I have a Campagnolo Over-Torque crank stuck on my Firefly and a broken removal tool

[DRZRM]

OK gang, I have a problem. I have, and like, the higher end Campagnolo Comp Ultra Over-Torque cranks in compact. Sometime in recent years I replaced the lower end Comp One versions. I also had those on the de Salvo ti frame I sold to Duff Duffy. I bought the Campy UT-FC220 tool that is required for removal and installation, it is a pretty easy change, and I had done it plenty of times.

The cranks are light and stiff, and look great, I actually like the five-arm design of that era, however the Campy PF-30 cups that I have had on the bike—a titanium Firefly--for a while developed a creek. I didn’t change BBs last time I switched cranks, so I had a spare one with the ceramic bearings. As I was thinking about changing the BB and doing what I could to get it quiet, a Chris King PF-30 BB came up here on the Classifieds and I jumped on it. So, as I was starting to pull the crank arm off I realized it was taking more torque then I remembered. I stopped, made sure I had set it up correctly (I had) looked at the torque Campy recommended to set the arm (40-50 Nm or 354-443 in.lbs.) read on the internet a post in which someone at WeightWeenies said it was a bear to get off and you should just crank on it hard. I took the bike off the stand, set it on its wheels and put some weight on the removal tool. At that point, the nylon/mylar/plastic piece that fits around the cranks arm to pull it off of the axle (yeah you know where this is going) cracked.

So now I have a stiff and light crankset that I cannot remove from my bike…of course along with that I also have a creaking BB, and a much nicer, hopefully quieter, replacement one that I cannot use. Additionally, the crank arm seems to be seized onto the axle, it was new in box when I installed it. I can’t believe I could have done it, but I guess it is possible that I failed to grease both the axle and crank arm before I driving them together at 50 NM, it certainly seems really stuck.

So there are two pieces of relatively good news:

1. I located a replacement for the Campagnolo tool in some European shop that is one its way to me.
2. I have a spare slightly heavier Campagnolo Comp One crank that I was using earlier.

Obviously, my first choice is to figure out how to extract this thing without damaging the crank so I can reuse it. So here is my request for your sage advice. I am afraid that if I put that sort of torque on the new removal tool, it too will just crack. I’m hoping that I can clamp the old one together for a final hurrah, and that along with some liberally applied penetrating oil, some ice cubes on the axle (Right? To make it shrink a bit?) and extract the arm. It occurred to me that I can likely drive the arm on a bit further (different tool) which might allow for some liberally applied penetrating oil to enter the system, but that feels like a terrible idea on many obvious levels.

So…any guidance before I go to town on this thing would be much appreciated. If there is some sort of large metal bodied bearing puller that anyone has successfully used to remove this crank arm without the proper Campy tool (ideally without significant damage) that would be the first choice. That said, If I have to cut off the non-drove side arm, or through the axle, I can live with that, but obviously, I’d rather it not come to that.

If it helps you to understand, these are the instructions for the installation and removal. It has never been a hard job in the past.

https://www.campagnolo.com/media/fil...ev03_02_15.pdf

[tuscanyswe]

I cant offer you any help but you got my sympathies.

I have the exact same tool with the exact same problem .) These tools are scarse around here so my lbs called me and asked if they could borrow it for a customer bike and managed to break it in the process (small crack). I then made it really crack when i tried to get my cranks off. I then too ordered another one but remember having issues with that too but maybe it was just that i was nervous because of knowing it could happen again.

I cant really recall how i got it off in the end but i did somehow. Maybe i just used the new tool i got and that one dident cause me any issues that time. Wish i could muster up a clear memory but drawing a blank.

Still have 3 of those cranks around but just 1 tool.. So i got good bbs for em when i install so to last me a while. I used them with threaded bsa bbs actually.

[AngryScientist]

I just watched the video if installation of one of these.

pretty positive with the correct sized drift it would be easy enough to pull one of these with a traditional 2-arm puller a-la powertorque. it's just an interference fit on the spindle.

[DRZRM]

I wish I understood more of those words, but I think you are right. I can use the threaded punch the tool comes with to push on the axle, it is a matter of having that pull on the back of the arms. What is the...I guess "heavy dutiest" puller you can imagine?

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I just watched the video if installation of one of these.

pretty positive with the correct sized drift it would be easy enough to pull one of these with a traditional 2-arm puller a-la powertorque. it's just an interference fit on the spindle.

[bicimechanic]

I’ve got the tool in my shop here in Baltimore if it doesn’t work and you feel like taking a drive.

[DRZRM]

Originally Posted by bicimechanic

I’ve got the tool in my shop here in Baltimore if it doesn’t work and you feel like taking a drive.

The Campy tool, or the stronger puller? Or did Campy make a metal one for shops?

[cmbicycles]

Any pictures of where your tool broke?

Seems like a poor choice of material for that high of a torque on install, although I get it that the goal was to not mar the crankarm.
When the installation instructions show an impact wrench, you can bet removal could be a bear.

[DRZRM]

Yeah sure, of course when it broke I immediately put some JB Weld in it and left it in a vice over the weekend, but shockingly it did not hold. I tried to clamp that part of the tool, but I don't have a heavy duty enough clamp, and I'm not sure I would have enough space behind the crank arm to clamp it anyway.

I do think a strong two arm/claw puller could work, if I put something behind it, maybe even the bottom half of the broken tool.

Does this photo work, I've had issues with linking images at times.

Edit: I do not find Flickr to be very intuative as a way to link images, but I did figure out how to save a small version that I can attach, right? Image now attached?

Originally Posted by cmbicycles

Any pictures of where your tool broke?

Seems like a poor choice of material for that high of a torque on install, although I get it that the goal was to not mar the crankarm.
When the installation instructions show an impact wrench, you can bet removal could be a bear.

[m_sasso]

Why won't the Park or any of the other various makers real pullers work, that plastic puller never had a chance, pitch it and return any order you have for a new one.

Seems to me all you need is a decent puller, a plastic protection plate and an appropriate sized socket. I would suggest not making a mountain out of a mole hill, use some properly engineered tools and common sense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGLDaCTy3EQ

[bicycletricycle]

I think one of the aftermarket pullers is the way to go. They will put a more concentrated load into the arm itself but hopefully that will be okay.

[DRZRM]

So something like this or this (the second one ships from China and will take much longer to arrive)?

These have longer claw feet than most of the bearing pullers, but regardless, is this what ya'll are thinking off? How do I best keep them from marring the cranks? I figure I can cut off the bottom of the Campy tool under (over?) the crack and use that to hold the arm, but is there an easier way I'm not thinking of?

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

Edit: Puller on order, I'll let folks know early next week how it goes to remove. For now I will continue riding my squeaky bottom bracket. Thanks ya'll.

[hampco]

What a horrid, hateful design on those cranks. We went through he same issue here, the solution being that a local automotive store, O'Reilly, will lend out gear pullers at no charge. Some padding and a piece to press on and we got the damn thing off, never to be used again.

Ymmv.

[cmbicycles]

Photo doesn't work for me, but I have issues sometimes seeing pictures on my phone.

Originally Posted by DRZRM

Yeah sure, of course when it broke I immediately put some JB Weld in it and left it in a vice over the weekend, but shockingly it did not hold. I tried to clamp that part of the tool, but I don't have a heavy duty enough clamp, and I'm not sure I would have enough space behind the crank arm to clamp it anyway.

I do think a strong two arm/claw puller could work, if I put something behind it, maybe even the bottom half of the broken tool.

Does this photo work, I've had issues with linking images at times.

[zmalwo]

The more I think about OT the more I think it's a bad design. Essentially the crank is held on at the axle by shear frictional force as the cap at 8~10NM won't do anything against the leveraging crank going left and right trying to wiggle off the machined axle every pedal. Seems like sooner or later the machined surface will wear out and cause the crank to be loose on the axle. Seems like Rotor's system is far superior as it has less parts and the fixing bolt is the one that needs 40NM

[madvillain]

ooooof, sorry you're going through this.

I had the temptation to grab an OT crankset years ago when they came out... but once I saw how they were installed I took a hard pass on that.

If you don't have luck with traditional routes mentioned above, I too would reach for some automotive tools. There are various sizes of tie-rod end pullers out there. If not, there may be a pitman arm and/or ball joint puller that would work. Many kits out there that have all three types included if you get desperate.

https://www.amazon.com/ARES-Service-...850869&sr=8-20