How To Remove A Bearing Without A Puller

It's not always easy to remove a wheel crank without a puller. Information technology can be downright frustrating if you don't know what you're doing. Notwithstanding, at that place is a mode to remove the bike crank without a puller.

This article will accept you through the process step-past-step, so you lot can successfully remove your bike's creepo.

What Y'all'll Need?

Here are the items you'll need to follow along with this article:

An adjustable wrench, pliers, or socket set
Grease
Penetrating oil
Sandpaper or Dremel tool with a sanding pulsate
Safe glasses or goggles
A towel to lay your bike on
Two torque wrenches (1 large, ane pocket-sized)
The right size Allen wrench for your pedals
Plastic wedges/shims

The Process On How to Remove the Wheel Crank Without a Puller?

The Process On How to Remove the Bike Crank Without a Puller

It is possible to remove a cycle crank without a crank puller past following several steps. Here are the steps yous'll need to follow to remove your wheel's crank successfully:

1. Remove The Bike'due south Pedals

Use your adjustable wrench to remove the bolts on both pedals, using a big torque wrench if they are stuck. If y'all have plastic shims under your pedals, remove them too.

2. Remove The Chainring Bolts

Using an Allen wrench, remove the chainring bolts from the inside of the frame (be careful not to drib them in the frame).

3. Cheque for Bearing Dust Caps

On each side of the lesser bracket, y'all should come across some tiny holes or slots with an even smaller crank bolt holding on a bit of metal cap. Remove these bolts and remove the dust caps. Now your spindle is exposed.

iv. Grease the Spindle

Grease the exposed spindle with high-quality grease (pedal wrench or another bicycle grease).

5. Pry Off Dust Caps with Your Plastic Wedge/Shim

Now yous'll need to pry out the bearing dust caps on the drive side of the frame. Use your plastic wedge or shim to go between the dust cap and the semi-gloss paint of the wheel's frame, so lift it up slightly. Once you have enough room, pry out toward yourself with a pocket-sized apartment head screwdriver until information technology comes loose plenty for you to grab information technology with your fingers. Do this for all four begetting dust caps.

half-dozen. Use a Towel to Prop Upwards Your Wheel

Now that your bicycle crank arm is exposed, you can prop information technology up with a thick towel folded in half vertically and then horizontally so that it sits well-nigh a human foot off of the ground.

8. Pull Out the Spindle

Grab both sides of the spindle with your adjustable wrench and pull straight out (be conscientious, information technology's heavy). You can at present remove your bicycle creepo arm without a Crank puller.

This is how you should remove a bike creepo using the uncomplicated steps higher up.

Troubleshooting Guide for Removing the Wheel Crank Without a Creepo Puller

Troubleshooting Guide for Removing the Bike Crank Without a Crank Puller

To help you lot with any issues removing your bike crank, hither is a quick guide:

If the spindle is very rusty, you can spray it with some penetrating oil and allow it to sit overnight before attempting to apply a wrench on it once more.
If the bike crank won't budge and aught seems to work later on trying these solutions, take your bike into a cycling shop, where they will remove the bicycle crank using a puller.
If you still tin can't remove your bike crank and it's not rusty, and so the issue is most likely that the bearings are frozen. This ways that at that place is clay in them, and they will demand to be replaced earlier y'all can successfully pull out your cycle crank.
If your spindle is bent, after removing it and trying to straighten it out with a vice, have it back into your shop, where they tin can utilise a unique tool to align the spindle.
If one side of the bottom subclass is stuck and won't come out, you can utilise an impact commuter to tap on that side of the spindle. You should simply need to apply calorie-free taps. You don't desire to pause them.
If you don't take an impact driver, use a condom mallet and strike it gently.
If necessary, you can as well use a wrench to hold it nevertheless while some other wrench pulls upwards on the spindle (you lot could practice this in conjunction with the impact commuter). It would help if you lot never tried to pry or twist the spindle on the bicycle.
If you have a plastic shim from nether your pedals, pry it out with a hex wrench before using the wrench to try and remove the crank arm.
When removing the chainring a crank bolt, make sure that they aren't stuck in identify and that they will fall into your frame'southward bottom bracket when removed by striking them lightly with a metal rod.
If you are using an Allen wrench to remove the chainring a crank bolt, spin them counter-clockwise to remove them (most bikes have this set up). If they refuse to budge, use some penetrating oil and permit it to sit down before attempting over again.
Try not to remainder both sides of your bike on whatever parts of the creepo so that you lot don't scratch upwardly your bike.

I have put together a few quick troubleshooting guides that you can apply if you are having trouble removing your bike crank.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

It is mutual for people to make the post-obit mistakes when they endeavor to remove the creepo artillery from their vehicles:

Using A Steel Wrench On the Spindle

Steel wrenches are made to be used with either screwdrivers or sockets, not with blank metal. This volition scratch and damage your spindle, making it almost impossible to remove without special tools.

Not Having a Good Surface to Piece of work On

Brand sure you have a sturdy table or workspace where you tin put your bike in guild to go leverage from both sides.

Not Having the Proper Tool for The Job

There are a lot of tools made specifically for removing wheel cranks, and you should e'er utilise those instead of trying to improvise with something that wasn't meant for this purpose. If you lot accept a problem using your creepo removal tool or inserting it into your bike, check out the section beneath for more info.

Using WD-40 to Loosen the Crank Artillery

WD-40 is dangerous on bike parts because information technology tin can make them rust faster. If yous use information technology, make sure to wipe off any excess with a towel.

Not Using an Adaptable Wrench

Using your adjustable wrench too close to the frame can ruin the wheel'due south paint job, and so be extra careful if you're doing this.

Not Using Penetrating Oil

This is almost always recommended before trying to remove a stuck part on a bike. The penetrating oil will make the spindle easier to remove and help prevent damage.

Not Using Safe Glasses

I know this seems like common sense, but pictures of people trying to remove their cranks without their safety glasses are surprisingly easy to find online (which is scary). It would help if y'all e'er protected your optics with safety glasses when working on your bike and wearing gloves.

Using a Wrench in The Wrong Management

If you lot're doing this, stop immediately and try again in the other social club (it doesn't matter which way you exercise information technology or which paw you use). This is how people end up ruining their spindles.

Every bit these are all mistakes that people have made before, yous tin avoid making the same mistakes by being aware of them in the future.

Decision

Removing your bike crank can seem like a daunting chore, but with the right tools and cognition, it'due south something that y'all can do at home. We've provided a comprehensive guide on how to remove your bike creepo, as well every bit some tips on how to avert making mutual mistakes. If you're however having problem removing your cycle crank, don't hesitate to take it to your local cycling shop for assist.