I’ve just received a middle chainring for my Shimano FC-M612 triple crankset.

An epic ride is on Friday morning. No time today and tomorrow to visit my local shops for the tool… What can I use (if I need anything at all!) to undo the bolts/nuts? I’ve got Vice-Grips… Would it work with a coin? 5p? 20p? 8)

Please help – I’m hoping to avoid “the swearing session” tonight…

*it depends*

you can get away with a flat head screwdriver in one of the slots if the locktite’s not too, errm, tight.

[edit] wear gardening gloves or wrap a t-shirt round the chainrings a few times if you’re trying to bodge it – those chainring teeth take chunks out of your knuckles.

Angle grinder.

Knife out of the kitchen drawer.

gun?

this [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6SCwijgdyQ[/video]

Just Bodge make one up ,then after a short,sharp shock with the Allen key ,they should (hopefully) spin out while holding them with your new bodged precision made tool 🙂 Same goes for putting them back on,if you make sure that they are clean.

gun?

Angle grinder.

Some useful advice here, as usual! 😆

Thanks guys! I replaced the big chainring some time ago – just an allen key did the job – I didn’t even have to remove the crankset! But I expect some problems with the middle one… Cheers! 😀

old fork from the kitchen bend to suit

99% of the time if I just start undoing it with an allen-key then they loosen off enough that I can just hold the nut piece with a finger while I undo them the rest of the way. Otherwise a screwdriver is the obvious choice (or the correct tool).

Metal rule

If you are desperate. Stick a large flat screw driver in a vice. File the sides off evenly to leave a small bit in the middle so it looks like the tool. Place the chainset onto the screwdriver so it holds the nut and turn the top Allen key. Good luck.

And Wear gloves in case it jumps.

Replace them with double sided Allen key ones.

There’s a tool? I’ve always just used a big flat head screwdriver, or most of the time just the allen key on its own…

I used to get by with an old house key (deadlock type) whose teeth were just the right size and distance apart.

I’ve got a proper tool now though…….

I rarely need anything more than an allen/torx key on the bolt part.

Occasionally have to press a flat blade screwdriver into the recess on the nut part, but never needed anything beyond that.

Some useful advice here, as usual!

You asked for how a cowboy would do it and form what I’ve seen in the films that was my best guess.

rounded end of a steel rule or the shaft of a 2.5 mm hex key

don’t expect to use either of them again

.

11T sprocket.

.

I bought the tool eventually, but found a decent sized flat screwdriver did the trick. Just, as someone said, often gouged knuckles.

Gun

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-7NDP8V-6A[/video]

And for next time…

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Truvativ-Chainring-Single-Steel-Spacer/dp/B001GSQO3W

Double hex key, steel, black, spacers – Rob prefers this design much more

20p is my preferred tool, and I own proper park & shimano ones.

The job’s done.

No tools other than 5mm allen key. And helluva elbow grease – that loctite they used was like concrete! 😆

I checked the bolts and nuts and I think that Shimano changed the design or something – having any tool for them would be absolutely useless, as there is no recess to engage it! Instead the nuts have got two little anchors that fit in the slots on the chainring – this keeps them in place. Have I discovered America? 😀