Trying to remove my square taper cranks on my old road bike. I've got a "Fat Spanner" portable crank extractor.

I can't get the plug at the end of the tool off, which I have to do to use the tool on tapered cranks.

Anyone know how to remove the plug?

no you don't, the plug as you call it pushes against the BB otherwise the tool would push into the bb threads

Yeah that's what I thought, just can't get it in as the bolt is sticking out too far to get the tool screwed in. Like so:

Can you not remove the part that screws into the crank arm from the rest of the tool, fire that into the crank arm and then attach the rest of the tool?
I think that's how mine works, but looking at yours I'm not so sure?!?!

Ah – it's a nutted, rather than a bolted type. More common on cheaper BBs than higher end ones. You need to check if the pushing bit of the extractor will engage the threads of the pulling bit when it's up against the end of the axle, even when the plug's off. Hard to tell from the pic exactly what it will look like once the plug is off the end.

I *THINK* the problem is that your tool is designed to be used with BB's that use bolts (Shimano cartridge tyoe) – your BB has the thread on the end of the BB shaft and a nut that holds the cranks on so you are correct that your tool won't work.

Is the BB on the bike a really old non-cartridge/fully dis-assemble-able (?) jobby, with the BB axle a separate part and loose balls? You'll either have to beat the cranks off with a hammer and wood (have done this – it needs A LOT of beating) or take it to your friendly LBS and see if they have the tool for the job.

Thanks for your all your input guys.

Was going to take the crank off and use it on another bike as the frame is too big for me, now I'll just leave it on.

If anyone is interested in a Carrera steel road frame (58ish) with forks, cranks, and stem, you can have it for £20 if your in the Leeds area. It is a nice ride shame about the size.

Just ride around for a while with the crank bolts off. They'll come off soon enough.

The end bit for square taper and octalink extractors are different.

I have an old square taper extractor and needed to buy a little plug (now lost :() to use on octalink cranks.

Maybe you have an octalink specific crank extractor. Either that, or the removeable plug is stuck fast.

I can't see the pictures by the way, so apologies if I can't see something obvious.

Edit:
Oops, never mind (didn't see most of those replies)