How to Remove Bike Crank without Puller?
Whether you are a professional mechanic or not, knowing how to handle and maneuver bike parts around is quite important if you are a bike owner.
It is more important to have a general idea about them if you do not have any bike shops nearby.
And when it comes to disassembling a bike, knowing how to remove a bike crank without a puller is one of the crucial techniques that you should know about.
With that said, if you do not have an idea about that, you would want to know about it.
Well, as you stumbled upon this article, you will not have to worry about that anymore. We are going to provide you with a step-by-step guide for that process.
What Exactly Is a Bike Crank Puller?
Just like all the other tools related to bike parts, a bike crank puller is a tool with which you can service and do maintenance for your bike.
It is a special type of tool that will allow the user to disassemble and remove the crankset from the frame of the bike.
Besides that, it can also be used for some bike-related maintenance and servicing tasks.
In general, the tool will come with a few nuts and bolts. The way it works is that it will pull the crank from the axle of the frame.
Most of these tools will come with construction of aluminum, which makes them extremely lightweight. Because of being lightweight, it is quite easy to maneuver as well.
However, you will not be able to work with it without having any prior experience.
That is why these are usually in the toolboxes of mechanics. And as we said, the crankset can also be removed without using this puller.
But having this will make the process a bit more easy to carry out.
Can You Remove the Bike Crank without any Puller?
It is not possible to source out a bike crank that easily. Apart from that, these tools also require proper knowledge and experience too.
And as we mentioned above, it is possible to remove the crank without a puller.
The steps for removing a crank without a puller are:
Step 1: Wear Protective Gears
As you are mostly going to maneuver bike parts, which are of metal, it would be best if you can source some gloves for your hands. Cranks usually have sharp slots in which the chain sits.
Those slots can pierce through the skin easily. With that being said, if you can not source a rubber glove, you can also wear the gloves that you wear for riding your bike.
Step 2: Remove the Chain
Now that you have worn gloves, you should be ready for the removal process.
For this, you need to start by removing the chain from the crank. Shift the gearing mechanism to the slot that makes the chain lose. After that, you will be able to take the chain out from the crank.
However, if the chain is full of gunk, and if you do not want to get your gloves dirty, you can use a stick for this.
For this, you should do the same thing for loosening up the chain, and then you must lift it up using a stick.
Step 3: Unscrew the Nuts and Bolts
By removing the chain, you will be able to get access to the bolts and the nuts that the crank uses to stay on the frame securely.
You need to unscrew and remove them in this step. For that, you must turn them in a counterclockwise manner.
After removing all the visible nuts and bolts, if you can not get the crank loose enough, then some hidden nuts are holding it with the frame.
For getting access to those, you should remove the plastic caps. These plastic caps protect the internals of the crank from dust and debris.
You might have to pry them out, and for that, you would require something flat. A flathead screwdriver will do the trick.
Once you have removed the dust caps, you will find that there is a bolt inside, which will require unscrewing too.
Step 4: Remove the Washers
Now that you have unscrewed all the bolts and nuts, you need to work your way through the washers.
If you do not know what washers are, they are basically metal disc that has a hole in the middle. They ensure the secure placement of the bolts and nuts.
That being said, you will find them under the bolts and nuts that you have just unscrewed.
If you are having trouble in the case of removing them, you would want to get yourself a spanner. You can also maneuver a bolt inside them to get them out.
Step 5: Get the Correct Tool for Removing the Crank Bolt
After you have removed all the exterior bolts and nuts, work your way through the crank bolt.
As the bolts will differ from bike to bike, there is no specific tool for the removal process.
For this, inspect the crank bolt first. After inspecting it find out whether it is an M8 crank bolt or an M12 or M14 or anything larger than that.
If the bolt is an M8, you will require a CWP-7 or a CCP-22 that has a relatively smaller tip.
On the other hand, if the bolt is M12 or M14 or larger, get yourself a CWP-7 or a CCP-44 that has a relatively larger tip.
Step 6: Set the Coupler to the Arm
Now that you have the right tool for the removal process, you should start unthreading the coupler. Turn it to the point where it fully gets recessed in the fitting of the tool.
However, you need to be extra careful while you are unthreading it as you can cross-thread it.
By cross-threading the coupler, it would get challenging to thread it back into the slot.
The thing that you are shooting for in this step is to get the 22-millimeter thread inside the arm entirely.
You might also have to use a screwdriver or a spanner for this step.
Step 7: Secure the Spindle to the Arms
Once you have threaded the coupler, secure the spindle into the arms. For this, take off the gloves and use your bare hands. First of all, insert the spindle into the dedicated slot.
After that, turn the spindle driver in an anti-clockwise manner. Take your time because it is a bit tedious process.
Once you have done that, test the tautness. If it is not adequate, riding the bike can be a bit dangerous afterward. And you would not want that, would you?
Now that the driver is appropriately tightened, you need to turn it in a clockwise manner again.
Keep on threading it in that direction up until the point that the crank fully disengages from the slot.
Carry out this step slowly as you can injure yourself if you thread the threading hurriedly.
Step 8: Remove the Tool from the Slot
At this point, you should have fully removed the crankset from the slot. Now, remove the tool that you have inserted into the slot.
While trying to remove the tool from the location, do make sure that you do not pierce your skin because removing it can be a bit tricky.
Step 9: Repeat the Entire Process for the Other Side
Now that you are done with one side of the crank, you need to repeat the entire process for the other side.
After you are done repeating the entire process, we would recommend you test the bike to make sure that the part is fully disengaged.
If it is not, you might have messed up in one of the steps. In that case, we would recommend you check whether the steps were properly followed by you or not.
How to Select the Perfect Crankset Size for Your Bike?
If you are planning to install a new crankset after removing the crankset, then these are the things that you have to consider to get yourself a perfect-sized crankset for your bike:
Chainring Compatibility
The first thing that you have to keep in mind is the compatibility of the chainring.
If the one that you are shooting for does not go along with the chainring that you have, you would want to get a new one that is compatible with the new crankset that you just bought.
Bottom Bracket type
The bottom bracket is often termed the BB of the crank. You should factor this one too when you are looking for a new crankset for your bike.
While looking for one of the cranksets, make sure that the BB is of the same size, and shape and is configured for your bike.
Axle Diameter
The place where the crankset goes into the frame is called the axle. And in the case of replacing your old crankset, you would want to find the ones that are compatible with the axle diameter of your bike.
Or else you will just have a brand new crankset with you that will not fit your bicycle.
Crank Length
In the case of the crank length, you need to measure the inside leg. If the crankset that you are shooting for does not have the same leg length as the one that you had on your bike, you will not be able to get the same comfort and control you once had while riding your bike.
Conclusion
We hope you know by now that you do not actually need a puller to remove the crank from your bike.
With that being said, we would like to conclude here by hoping that we were able to show you how to remove the bike crank without the puller properly, and wish you good luck with the process that you are going to carry out.