Are you looking for a guide to removing your bike’s crank? Well, you are in the right place.
Cranks are the levers that are connected to the bottom bracket axle to the pedals. Aluminum cranks are the most common which fits into a square-shaped shaft with square holes. There are two cranks in a bike, each on one side.
The cranks are installed with toothed sprockets called chainrings that drive the chain. These are connected to the rider by the pedals, to the bicycle frame.
However, sometimes you need maintenance of the cranks and so to do this you need to remove the cranks.
In this writing, we have focused on how to remove the cranks of your favorite bicycle.
Step by Step Guidelines on How to Remove Cranks
There are some steps for removing Cranks which are given below:
1. Removing the Pedals:
At first, you have to separate the pedal from the crank arm with a wrench. The crank arm is the thing that retains the pedals with the cranks. Set the wrench with the rod that connects the crank arm and pedal.
Next, rotate the wrench counterclockwise until it is being loosed from the crank arm. Then, Hold the pedal and turn the crank arm clockwise until the pedal is separated from the crank arm.
When the right one is done, repeat the procedure on the other pedal. Both pedals have to be separated from the cranks for the next process and keep the pedals in a safe place so that you can re-install them anytime you need. See our detailed guide to removing pedals from a bike.
2. Removing the Cap:
You have to open the cap from the middle of the crank if it has one. Generally, there are two types of caps (plastic or metal) that have on the cranks.
For removing the lid, use a screwdriver. Set it on the edge of the cap and open it. Then the crank bolt will come out.
3. Loosening the pinch bolts:
If the crank has pinch bolts, you have to loosen it with a Hex key, which will allow you to remove the crank arm from the rest of the crankset. If your crank has these, insert a Hex key that will fit in the holes, and turn the hex key counterclockwise. Untie the pinch bolts as you need.
4. Completely unscrew the crank bolt:
After loosening the pinch bolts, you have to insert a Hex key in the crank bolt. And then you have to rotate it counterclockwise. Rotate the Hex key’s handle counterclockwise until it’s completely separated from the crank.
You may have crank bolts on both sides. Go to the other side and unscrew the other one from the other crank. See the user manual of your bicycle or bike for knowing which key will be needed for this task. You can also purchase it from your nearby hardware shop, cycle shop, or from online.
5. Detach the Cranks without the crank extractor:
If your bike’s cranks are self-extracting types, then it’s the last step for you to remove the cranks. You will easily be understood what kinds of cranks are yours. You can recognize it by having only one crank bolt in your cranks.
If your cranks have only one crank bolt with a ring around it, then it’s self-extracting. Once you recognized it, just push the cranks away off the spindle and pull the crank away from the bicycle. Then go to the other side of your bike and do the same thing. You have successfully removed your cranks.
6. Detach the Cranks with a crank extractor:
It is the last step of removing the cranks from your cycle, whatever the crank types are. This step is needed if your cycle has non-self-extracting cranks. You can easily recognize it. In this kind of crank, there have crank bolts on each of the sides.
Firstly, you need a crank extractor. Buy a crank extractor from a bicycle store, hardware shop, or from online, which one you need. Put the extractor in the hole of the crank bolt and rotate it clockwise until it’s tight.
Next, rotate the crank extractor counterclockwise until it’s removed. Then go to another side of your bicycle and do whatever you did on the other side. That’s how you can easily remove your bicycle cranks.
If you have some problems with your cranks, you will not be comfortable riding your bike. It maintains one of the most important things of your cycle, which is pedaling. Without pedaling your cycle, you will not be able to run your bike or cycle.
So, you must take care of your cranks in your cycle. If any problem is recognized, try to solve it as soon as possible, repair, re-install, or alternate it, which you need. If you love cycling, you have to maintain these things.
Importance Of Cranks in your Bike and Its Maintenance
These are critical parts of a cycle and must be maintained and taken care of to keep the cycle active. Cranks help a rider pedal his/her bike.
Cranks’ sizes vary from rider to rider. The size of a kid’s bicycle cranks is not the same as an adult’s bicycle crank. Manufacturers produce different cranks of different sizes. Special cranks you will get in some markets can be adjusted for any size of rider. Now, read this article if you want to adjust your bike brakes rubbing.
There are some reasons for removing cranks, for instance, to fit a new one to work it properly or to replace chainrings and other parts associated with it.
If you want to alternate your bike’s cranks, you need some proper tools like an adjustable wrench. You will get it in your nearby hardware shop.
Conclusion
Many people love cycling. But sometimes many problems may appear in your cycle. Cranks’ problem is one of them. Well, this is how to remove the cranks of any kind of bike easily for re-installation or further steps.
It’s an easy process. Do not make it complicated. You can follow the user manual for knowing better. Moreover, you also need proper knowledge about removing cranks, which is given here. I hope you will like it. Happy Cycling!!