Help with plastic crank arm bolt
I got a Dahon Mu SL folder a month ago and up until today it's been running like a dream. Then the cranks started creaking horrendously and inspection revealed a loose left crank arm bolt to be the likely culprit.
I had not really looked at it until now and saw it was plastic with extra impressions around the key hole but I just straight whipped out the bike tool and tried to tighten it on the spot - and immediately semi threaded the damn thing.
Doing what I should of done first and looking in the bag of bits that came with the bike there is a plastic tool to fit the keyhole and impressions but alas the damage is done and I am unable to tighten or even loosen it now. The arms that fit the impressions seem to offer a trivial amount of extra torque over the key hole due to little depth anyway.
What to do now?, the cranks are still creaking although not as bad as before.
I had not really looked at it until now and saw it was plastic with extra impressions around the key hole but I just straight whipped out the bike tool and tried to tighten it on the spot - and immediately semi threaded the damn thing.
Doing what I should of done first and looking in the bag of bits that came with the bike there is a plastic tool to fit the keyhole and impressions but alas the damage is done and I am unable to tighten or even loosen it now. The arms that fit the impressions seem to offer a trivial amount of extra torque over the key hole due to little depth anyway.
What to do now?, the cranks are still creaking although not as bad as before.
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Comments
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See the pinch bolts either side of the arm? You will never move the preload adjuster with them done up.
(Just like an Aheadset).
Undo the pinch bolts a little by little each side then adjust the preload. Then tighten the pinch bolts."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Thanks Nick0
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With the pinch bolts undone you should be able to tighten the preload cap a bit and pull the non drive side crank onto the spindle. It's made of plastic because it's only supposed to be done up finger tight; just enough to preload the bearings. Make sure you tighten the pinch bolts sufficiently. Alternate between them until they are both fully tight.0