What tool is this?

w7london

I'm trying to remove the crankset on an old Raleigh Max but I have no idea what kind of tool I need to remove this:

It looks like it would need a spanner but then there's a screw thread around the outside

Mad_Malx

Socket wrench to remove the nut, then a standard crank extractor for a square taper bb axel. The extractor is a bespoke tool for the job and there’s no real way round using one. A few quid, or your local bike shop will pull the crank for very little.

Edit - £5 from wiggle.
You might manage it just with a big hammer but I wouldn’t recommend.

monkimark

When I was a kid I used to remove the nuts and then ride the bike around the block until the crank arms fell off

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

Crank removers often have a socket built to remove the nut/bolt if you haven't got a socket to fit.

Ncovidius

Smack the crank with a dead weight. No need for an extractor.

lesfirth

Which sort of dead weight do you recommend. Google gave a few options.

1) the weight of an inert person or thing.
"he had to struggle while carrying forty-five pounds of deadweight on his back"

2) a heavy or oppressive burden.
"she'd drag my father's dead weight from wherever he'd fallen"

3) the total weight of cargo, stores, etc. which a ship carries or can carry.
"this will produce a maximum dead weight of 72,350 tons

First.Aspect

Ncovidius said:

Smack the crank with a dead weight. No need for an extractor.

OP, please take your bike to a bike shop and let them take it off nice and gently. Do not strike your bike or be in any way nasty to it. Your bike has not done anything wrong.

pinno

OP: I have an old crank remover. Haven't used it in donkey's.
You screw it in and then you tighten the nut.
Let me see...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iGw9eUC_Ic

[What an annoying voice over]
Holy schmokes this is a helluva long link but it works!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302073455904?epid=1833530087&_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item4654fb2520:g:xn4AAOSw16FhZv~-&amdata=enc:AQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%2B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsSzaVbXtmGxqmWnpn8RLN2qwjNOLvS2IOflVyll%2ByZ3SV32e78wpvyWmGbOSFRdINPZ%2BWJJcNwEoJ%2F4zN2eZufqjEaM8MPJrso7Uf54FMzj1tVfENhbimM99zzpDrCh7QGYOJzD14TWepbY9j5O5hh4TEazDjnPcUIUCW%2FcLzwxlbJns96FsECU7qgAKGPZ9X5XO2zrU77NhS28iUivOEQma5nCKDPY622rB6H62NM2t%2B94Q2o8SX2%2BDl53H2LNpbatYR4Y8Gqc7EMg0tV2S3cGcHz1vf3qEAr0C8zzSEuWrQJTCy1T8KQFnSJwpzvCiJ0SAkDprHbPWkiEk0Irocr2ciB0rsthZ9ywi6WjgZrbnee6UWNYQIp5LHnZj9%2BlbyJXbOWoJb5g0NOc%2B4N6DJGJN2IUVgh86IKcJhBrw7kkRl5zyltzgoz8Iu1qE%2FLhl8OWC3xfMXR2jzuu%2Bt8MRbewFuvdjmJIAhwfQOXHR6197NHO5IoF%2BMLg5X6sCr%2Ft%2BklPCNNXNPFy2nuSb9aA7HSCNbtYsi%2B01ehBNC9E1Gf46V5GtsV0bcJwFIbrTqR%2FAexIAEpUl8fDXYXq3tPICjUoqSZVnJhO9lGpEZOzMRbM6cDYHIFbGlxpxr0noWKYSf%2FNnZ0Ot3qjureVf90Rc5K8iq%2BgXrrLbuezbHexYZwt5toOTgdyoNWW7gxernFkmjc8Srr4p%2Fqx%2BDq2K4Z%2BgjwBEcHkPRt%2Fh%2F1MYwxVehCsYSJON9Wkv11qqszdgqymo4c5EMYOkYZxCHVeQ74uJ8s8SE7LJ2ISGMY3ams39oBDD%2FSiMRkAImtV0bCHSusBVc4PrKRNVVS%2BkjkfHXUALoBWg%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBM2pOxybFf

pinno

lesfirth said:

Which sort of dead weight do you recommend. Google gave a few options.

1) the weight of an inert person or thing.
"he had to struggle while carrying forty-five pounds of deadweight on his back"

2) a heavy or oppressive burden.
"she'd drag my father's dead weight from wherever he'd fallen"

3) the total weight of cargo, stores, etc. which a ship carries or can carry.
"this will produce a maximum dead weight of 72,350 tons

You're being pedantic.

reaperactual

+1 for a cheap crank extractor tool. This is the one I've used plenty of times:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hard-Carbon-Steel-Bicycle-Crank-Extractor-Puller-Tool-Bike-Remover-Pedal-Repair-/152694583941?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

This 'universal' version also works with splined as well as square taper bottom brackets.

If this doesn't work maybe then you could try the whack it with a hammer method? 😬

pinno

Angle grinder.

reaperactual

pinno said:

Angle grinder.

Lol! 🤣 Only had to resort to that once.

pinno

Like ^. That taught it.

I had a seized Campag carbon chainset bearing that I neatly cut with an angle grinder.

reaperactual

😎👍

w7london

Thanks for this everyone! @pinno that ebay tool that you linked to looks great. So i just attach that to the nut and use a spanner to turn the tool.

Will the crank arms just come off at that point? The banging/hammering people are suggesting is to take out the actual bottom bracket, is that right?

First.Aspect

reaperactual said:

pinno said:

Angle grinder.

Lol! 🤣 Only had to resort to that once.

If you go over that with a magic marker you will hardly notice it.

reaperactual

'If you go over that with a magic marker you will hardly notice it.'

🤣🤣🤣👍

reaperactual

w7london said:

The banging/hammering people are suggesting is to take out the actual bottom bracket, is that right?

To remove the actual bottom bracket would require another tool. A bottom bracket removal tool, something like this:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Bicycle-Extractor-Remover-Pedal-Bottom-Bracket-Crank-Puller-Repair-Tool-/124835444987?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

w7london

Ahhh ok i watched the video and now the crank removal tool makes sense! Perfect. Just ordered one.

w7london

Next question: the headset! I took the cap off the top but now I'm confused what to do next to take the headset off the frame:

pinno

w7london said:

Thanks for this everyone! @pinno that ebay tool that you linked to looks great. So i just attach that to the nut and use a spanner to turn the tool.

Will the crank arms just come off at that point? The banging/hammering people are suggesting is to take out the actual bottom bracket, is that right?

Remove bolt.
Screw the tool in (silver part) - (now, don't overtighten it) into the crank, just nip it up.
Then screw the black part in and it will push the crank arm/c'set off.

It really is that simple.

Do you need to take the BB out for any reason?
Are you planning to replace it with a square taper chainset?

pblakeney

w7london said:

Next question: the headset! I took the cap off the top but now I'm confused what to do next to take the headset off the frame:

Loosen the nut at the top of the head tube.

w7london

pinno said:

Do you need to take the BB out for any reason?
Are you planning to replace it with a square taper chainset?

Thank you! I don't need to remove the BB - I'm just painting the frame

pinno

w7london said:

pinno said:

Do you need to take the BB out for any reason?
Are you planning to replace it with a square taper chainset?

Thank you! I don't need to remove the BB - I'm just painting the frame

Take the BB out - looks like both the head set and BB needs attention and re-greasing and most probably bearings. Check races and cups (bearing surfaces for wear).
...and: much easier to strip/paint with everything off.

edward.s

Bottom bracket is old fashioned cups - they'll come out with either a large adjustable or the right spanner if it has flats, or a pin spanner if it has holes in it. Remember they are normally right and left handed threads.

looks like a quill stem so if the bars are loose yank 'em out. if they are jammed, put the cap bolt back in loosely and tap it to dislodge the wedge and then yank the bars out.

Headset top cap unscrews and the forks will come out. If you want to remove the top and bottom cups you'll need to push them out from the frame. The right tool makes this easier and safer but you can sometimes do it very cautiously with a screwdriver and tap it down on alternate sides very slowly.

Good luck, some of those might not be fun if there is any corrosion involved.

pinno

Screwdriver and a hammer is also good for removal pf the BB cup rings. But after painting, it might be preferable to get the right tool.

If the OP crosses my palm with silver, I can furnish him with them.

w7london

The good news is the cranks came off easily (well easily is subjective!) with the crank removal tool and a 16mm spanner, so thank you so much!

BUT, now the headset: I got it off, but now I don't understand how it goes on. I put the tube back into the frame, and there's a long screw that goes in the top of it, but it just spins and doesn't have anything to screw into. So now the handlebars and front wheel move independently.

pblakeney

It's a quill stem which needs a wedge as shown below.

w7london

Ah, thank you! So I could just buy a stem wedge and would I insert that from the top or bottom? And how does the stem wedge itself fix in place?

pblakeney

Loosely screw it onto the stem, insert stem, tighten screw at the top(quill expander bolt) to pull the wedge up.

edward.s

if you undid the top bolt and pulled the stem out, then its possible the wedge is either stuck in the fork or had dropped out and disappeared into the darkest corner of the workshop.