Best way to remove a square-taper crank arm...

.blitz

...without using an extractor?

For reasons I won't go into here :oops: I can remove the crank bolt but I can't use an extractor tool on the Chucker's drive side crank arm. Is it a rubber mallet + chisel job or is there another way?

I'd like to keep the BB if possible but it doesn't matter about the crank arm.

nicklouse

cut a slot in the arm down to a flat on the axle.

.blitz

I like that thanks Nick

FSRian

if your not worried about the crank arm, a blow torch to heat it up thus allowing some expansion and a hammer.
or cut the crank arm off the taper with a hacksaw.

whatever you do i would say you will end up needing a new bottom bracket in the short term anyway as your going to be giving the seals and bearing some abuse removing the crank.

ride_whenever

Not if you cut it off...

mcj78

Remove the crank bolt & ride it until it falls off? Any time i've had a crank bolt randomly loosen itself off, i've only noticed because the crank arm has followed suit!

The Rookie

The chucker I split had a really nice BB in it (for a square taper), so worth trying not to damage the BB!

Personally I'd cut as far through the crank (without hitting the BB) as I could in 2 places (180 apart) and try and get it to split.

Simon

.blitz

mcj78 wrote:

Remove the crank bolt & ride it until it falls off?

Good one! A mile or two of creaking followed by an ominous click through the crank arm and it should fall off. I hope

Cheers!

mcj78

.blitz wrote:

mcj78 wrote:

Remove the crank bolt & ride it until it falls off?

Good one! A mile or two of creaking followed by an ominous click through the crank arm and it should fall off. I hope

Cheers!

Haha - I used this method a couple of times until I got round to buying a proper extractor, don't go too far mind - you get some funny looks cycling home one-legged... :oops:

Good luck with it!
J

warpcow

Or even just remove the bolt and a couple of bunnyhops should get it loose. Perhaps more potential for pain than just riding though, but it worked for me 'back in the day'.

bails87

Or just hit it with a hammer. A swift "tap" on the back on the crank arm, away from the bike should do it. I tried the riding around thing with no joy, and cutting through it was a right PITA and took ages.

.blitz

OK thanks fellas.

I will ride around with the bolt removed and see if it falls off.

Failing that I will try a bit of mechanical persuasion.

Last resort will be to cut it off.

nicklouse

my first is to cut.

it takes less time than any of the others.

riding I know people who gave up after 2 hours....

hammer just does not work if the arm has been on for any length of time.

the cutting is only through the alloy to the axle to let the arm "spring" and release its grip on the taper.

*AJ*

Nicks right, and riding on it could also damage the taper anyway.

stubs

I used a Dremel with a cutting disc cut 4 slots in the ally around the taper about 3/4 of the way into the arm, didnt go all the way in case I scored the taper. Then got big hammer whacked the arm from the outside and the arm cracked and dropped off took me about 15 mins in all.