Taking cranks off a vintage Dawes racer - Help please

[compo]

Are you going to spray it yourself or have it done professionally.

Masking tape cut to fit will do the job. I used to just wipe grease on the badge prior to spraying. Once the paint has dried a quick wipe with a rag and the grease comes off leaving a clean badge.

 

[Alex11]

I was actually thinking of brush painting it myself like Teuchter did.
I liked the look of the finished.

 

[craigwend]

I so miss things like this, even though in theory new bikes should be easier, theyre not

I fondly remember the above techniques when I was a t'lad & the pride & joy of fully stripping down bikes, having or doing a re-spray, greassing it all back up with whatever thick grease was in the shed,

oh the heddy days of rose tinted memories

 

[Alex11]

I so miss things like this, even though in theory new bikes should be easier, theyre not

I fondly remember the above techniques when I was a t'lad & the pride & joy of fully stripping down bikes, having or doing a re-spray, greassing it all back up with whatever thick grease was in the shed,

oh the heddy days of rose tinted memories

That's exactly what I'm doing at the moment!

It's fantastic!

 

[Alex11]

Right then everyone, I need to get the cranks back on now, how do I go about it?

Thanks!

 

[biggs682]

reverse procedure of taking them off , but use new cotter pins and nuts . and make sure they are both in same way as otherwise arms wont be aligned the same

 

[compo]

If you cannot get a full nut's depth plus washer protruding from the crank when you insert the cotter pin you may need to just file the flat of the cotter pin to allow it to slide in a little deeper. It doesn't take a lot so don't overdo it.

 

[Alex11]

When I pop the big bolts into the holes, it won't go in, it seems to be stopped by a bit of metal which I can see.

Ideas?

 

[compo]

What do you mean, big bolts. Do you mean the cotter pins? You have to line up the hole in the crank with the cutout in the bottom bracket spindle. Some holes in the cranks are wider on one side than the other to accommodate the tapered cotter pin so you need to try both sides. If it still wont go in then you may need to get the file out.

 

[asterix]

Just hammer it back the other way!

Incidentally, I am surprised no-one has recommended the website of the late great Sheldon Brown:
e.g.:
http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/cotters.html

 

[tyred]

Hammering is the important point.

Unless you have access to a proper cotter press, put it in, put on the washer, tighten the nut (but not too tight, just "sweeten" it up) hit the other end hard with a hammer a few times, the nut will now be loose, tighten it again, hit with hammer and repeat until the nut stops coming loose.

The metal in these pins is usually quite soft and the threads strip easily, the only purpose of the nut is to hold the pin in place once it has been hammered or pressed into place. If you just tighten the nut without driving it in, it will work but will be too loose, will make clicking noises as you pedal and possibly damage the cranks.

An interesting but pointless piece of info is that Raleigh had to make hardened steel cotter pins for Reg Harris as he always broke the standard ones in races as he was such a strong rider.

 

[Alex11]

Right guys, when I'm trying to reinstall the cranks with the cotter pins, when I hit them with a hammer the pins just pop out...

 

[compo]

Right guys, when I'm trying to reinstall the cranks with the cotter pins, when I hit them with a hammer the pins just pop out...

Do you mean they just go straight through or they rebound out.

 

[Alex11]

rebound out!!!

 

[compo]

http://oldbikeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/how-to-replace-crank-cotters.html