***Urgent*** - stripped crank thread: is there anything I can do?

bompington
bompington Posts: 7,674
edited May 2016 in Workshop
...other than make a resolution never to leave important mechanical work until the evening before a major event :(

Changing the pedals: one was a bit stiff to get off and sure enough, the thread was totally gone. Thought I'd been careful but I must have cross-threaded it.

New pedal won't hold at all in its nice newly shiny hole, so any suggestions as to what I can do, given that replacement is impossible right now? I'm even considering using superglue...

Comments

  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    Call a friend? Cannibalise another bike?
  • hucko003
    hucko003 Posts: 28
    Nothing you're going to be able to do, I'm afraid. You'll need some new cranks
  • WinNT
    WinNT Posts: 21
    The right or the left pedal won't hold?
    I think the simplest solution is to find another crank, and if it is the left one, it will be easier. As you do not want to miss major event you can even install a bit longer or shoter one (if you find it).

    Another option is to make a bigger hole, new thread there, special bush with the thread for your pedal. But for this you need a lathe, it is more difficult than buying a new crank.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Thanks guys!
    I've looked at taking the crank (it's an LH one) off my other bike: they're both PX, but the winter bike is the XLS cross bike. It's the same setup except Force rather than Rival, so I could - if I had the tools: it's (I think, I'm no expert on these types of things) a standard SRAM GXP - I have no idea what tools you would need to change it but I can't even get the retaining ring off the crank with the cheap, small & feeble allen keys I have.

    So it looks like the 'cross bike: there's a horrible creak from the BB that might just drive me insane after 8 hours or so, it's heavier & slower, has PSD pedals for which I have cheap, nasty and flexy shoes, has big spongy tyres and - most importantly for this route - is a 1X setup that will see me struggling even more than usual uphill, and spinning out way too soon downhill.

    Such is life. I'd be kidding myself if I thought having a (slightly) faster bike could turn me into a climbing snake anyway.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Stripped crank can be Helicoiled for about a tenner - ask at your LBS or someone like Highpath Engineering is no-one local - not a difficult job, doesn't need any special machinery or anything.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Stripped crank can be Helicoiled for about a tenner - ask at your LBS or someone like Highpath Engineering is no-one local - not a difficult job, doesn't need any special machinery or anything.
    Thanks. I know they can be fixed - it's just a bit harder for them to be fixed before 7am tomorrow!
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Simply swap the crank off your other bike if they're both GXP - 8mm Allen key in non-drive side is self-extracting screw, but might be quite tight with a normal length Allen key but a length of pipe should give you extra leverage. Bust a crank once and rode around with 2 different crank lengths for a bit whilst I waited for a replacement
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Simply swap the crank off your other bike if they're both GXP - 8mm Allen key in non-drive side is self-extracting screw, but might be quite tight with a normal length Allen key but a length of pipe should give you extra leverage. Bust a crank once and rode around with 2 different crank lengths for a bit whilst I waited for a replacement
    Thanks for advice Monty. Can you tell me if it needs a crank puller or will I be able to get it off without?
  • WinNT
    WinNT Posts: 21
    bompington wrote:
    Thanks for advice Monty. Can you tell me if it needs a crank puller or will I be able to get it off without?
    Usually you need crank puller. Very seldom you can take it off just by hands or a hammer, depends on luck.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    - got the faulty one off. The spare from the 'crosser is not budging...
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    ... you beauty! After a lot of levering, shoogling*, even hammering, the crank suddenly popped off. I now have a Forval crankset all set up and ready to go: the bonus is, of course, that my bike could now be something like 30g lighter.

    I think I'll go and have a massive cheese and pickle sandwich to celebrate.


    * look it up
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    WinNT wrote:
    Thanks for advice Monty. Can you tell me if it needs a crank puller or will I be able to get it off without?
    [/quote]
    Usually you need crank puller. Very seldom you can take it off just by hands or a hammer, depends on luck.[/quote]

    GXP is self extracting, no puller.
  • jimwalsh
    jimwalsh Posts: 113
    http://highpath.co.uk/

    for £40 these guys can fit a new pedal thread.

    I saved a very expensive sram red crank this way.
  • lesfirth
    lesfirth Posts: 1,382
    jimwalsh wrote:
    http://highpath.co.uk/

    for £40 these guys can fit a new pedal thread.

    I saved a very expensive sram red crank this way.

    I got an ally crank done for £10 up here in the North. Do you live in London?
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    lesfirth wrote:
    jimwalsh wrote:
    http://highpath.co.uk/

    for £40 these guys can fit a new pedal thread.

    I saved a very expensive sram red crank this way.

    I got an ally crank done for £10 up here in the North. Do you live in London?
    Oh good, should be 50p in Scotland then.

    Can report that the Forval crankset went flawlessly round the 3 pistes today, wish the same could be said about my legs, heart and lungs. Still, I made it, and I'm really not sure I would have done on the 'crosser

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