Peccant

The crank on my now very old MTB keeps coming loose so I have to ride round with an allen key in my pocket. Every time I feel the wobble I have to stop and tighten it up. Tried cleaning grease off and using nutlock on the thread but doesn't help. Took me two hours to go 25 miles this morning as I had to keep stopping. Any suggestions gratefully received.......

Amy

Shark Man

Superglue the nut on?

Failing that...weld it on


or buy a new crank/chaniwheel assembly

or buy a new bike!

Peccant

ok, fairly gratefully received lol

jjones

buy a car

Peccant

is it going to get much worse?

AvalancheS8

Probably it'll be too far gone to fix, once they have started to come loose and wobble, the taper in the crank gets mis-shaped and it never fits properly again, BUT, as a cheap and ugly, nothing to lose type fix...

You might be able to fix it with Araldite or JB weld or a strong 2 part epoxy - de-grease everything, apply a thin layer of glue, fit it, horse it up VERY tight and leave it overnight somewhere warm to set. I've succesfully fixed a headset into a slightly ovalised heatube like this, so you never know.

Peccant

Thanks - I'll give it a go

Harry_Boy

Does it have a washer that's fallen off? May not be 'pinched up' properly?

anc-sti

Tapers are knackered mate, time for some new cranks. Plenty of good offers about on the old square taper cranks. If I were you I'd replace the Botton Bracket while your at it with the newer round toothed system or get your self a hollowtech system, far more reliable and stiffer.

P.S. Don't glue the ******* on because if your Bottom Bracket die's you won't be able to remove it with a crank bonded on. Sawing through the axel which is either hardened steel or titanium will NOT BE EASY!!!


www.chainreactioncycles.com Are good value.

skiddus_markus

Only go down steep hills.

Harry_Boy

Time to have a look at www.wiggle.co.uk

Peccant

Thanks for your suggestions guys - much appreciated (mostly lol). I think the bottom bracket needs changing anyway due to the crunching noises! Could well be time to write a begging letter to Santa

can anyone recommend a hardtail for around £400?

AvalancheS8

Not that big a problem, Araldite softens and lets go when heated with a hot air gun / powerful hairdryer. If that doesn't work, the normal technique in the bike shops I've worked in is to saw a diagonal slot across the end of the crank which is easy, since the crank will be alloy, and pretty soft. Once that's done, if it doesn't just fall off, a firm tap with a large hammer to the back of the crank will get it off.

anc-sti

Ok, still glueing bits of your bike together ain't a very good idea your average biker isn't going to be competant enough to do this(saws and hammers are a bit brutal for a bike IMO). Also what happens if you need to do some trail side maintance? E.g. you get bad chainsuck and need to loose n the driveside to release the chain.

Peccant

Specialized Rockhoppers are excellent value for money one on sale here
for £450 reduced from £550
http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=4083

Haven't ridden that model but have a Specialized and they ride really well.(fast ) Here's mine(any excuse)
http://anc.fotopic.net/p6507229.html

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Go to Halfords for a temporay fix, buy some thread lock, in fact while you are about it and seeing as you are in there, buy a new bike !

anc-sti

It isn't the bolts that are the problem, its the tapers which have stretched. So even when the bolts are fully tight the crank is loose on the BB. This is because the crank is getting pulled too far onto the BB axel and the bolt is locking on the end of the axel not the crank . If you locktight the bolts in the cranks will still work loose. Potentially sheering the bolt.

Basically there fecked as I said before, time for a replacement.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Get some bolt cutters, proceed to local station, leisure centre or shops, take your pick, thats what some fcker did with my brothers bike.

Peccant

oh, er sorry to hear that J4ACKO. Not really my style though. Like the idea of the Rockhopper - was looking at one the other day. Maybe if I'm really nice to Santa lol