Got HT2 LX cranks and want to change middle ring. In the good old days I'd have whipped out the trusty crank extractor and got on with it. As I've not got shimano special tool can I take out the middle and large ring off and get them past the spider?

Yes.

"special tool" – are talking about the round plastic thing? If so, just wedge a pair of pliers in the hole, open them out and turn.

I have Deore LX cranks and have had no need for a crank extractor tool? Take off the non drive side arm and just tap the spindle with a rubber mallet. Comes right out 🙂

Cheers gents

If you want to do it with them on the bike, it'll just depend on the cranks and the rings, it's not always possible.

I doubt you'll get them off.

Have a look here – tis easy to remove cranks – just use a 2p piece or similar – btw the cap extractor is V V cheap 🙂

http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/features/maintenance/shimano-ultegra-hollowtech-ii-crank-service.htm

Its the same process BTWd or MTB cranks 🙂

I've just done it several times – you take the middle ring off, get it over the inner, move it through 45 degrees or so, meaning that the tabs no longer line up with the tabs on the spider, and wriggle. You get one side over, then the other. It's not difficult to do, just needs a bit of patience and lateral thinking.

I found it easiest to do with the driveside crank pointing forwards, giving you plenty of room to wriggle the ring over the spider by the chainstay.

Might be that I had a deore chainring with a bit more metal on it but the correct answer is no you can't. Also found that the little right angle brackets for attaching ikea bookshelves to the wall work as a shimano special tool!

Special tool is about £2 from CRC. Why would you go to all this trouble?

APF

I'd like to say that it's a philosophical position that I try not to give Shimano more money for nonsense tools when they could have just put a slot on the HT2 cap that you could turn with a coin. Actually it's got more to do with me having a bit of unexpected time to do the job and it wouldn't have helped if CRC sent me the tool with £2

Changed mine without removing cranks, had remove outer and inner to get the room though – wouldve been easier to go to bike shop and buy the extractor, but I like a challenge lol