[CR]Removing stuck cranks (follow-on to Gnutti)

(Example: Framebuilders:Bernard Carré)

Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 21:03:04 -0400
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "H.M. & S.S. Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
Subject: [CR]Removing stuck cranks (follow-on to Gnutti)

Hugh Thornton wrote: <snip>

"The other goodie (I think) on the bike is a Gnutti cotterless crankset. The bad news is that I can't unscrew one of the crank retaining bolts without wrecking it (does anybody know anything better than penetrating oil to remedy this?) and then I don't have a crank extractor that fits. Are these available or have they all long disappeared? Is one totally doomed if the axle bearing surfaces are pitted?"

I don't know the Gnutti cranks, but that doesn't keep me from relating what I did in absolute desperation once, to remove a really stuck crank (after getting the retaining bolts freed-up). I used the tapered fork tool designed to separate automobile steering gear taper-fit parts... The V is asymetrical, so I could get a parallel face on the crank and the taper on the bb, and... well, you don't want me to tell you what to do that thing, but you can either pry or hit. Really ugly, but it worked and left minimal marking on either part of the victim... Your mileage may vary, and don't try this at home and all that.

harvey (unrepentant) sachs
mclean va