What Have You Fettled Today?

[Archie_tect]

[Copied from 'Your ride today' thread so apologies if you've seen it there already!]

I put my original stainless steel mudguards and rack back on my Dawes Lightning for the winter and went out for a quick check to make sure nothing's rattling... still has all the Dawes sales stickers on it, and the LBS label on the frame... with the old Workington 4 digit number for The New Bike Shop [new in 1982!].

 

[bikingdad90]

That looks the bees knees.

 

[JPBoothy]

Oops.... My front was a bit naff but the rear rolls quiet and nice. BB is fine, no play, rolls good and quiet but I just fancied changing it and doing more maintenance whilst home so started on the SS.
No advice on crank arms but plenty of guys/gals on here with loads of experience that no doubt will be along to help. Let me know how you resolve it and I can do same this weekend
If all the threads stripped then the crank arm is ruined I guess so destructive removal is an option. I have read that riding the bike uphill under pressure with crank arm bolts loose results in loosening of the tapers but no idea if that works, sure you will get plenty of help today on here

Thanks, lets hope so as the superb technical knowledge on this forum has got me out of a few problems in the past.. I bought my bike in a poor state a few months ago with the intention being to make it a go anywhere winter muddy trail bike and have enjoyed learning by changing every bearing and bolt, fitting new calipers, cables, tyres, sprocket and even bar tape. I really enjoy riding this bike which is why I'm so gutted and annoyed by my stupidity. In hindsight (such a wonderful thing ) I can see that I was just not paying attention to the obvious signs that something was wrong. The BB was 'like yours' okay really but I just wanted to have changed every part during my strip and rebuild, but unless I'm now very careful I could wreck the bike if the BB proves to be as stuck as the crank arms! Make sure you hold the outer part of the pulling tool still with a spanner whilst winding in the centre bolt so that you don't repeat my error

 

[JPBoothy]

3-arm bearing puller?

Or maybe a 'proper' mechanic with gentle childlike hands instead of my Gorilla like mitts! My confidence has been knocked but I'm sure that I'll be back in my garage wreaking havoc later today.

 

[DCBassman]

A good going over for the Scott with a brush, but needs a deeper clean soon. Relubed drivetrain, rechecked and tightened seatpost, seivelled bars to point brakes down more. Then such gardening as we have here took over, so no time to ride today. Next, restart work on the Revell mixte.

 

[Gunk]

I swapped over tyres on my Ribble 631 project bike today, I’m going to use the tan walls for another bike.

I think I made the right decision.

Before

After

 

[bikingdad90]

I think @Gunk that deserves some red bar tape or something to set off the bling.

 

[Tripster]

I swapped over tyres on my Ribble 631 project bike today, I’m going to use the tan walls for another bike.

I think I made the right decision.

Before

View attachment 560645

After

View attachment 560644

Hetty looks to approve 😊

 

[Gunk]

I think @Gunk that deserves some red bar tape or something to set off the bling.

 

[bikingdad90]

That’s totally bonkers @Gunk as you can’t see the red in the other pictures. Assume it’s the light playing tricks and in real life it’s brighter.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Front disk brake lever was reaching the bars. I checked and the pads are not worn out. I guess it really needs more brake fluid. Meanwhile I’ve changed the lever reach and can now brake without lever reaching bars.

 

[JPBoothy]

Or maybe a 'proper' mechanic with gentle childlike hands instead of my Gorilla like mitts! My confidence has been knocked but I'm sure that I'll be back in my garage wreaking havoc later today.

Phew, confidence restored after finally resorting to cutting off the crank arms with my Grinder and removing the BB after soaking it with WD40 beforehand. Frame threads now cleaned out and lightly greased with copper slip until the new parts are sourced. I have never felt so pleased at having to spend money because I know that I have definitely dodged a bullet here

Unfortunately the writing on the BB has surface rust over it so apart from the 68mm width I can't read any other information. Is it just the spindle length that I need to know as I'm assuming the thread is English on a British made bike?

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Any suggestions on what I should do now would be much appreciated. How can I get the 'knackered' arms off short of an Angle Grinder?

I would have applied heat, since you have an alloy crank on a steel shaft. They have different thermal expansion coefficients so you can take advantage of this. Hot air gun/paint stripper gun would be my preferred tool, or even a blowtorch. Jam a wedge shaped object like a big screwdriver blade or cold chisel between the crank arm and BB cup, whack it with a big hammer, and you'd have a good chance of getting it to move.

 

[Gunk]

Phew, confidence restored after finally resorting to cutting off the crank arms with my Grinder and removing the BB after soaking it with WD40 beforehand. Frame threads now cleaned out and lightly greased with copper slip until the new parts are sourced. I have never felt so pleased at having to spend money because I know that I have definitely dodged a bullet here

Unfortunately the writing on the BB has surface rust over it so apart from the 68mm width I can't read any other information. Is it just the spindle length that I need to know as I'm assuming the thread is English on a British made bike?

What crankset are you going to use?

 

[JPBoothy]

42604"] Any suggestions on what I should do now would be much appreciated. How can I get the 'knackered' arms off short of an Angle Grinder?

I would have applied heat, since you have an alloy crank on a steel shaft. They have different thermal expansion coefficients so you can take advantage of this. Hot air gun/paint stripper gun would be my preferred tool, or even a blowtorch. Jam a wedge shaped object like a big screwdriver blade or cold chisel between the crank arm and BB cup, whack it with a big hammer, and you'd have a good chance of getting it to move.
[/QUOTE]
I spent an hour or so with a mallet, large screwdriver and large bolt fitted into the crank bolt hole while I tapped from the back but it was stuck fast and going nowhere. I haven't got a heat gun or blow lamp and without I was starting to damage the cups of the BB and if that got stuck then it could really have been game over if the tool couldn't be fitted into it.. Even with the heat of the Grinder it wouldn't shift until cut right through.