Re: [CR]Re: Worn cotter pins?

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme)

Date: Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:25:31 -0600
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Mark Stonich" <mark@bikesmithdesign.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Worn cotter pins?
In-Reply-To: <20081201105934.MQTOC.347635.imail@eastrmwml40>
References: <20081201105934.MQTOC.347635.imail@eastrmwml40>


At 09:59 AM 12/1/2008, gthies1@cox.net wrote:
>Having just serviced a Raleigh BB and crank, I would highly
>recommend using a cotter pin press to remove, install, or adjust the
>cotter pins. As tempting as it may look, hammers and cotter pins
>don't do well together. I destroyed one with a hammer and then
>consulted Barnett's manual and my LBS mechanic, both confirming that
>hammers are, indeed, deadly on cotter pins.

Not just cotters. One fellow bought a press after an errant hammer blow, while installing an NOS Magistroni crank.
> Park used to make a press, but it is not shown in their current offerings.

I think they quit making them in 1997 or so but demand was so low that they didn't sell the last one till '01 or '02. Since 2003 I've been selling about 40-50 of mine each year. But for some reason, in the last few months demand has ramped up such that I may break 100 in 2008.
> I was fortunate to be able to borrrow one from a very gracious LBS
> mechanic who loves the vintage machines, too.

In my opinion it's more important to use a press to install the cotters than to remove them. You can always get them out somehow, though they won't necessarily be re-useable. But they can be dead reliable if installed properly, I have instructions at the bottom of http://www.bikesmithdesign.com/CotterPress/

Whether or not one agrees with Jan's belief that racers used cottered cranks for a low Q-factor, they did keep using them long after alloy cranks were available. They would not have done so if their cotters weren't reliable.

Mark Stonich;
     BikeSmith Design & Fabrication
       5349 Elliot Ave S. - Minneapolis. MN 55417
            Ph. (612) 824-2372 http://bikesmithdesign.com
                        http://mnhpva.org