockring in WD40 for a while. Tried various suggestions including taking a mallet to the wrench and/or whip. Not budging so far. Don't have a vice to stick the cassette tool in as some have suggested. Looking like a job for the LBS. All the time this is just wasting my weekend.

Been struggling with removing the crank. A Firex GXP that uses an 8mm key fitting and no matter what I try it seems stuck fast.
And giving up on that (was so I could service the pivots on my i-drive), now I can't get the cassette off the rear wheel. Read all the numerous threads on stuck cassettes, and checked out various guides and videos. I'm certain I'm doing it right, it's just like others have found, it's stuck damn tight.
I'm thinking that getting a bike pre-assembled isn't such a great thing and starting to realise that using a torque wrench is actually very important else you end up over tightening. I'm betting the monkeys who did mine (yeah, I know, it was Halfords, although I'm not sure they assembled it), just did everything with brute force and nothing else.
It's really annoying me now as everything I try to do some maintenance on is just stuck hard.
Got myself a torque wrench anyway so if and when I do get these things off, I can do them up properly. The guy in the LBS (not Halfords) even gave me a demonstration on how to use it properly.
Still haven't got the cassette off. I'm up to soaking the lockring in WD40 for a while. Tried various suggestions including taking a mallet to the wrench and/or whip. Not budging so far. Don't have a vice to stick the cassette tool in as some have suggested. Looking like a job for the LBS. All the time this is just wasting my weekend.
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Mongoose Teocali
Giant STP0
Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
New cassette fitted no problem. Doing it up though with the torque, the torque was not hitting the 40Nm (it's supposed to make a click as I understand?), but there were about 5 loud clicks from the lockring which is what many of the guides suggest (the Bike Radar one included). Although maybe with the lockring clicking I wouldn't notice the wrench. Anyway, seems firmly on.
Will deal with the crank later. I suspect once I've done that the pivots will be hassle too (they use BB cartridge tools).
re fit it as it is used to remove the arm.
just dont lock it onto the 8mm bolt as that sounds like what had happened before.
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown