My non-drive side crank is gubbed, so I have a new set sitting here waiting to go on… but can I get the sodding bolt to undo???? Any hints and tips would be appreciated!

I have tried putting the 8mm hex key in and hit it with a mahoosive (rubber) hammer to no avail. I may resort to soaking it in WD40 tomorrow and seeing if I can find a couple of metal tubes to use as breaking bars!!! (I am an engineer me….)

Just not sure if I am missing something – it shouldn’t be THIS hard should it???

massive bar for leverage whilst praying nothing snapped…it worked but it was touch and go

I was thinking this would be the case!

To be honest I am not so bothered about breakages – the cranks are getting binned anyway. The BB is still okay so I was going to leave that be and slot the new Turbines in.

(I think it is pressfit and I don’t currently have the necessary hardware to fit it)

I struggled with my first RF crank. Mine needed a Isis standard crank extractor to remove it. Who the F has a Isis crank extractor?

Answer. Me now.

Assuming they fit like ht2 are you undoing the bolt the correct way?

One of the retainer/extractor cap and the crank bolt has a reverse thread (although having removed one just three days ago I’ll be jiggered if I can recall which one).

As above, long bar for leverage. 8mm anti clockwise. It’s feels unnatural putting that much force through it but it should give.

If it’s a cinch ring (if you need it off) and it’s never been undone they can be hard to undo too. I used a threaded bar and some washers to keep the old style bb tool in the slots then another long bar on the wrench I was using.

chestrockwell
I struggled with my first RF crank. Mine needed a Isis standard crank extractor to remove it. Who the F has a Isis crank extractor?
Answer. Me now.

Is that actually a necessary tool to have for a RF crankset or just handy when one doesn’t want to play ball.

Only ask as I will soon be fitting a turbine to a new build. 🙂

Cheers!

Generally find the steel tube on the vacuum cleaner works well as an extension for the hex key!

Ih ad a nightmare one a few weeks ago-1/2″ drive Snap on breaker bar just rounded the remnants of the bolt, so had to resort to drilling & stud extractors.
Don’t know what it is with some of the RF ones!

Nearly fubarred my E-Thirteen TRS cranks last night, using a blanking plug to wind the extractor tool against to pull the arm off. It mangled the first few threads. 😥 Managed to chase the thread out with a screwdriver & a smaller bolt with the same pitch. Lucky escape. 😐 Trying to track down the proper tool but no stock anywhere, might have to call upon the works tool room. 😉

@chestrockwell – me too!

My Solaris had Raceface cranks that used the 8mm Allan key pushing against the outer nut and after about two years they were fubarred so replaced them with Shimano.

When I built up my fat bike I got some RF AEffect cranks. Fitted them then realised that someone had forgotten to fit the correct number of BB spacers 🙄 It was at this point that I discovered that RF several systems for fixing their cranks! Cue lots of ringing around ever more distant bike shops to find one that had a crank puller. Eventually, after an hour and a half of phone then driving got one from the shop near where I work. Getting the crank off took two minutes – right tool for the job and all that.

Extender on a large allen key. Whilst wincing that you arn’t going to strip the head off the bolt, or the thread off it. So, similar to SRAM in that respect.

Usually followed by lots of swearing & wondering why you didn’t buy Shimano cranks with a pinch bolt system that actually works properly 🙂

24mm axle AEffect use a 8mm bolt to hold the cranks on (which I keep having to nip up atm….) but require an old school square taper crank puller tool for removal.

Granted this doesn’t help the OP but thought useful….his sound like the ones on my Camber, some Sram crank, that was 8mm bolt self extracting/pulling style which I couldn’t remove so went to the local garage where they used a f’off extension bar, big crack and off they came! Conclusion was way too much threadlock from the factory.

it shouldn’t be THIS hard should it???

It really shouldn’t. They’re the least appealling things, but shimano cranks do at least come off without a battle. I’m suspicious of my SRAM ones – thy’ve got one of those big bolts that you just know is going to be struggling and moaning while I pound away at it with a massive pole, desperately hoping that nothing is going to break.

I found that one of these

http://www.screwfix.com/p/joint-connector-nuts-m6-x-12mm-50-pack/83501?kpid=83501

sat nicely in the spindle on octalink and RF cranks and allowed the use of a normal square taper crank extractor. Careful not to use anything too big as if it blocks the splines the extractor will just strip the threads.

Generally find the steel tube on the vacuum cleaner works well as an extension for the hex key!

They can be quite thin…just make sure your wife does not mind if you wreck it…mine was not impressed