HELP! Stronglight X'tractor system

Posted on Wed 11th, July 2012

• #1

ao1989

Yo

I just removed my Stronglight Comp 144 crankset from my bottom bracket, to find that the threaded bracket around the crankset bolt had split halfway, so the thread is well and truly fucked. The crankset came with the Planet X Pro Carbon I bought about 8 weeks ago, with which no specific tool for loosening the bolts on the crankset was provided, so I didn't think twice about removing it like I would any other one, like Sug Messengers which I've had no problems with in the past. Upon closer inspection the bolts' brackets have two holes in them, either side of the bolt. So I assume these are significant in removing the crankset?

So my question(s) is/are:

1) Why does such a system exist (besides making profit from stupid people like me having to buy extra tools)

2) Does anybody happen to have a spare one of these bolts hanging around? I require one ASAP...

and 3) Do those of you who have experienced this system know whether it is possible to use a normal, sensible bolt (like those used in Sugino cranks) on the Stronglight I have?

Cheers in advance!
• #2

lovecloughfixie

If you mean the self extracting crank bolts, yep i've had one or two fail. I don't use them now and took them off. I just use a standard crank extractor and the original crank bolts.
• #3

Lolo

I had one failing on me too on a Stronglight crankset. Remove the self extracting bit and keep the bolt as a regular one i.e you'll need a crank extractor as usual. No big deal.
• #4

Lolo

BTW the two holes are irrelevant.
• #5

ArthurFrayn

The two holes are just used to remove the self-extracting bit of the bolt, you don't need a special tool, just something pointy to stick in the holes (read a bent spoke somewhere)

Also had one of those bolts fail on my Stronglight crankset, destroying the thread on the crankarm as well. Which means the crankarm is now stuck to the BB and a crank extractor doesn't work since the thread is fucked.

I just don't understand why they would make them out of some crappy piece of weak aluminium. Definitely avoid using them if possible and just go with normal crank bolts.
• #6

ao1989

Thanks for the input, shite design! Picked up some regular crank bolts from my LBS today. Hopefully the crankarm threads are ok :/

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HELP! Stronglight X'tractor system

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