Seized Profile crank arm and spindle - help please!

After 6 years of daily use and zero maintenance (whoops), my Profile crank arms and spindle have seized together, and no matter how much lubricant and hitting (with the removal tool) I do, they are NOT coming apart.

I'm investing in some Plus Gas, but on the chance that it doesn't work, does anyone have any suggestions, or can recommend a competent LBS? I'm not too bothered about saving the frame, it's 50% fucked anyway.

Cheers!

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A 3 Jaw Puller?

Not sure if any of them have teeth thin enough to get between the crank arm and the BB nut. I have an Icetoolz crown race remover, which is a little more suited as the 'teeth' are much sharper, but they only come in fork sizes, and not small enough for this application.

But now you mention that, I've found this; might work

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Are you going to continue riding it? Only thing I found to get the most stubborn crank arm off was to ride it without the bolt tightened up. Was a square taper crank, the bolt was in but loose and had the bolt cap over it. I felt it come loose and nipped the bolt back up and sorted properly when home. Even so took 6 months of regular riding and last resort.

If you know the feeling when a crank arm is coming loose then might be worth a go.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am hoping to reuse the crankset, so am reluctant to do anything which might damage the splines if/as it loosens up, plus the bikes in bits now anyway, and I can't get it rideable. Thanks for the idea anyway :-)

in that case, either shock it loose or heat. place a bit of wood over the join and smack the crap out of it. failing that, a blow torch but you may loose paint

...or heat.

I'd say this is probably your best bet.

Could try with a hairdryer or boiling water or something first to avoid paint/chrome damage.

Is the axle hollow? If not, could whip the bolt out, lay the bike flat and fill the area at the end of the crank/axle with some kind of penetrating oil. Having a reservoir of it sitting there should help get it where it needs to be.

Cheers for the tip. I think some heat is going to be needed, in the method you suggest. I have a bottle of Plus Gas arriving (tried regular lubricant with no success), and can block up the other end with the puller tool or bolt, so can definitely submerge it in oil. Fun times ahead!

Have you tried the Plus Gas / WD40 / penetrating oil etc soaking?

How do these cranks normally come off - with some kind of crank puller?

Hi, tried all those methods, starting with WD, then lubricant, then Plus Gas. Still no joy.

They come with their own puller, but I've still had no joy. Paradise Cycles have offered to have a go, so fingers crossed they have more joy than me.

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It's a good sign you've not broken the puller yet I guess. Once you've snapped the puller you know you've used enough force. :)

With this one, you screw the puller into the spindle, then tap (hit violently) with a hammer to separate the spindle from crank arm. I wish there was a less destructive method to releasing these cranks, but it appears not.

I can't work out in my head how that works but it sounds like my kind of crank removal :D

classic bmx mechanics.

Seems a bit obvious but I assume you've tried to get both sides off?
And tried wedging the frame/wheels so when you hit it all the force goes through the axle rather than going towards moving the bike?

I shouldn't worry too much about runining the threads. That spindle is solid steel so will take mostly anything you throw at it ime.

Pretty much like this (in a perfect world)

https://youtu.be/_Tov8Xfw0ho?t=337

Think heat might be your friend, I shifted a BB that had been fitted for 25 years with a hair dryer.

Have tried both sides, both are equally stuffed, but the the advice about wedging the frame is a good one. I'll give it another shot that way.

This has been mentioned, as has cooling liquid for the spindle. I'll give that a shot too, thanks.

I recently got some pedals out of some cranks. I had a long allen key with a 10 inch ring spanner hooked over it and was just bending.
I used boiling water followed by Halfords "shock and unlock" which cools the area down while dowsing it in penetrating oil. Undid with a massive bang.
Not sure if the Halfords stuff is still available, but could use plumbers pipe freeze spray.

That sounds amazing, thanks. Will look it up :-)

Use a hot air gun .always works in the motor trade.

@finger_jockey you ever get this sorted out?

To some extent I have! Iwas about to go down the hot/cold route but then three days' soaking in Plus Gas + massive heave ho with a large hammer = success. However, as you can see, the spacer and the spline adaptor still present minor challenges of their own, although an improvised vice should sort those out. The BB is mashed, but that's far more easily replaced.

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