damaged crankset endcap help

encephalopathy · 2 Jun 2015 at 21:15

i've managed to overtighten the crankset encap on my FSA crankset on the MTB and round the allen key socket. the cranks still turn ok but are stiffer than they should be when i back pedal. any ideas how i get this endcap off again as i wont be able to undo the cranks to change the crankset if i decide to replace it?

any (belated) suggestions for a reasonably priced torque wrench tool so i won't be an overtightening numptie again?

thanks

James07 · 2 Jun 2015 at 21:22

encephalopathy said:
i've managed to overtighten the crankset encap on my FSA crankset on the MTB and round the allen key socket. the cranks still turn ok but are stiffer than they should be when i back pedal. any ideas how i get this endcap off again as i wont be able to undo the cranks to change the crankset if i decide to replace it?

any (belated) suggestions for a reasonably priced torque wrench tool so i won't be an overtightening numptie again?

thanks

Advice for the crankset is beyond me, but I can help with wrenches.

I bought these two recently for my bikes, literally the cheapest around, I spent weeks looking.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/x-tools-torque-wrench-2-24n-m/rp-prod11142

http://mobile.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Draper 3004Ab 5010559546275 3 8In Drive 10 80Nm Torque Wrench

Or if you want it in a case
http://mobile.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Draper 3004A 5010559345700 3 8In 10 80Nm Torque Wrench In Case

I'd buy the one with a case for the extra two quid, I should have done to be honest with you, it sits in my socket toolbox so it's safe but you're always best keeping these in the plastic moulded cases.

platypus · 3 Jun 2015 at 06:50

James07 said:
I bought these two recently for my bikes, literally the cheapest around, I spent weeks looking.

"Literally the cheapest around" is not something to strive for when buying a torque wrench

.

The cheaper they are the greater the error range in the calibration, and the more quickly they will lose alignment. Not terrible (but not ideal) with aluminium but crucial for carbon.

Oh and in case you aren't aware, never wind the torque back to zero when finished with it, always leave a little tension, around 20% (or 2).

FWIW I have this one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-professional-torque-wrench/. But I regularly have it calibrated in the workshop at Work where they have digital calibration devices.

Vonhelmet · 3 Jun 2015 at 08:18

You could drill it out. Probably best to take it to a bike shop first and get them to look at it.

You could hammer in a slightly bigger Allen key to force it into the socket and then turn it out, but it won't be easy.

If you have a dremel you could cut little notches in the sides of the Allen key socket and then wedge a screwdriver in and undo it that way.

FrenchTart · 3 Jun 2015 at 08:21

platypus said:
"Literally the cheapest around" is not something to strive for when buying a torque wrench .

The cheaper they are the greater the error range in the calibration, and the more quickly they will lose alignment. Not terrible (but not ideal) with aluminium but crucial for carbon.

Oh and in case you aren't aware, never wind the torque back to zero when finished with it, always leave a little tension, around 20% (or 2).

FWIW I have this one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-professional-torque-wrench/. But I regularly have it calibrated in the workshop at Work where they have digital calibration devices.

I have the same wrench as Platypus. Possible quality issues aside, once you buy all the bits to go with the cheaper wrenches linked to above you'll probably end up spending nearly the same amount - though I'm pretty sure I paid at least £10 less than the current price on Wiggle.

MacRS4 · 4 Jun 2015 at 11:17

Those FSA bolts are utter crap, have had to remove a few, including one not 15 minutes ago. The most reliable way I've found is to hammer a tory into them so locks on, and then remove. It can be a pain to get the bolt off the tory afterwards though, but at least it works.

MacRS4 · 4 Jun 2015 at 11:18

TorX, no tories were harmed in the bolt removal.

touch · 4 Jun 2015 at 13:17

You just need to be gentle with those bolts. They hardly need any force at all to do them up.
The torque required to do up the FSA bolts is below the range for all of the torque wrenches linked above, so they wont help much. Just do it up enough so that there is no lateral play in the cranks and that's enough.
The shimano ones come with a flimsy little plastic tool for doing them up so that you dont overtighten them.

Vonhelmet · 4 Jun 2015 at 13:54

touch said:
The shimano ones come with a flimsy little plastic tool for doing them up so that you dont overtighten them.

HTII you mean? Yeah, I just have a hand tool from my Icetoolz kit for that. You turn it hand tight just to remove the play and then do up the actual bolts on the sides.

touch · 4 Jun 2015 at 14:32

Vonhelmet said:
HTII you mean? Yeah, I just have a hand tool from my Icetoolz kit for that.

Yep, just a little plastic disc? It means you shouldnt be able to overtighten the bolt. In fact, I think the bolt itself is plastic too.

Vonhelmet said:
You turn it hand tight just to remove the play and then do up the actual bolts on the sides.

This is the same as the FSA bolt. You only need it finger tight, it just positions the crank arms against the bearing whilst you do up the pinch bolts.

Vonhelmet · 4 Jun 2015 at 16:14

Mine is metal, as it doubles as the tool for installing the actual HTII cups. You use the big crank bolt Allen key to do that up, so the temptation is there to go overboard to tighten the preload thingy!!

encephalopathy · 15 Jun 2015 at 20:37

well finally got round to fixing this
secret to removing it is to loosen the crankarm pinchbolts first......

i then liberally wd40'd it left it and 20 mins later hammered in an allen key and removed it fairly easily.

a good day today as i managed to also fix my continually rising KS supernatural dropper post by simply unscrewing the seatpost collar and releasing built up air inside. it now stays at the level i wish

arknor · 15 Jun 2015 at 22:29

platypus said:
"Literally the cheapest around" is not something to strive for when buying a torque wrench .

The cheaper they are the greater the error range in the calibration, and the more quickly they will lose alignment. Not terrible (but not ideal) with aluminium but crucial for carbon.

Oh and in case you aren't aware, never wind the torque back to zero when finished with it, always leave a little tension, around 20% (or 2).

FWIW I have this one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-professional-torque-wrench/. But I regularly have it calibrated in the workshop at Work where they have digital calibration devices.

and never undo anything with a torque wrench they are designed to tighten, undoing things can ruin the calibration