Test of patience

[Nigel-YZ1]

I've started a restoration of my Raleigh Merlin today.

First job is to get the cotterpins out. Last removed 20 years ago.
I've tried the vice trick but so far no joy, and I'm a lot worried about damaging the frame.
To make life worse it's on the drive side.

I'm wondering if I can get behind and remove the bottom bracket, then worse case is replacing the front drive and cranks.

It's late at night and I'm just posting because I'm fed up at the first hurdle

 

[mrandmrspoves]

When faced with difficult cotters I use a car axle stand to support the crank arm and then give the pins some really hard whacks with a heavy hammer. You can put a large nut under the protruding side of the cotter so that it has room to drop out into the nut. I have never failed to get one out.
.........yet!

 

[ChrisEyles]

They can be real swines, can't they? I've dealt with a few very stubborn ones recently, and every time found that the vice trick was the only one that worked (I had no luck with even the largest of hammers and a punch). Maybe try and get a cheater bar over the tightening arm of the vice for extra leverage? If the crankset is steel you could try a bit of heat (I've not yet had to resort to this, but it's often recommended - and I need to give it a go on a stuck rod brake connection myself now), though not sure what effect this would have if it's chromed.

Good luck!

 

[ChrisEyles]

ps - penetrating oil can't hurt (I squirted a little into all of mine every day for a week before removing), though I can't say for sure whether it's effective or one of those little superstitious rituals!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

ps - penetrating oil can't hurt (I squirted a little into all of mine every day for a week before removing), though I can't say for sure whether it's effective or one of those little superstitious rituals!

The latter.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

When faced with difficult cotters I use a car axle stand to support the crank arm and then give the pins some really hard whacks with a heavy hammer. You can put a large nut under the protruding side of the cotter so that it has room to drop out into the nut. I have never failed to get one out.
.........yet!

This is good advice. All I can add is to, when faced with a situation like this, whack really hard (and of course, accurately) from the start. Lots of people start off by tapping away with a little hammer. All that achieves is to peen or bend the whacked part, shall we call it "the wackee" or workpiece? A solid whack close to good support as you described is just what the doctor ordered.

 

[Drago]

Use a ball joint splitter. A bit fiddly, but presses them out nicely.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Well no luck so far.
A previous hammer attempt when I was 20 years younger and dafter flattened the threaded side nearly to the crank, so I guess I'm up against the squished out remnants of that.
The vice idea is my best bet but I can't get it on a stable footing. So I'm going with the idea of removing the whole lot from the bike first, then I have the choice of removing without the frame worries or getting another 46T ring, cranks and spindle.
The non-drive side cotter came out with one tap and the bearings and shell on that side is off.
I'm having fun now getting the Raleigh spanner onto the shell at the other side.

Is the drive side bearing shell a reverse thread?

EDIT: Sheldon Brown to the rescue, it is a reverse thread

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Just read about fixed cups. So that explains a lot! scrap that idea

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Many thanks to Cycle Penistone and two guys with a hammer. It's out now