chainring bolts - removal tips

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simonineaston
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chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by simonineaston »

Hi, I often find that chainring bolts are hard to dismantle, regardless of how diligent I've been in greasing them when assembling. What usually seems to happen is that when I attempt to remove them, the whole bolt inner / outer assembly rotates in its seat when I apply force to the allan key. Does anyone have any favourite methods to dissemble chainring bolts?
PS an article I've read just now on this subject (see here) suggests that chainring bolts are right up at the top of the list of suspects for hard-to-trace creaks - I thought it might be helpful to pass on that tip, as I've seen several "rogue creak" posts recently.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
thirdcrank
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by thirdcrank »

The "flimsy tool" illustrated in your link can be improved on by filing a notch in the middle of the flat blade of a big screwdriver
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simonineaston
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by simonineaston »

Yeah I think I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and do that. I thought the same earlier, but am a bit irritated as I don't have a suitable donor tool. Might leave it as am starting at a local bike charity helping out in workshop, so am thinking they may have a suitable tool.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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Mick F
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by Mick F »

The chainset on my Mouton TSR has a Stronglight Z triple.
The chainset bolts have an Allen key fitting both sides. (one smaller then the other)

Excellent system, and I don't know why all chainring bolts aren't like that.
Mick F. Cornwall
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simonineaston
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by simonineaston »

Blimey Mick - that's cool, as by coincidence the chainset I'm wrastlin' with is a modern Stronglight too! I'll take a closer look. Thanks.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
slowster
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by slowster »

Mick F wrote: 23 Sep 2021, 2:43pm The chainset on my Mouton TSR has a Stronglight Z triple.
The chainset bolts have an Allen key fitting both sides. (one smaller then the other)

Excellent system, and I don't know why all chainring bolts aren't like that.
Brucey gave a good explanation in this previous thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=133341

In that thread I posted this link to this video showing how to use a spanner to undo the bolts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6SCwijgdyQ

I used my 'flimsy tool' only last week, but I would like to get the T bar type which Evans sold/sell under their FWE brand, but which Condor (and maybe others?) are now also selling:

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/fwe/c ... nch-978937
https://www.condorcycles.com/collection ... nut-wrench
Image

The ultimate solution is probably one of these:

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/var-combin ... 36086979/p
Image
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Mick F
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by Mick F »

simonineaston wrote: 23 Sep 2021, 2:48pm Blimey Mick - that's cool, as by coincidence the chainset I'm wrastlin' with is a modern Stronglight too! I'll take a closer look. Thanks.
The things I do for this forum! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Chainset off, and inner removed.
Inner screws into the middle with spacers.

6mm Allen on the inside of the middle, and a 5mm Allen on the outside of the outer.
IMG_0748.jpg
Mick F. Cornwall
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simonineaston
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by simonineaston »

Thanks Mick !
Wow - those tools look cool. It turns out the Stronglight chainset I have does not enjoy the excellent double hex socket idea adopted on Mick F's... :( . I agree that sounds a great idea. Talking of doing a lot with few tools, has anyone else seen Allen Millyard's posts on UTube? The things he gets done, mainly with saws and files is mind-boggleing!! He is ex-MoD engineer, with a career's worth of skill & experience, mind...
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
thirdcrank
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by thirdcrank »

Obviously, it makes a big difference if there are Hex holes on either side, although if they were seized the big risk might be the holes being rounded off.

Slowster's VAR tool looks to be the absolute bee's knees, although rather lightweight compared with the usual VAR agricultural grade kit. I generally think that the right tool has paid for itself after it's performed well once, but I think that one would only really be cost-effective in a busy lbs.
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Mick F
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by Mick F »

They shouldn't be seized .......... because everyone knows you take things off and put things back on and greased regularly .............. don't they? :lol:
Mick F. Cornwall
thirdcrank
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by thirdcrank »

But if they are not seized then the flimsy tool should be more than adequate, or two hex-head keys as appropriate
Jamesh
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by Jamesh »

Why take them off unless you need too...

If you don't ride to often then you don't need too.....!

James the weekend warrior!
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Mick F
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by Mick F »

Jamesh wrote: 23 Sep 2021, 4:31pm Why take them off unless you need too...
You could say that forever on any mechanical device.
Time is the issue, not necessarily miles.

Say you have a car still under warranty.
It needs to be serviced every year no matter how few miles you have driven it to maintain the warranty. More frequently than every year if you've driven lots of miles of course. Things don't actually wear if you don't move them, but things stiffen up and seize irrespective of use and need checking.

If you want some mechanical device to be reliable and maintainable, it needs to cared for. Chainring bolts are only a very small part of it.
Mick F. Cornwall
Norman H
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by Norman H »

Here's another Brucey contribution:-


viewtopic.php?p=1490616#p1490616


He makes the important point that you should apply grease only to the male and female threads and to the underside of the bolt head that bares against the chainring.
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simonineaston
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Re: chainring bolts - removal tips

Post by simonineaston »

Thanks for posting that link to Brucey's advice, norman - it was worth reading.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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