Crank arm cap seized

[steve_sordy]

Copper Ease is all you need. One small tube lasts for years!

Copper Ease 20g

Description Copper Ease Anti Seize Assembly Compound Uses Prevents brake disc squeal Prevents corrosion of battery poles and terminals

www.silverfoxtractorspares.com

It has a very high melting point and I have used it (admittedly when desperate) on the back of brake pads to stop squeal. It worked!

 

[EMTBSEAN]

Copper Ease is all you need. One small tube lasts for years!

Copper Ease 20g

Description Copper Ease Anti Seize Assembly Compound Uses Prevents brake disc squeal Prevents corrosion of battery poles and terminals

www.silverfoxtractorspares.com

It has a very high melting point and I have used it (admittedly when desperate) on the back of brake pads to stop squeal. It worked!

That’s what I’ve got already but in a tin instead pal, I bought it many years ago when I used to do all my own car repairs, nowadays I just work on my bike instead thanks Steve, your a gentleman

 

[RustyIron]

do you use copper grease on the actual splines of the motor too, I’m talking about the splines that the crank arms fit onto or just normal grease,

Generally, splined shafts should be assembled with some type of lubrication. Use the antiseize. Regular oil our grease is more likely to migrate out over time when subjected to water, dust, and temperature fluctuations. The antiseize will stay there much longer, and with cranks, it's likely to be a long time between disassemblies.

 

[Paulquattro]

You boys really should be using copper free anti seize paste
As copper and alloy don't play well together as a rule

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[EMTBSEAN]

I’ve been using thick sticky marine grease for most of the tasks on my bike and in all fairness it’s worked fine, this is the only time I’ve had an issue with something coming loose, my pin spanner arrives today, I’ll see if I can get the caps off and I’ll refit the crank arms using the anti-seize compound

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

Remember to check the splines for wear on the motor shaft and inside the crank arm, if either are worn the crank will likely keep coming loose.

 

[EMTBSEAN]

Remember to check the splines for wear on the motor shaft and inside the crank arm, if either are worn the crank will likely keep coming loose.

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to establish if the motor splines are worn by sight unless I remove the non drive side and compare the two that way, the non drive side has been fine and never come loose

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

I believe the motor shaft is hardened, so it's unlikely the splines are damaged ( though it's not unheard of)

A visual check of the crank arm splines Will tell you if they are worn. They should all be uniform in shape and size, if you see any that are rounded at the sides or odd looking to the rest they are worn.

I'll see if I can dig out a picture of mine which might show it

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

These were the worn ones, you can see how rounded each spline is and out of shape they are.

These ones are in good condition, notice how the edges are sharp and they are all uniform in size.

Hope that helps

 

[EMTBSEAN]

These were the worn ones, you can see how rounded each spline is and out of shape they are.
View attachment 147744

These ones are in good condition, notice how the edges are sharp and they are all uniform in size. View attachment 147745

Hope that helps

Massive help buddy, thanks, I really appreciate you sending these pictures, I’m not so good today but I will have a look when I’m up to it

 

[Mikerb]

I understand you intention is to see if new bolts will solve your issue...and of course the caps would have to come off to do that. Meanwhile you have found that the removal tool to do that has failed and even resorting to hammer and chisel and heat the cap still refuses to move. Given the cranks come ready assembled with that cap and I doubt Hope expect new bolts would ever be required I would suspect those caps are installed with red thread lock. Significant heat would be needed to remove the caps if that is the case.
For a crank to come loose the crank bolt was probably not torqued correctly in the first place ( before you took ownership). Subsequent re-tourqeing of the bolt correctly would probably not resolve the issue since damage to either the bolt thread of the crank splines is likely to have already occured......possibly both.
Personally I would just accept that the crank needs to be renewed.

 

[EMTBSEAN]

I understand you intention is to see if new bolts will solve your issue...and of course the caps would have to come off to do that. Meanwhile you have found that the removal tool to do that has failed and even resorting to hammer and chisel and heat the cap still refuses to move. Given the cranks come ready assembled with that cap and I doubt Hope expect new bolts would ever be required I would suspect those caps are installed with red thread lock. Significant heat would be needed to remove the caps if that is the case.
For a crank to come loose the crank bolt was probably not torqued correctly in the first place ( before you took ownership). Subsequent re-tourqeing of the bolt correctly would probably not resolve the issue since damage to either the bolt thread of the crank splines is likely to have already occured......possibly both.
Personally I would just accept that the crank needs to be renewed.

This is the thing Mike, when anyone buys Hope crank arms they come with black caps regardless of the colour of the crank arms, why I’ve no idea but it is what it is, I bought red caps and fitted them with no issues whatsoever, it’s since then that I’ve had issues with the drive side crank arm coming loose, my mistake was to nip the caps up probably a bit too tight and not use any anti-seize compound or al least any form of grease, but you’re probably right in the fact that the crank arm is already fooked, I suppose I’m trying to cover all bases before the inevitable happens

 

[Mikerb]

This is the thing Mike, when anyone buys Hope crank arms they come with black caps regardless of the colour of the crank arms, why I’ve no idea but it is what it is, I bought red caps and fitted them with no issues whatsoever, it’s since then that I’ve had issues with the drive side crank arm coming loose, my mistake was to nip the caps up probably a bit too tight and not use any anti-seize compound or al least any form of grease, but you’re probably right in the fact that the crank arm is already fooked, I suppose I’m trying to cover all bases before the inevitable happens

Ah...didn't know you had changed them. Now given Hopes focus on colourways I wonder why they only fit black caps as standard.
The same criteria applies however...cut your loses and accept the crank is probably damaged having come loose.

 

[Mikerb]

Ah...didn't know you had changed them. Now given Hopes focus on colourways I wonder why they only fit black caps as standard.
The same criteria applies however...cut your loses and accept the crank is probably damaged having come loose.

The only real difference between the drive side and non drive side crank is that the drive side is likely to suffer more pedal kick so maybe the final position of the end cap is more critical when fitted?

 

[Binhill1]

I don't have in mine . Just a 8 mm allan bolt . Or am I wrong . Couldn't get pedal of 2 weeks ago to change chainring so took crank of instead .
Edit

Just read another post so I must have caps but obviously I've taken crank off with the caps on . So Does it matter leaving the caps in ????

 

[Mikerb]

yep..there is never a need to remove the caps...............unless of course you want to change their colour

 

[EMTBSEAN]

The only real difference between the drive side and non drive side crank is that the drive side is likely to suffer more pedal kick so maybe the final position of the end cap is more critical when fitted?

To be honest Mike I’m not sure about the final position of the caps but when I finally get them off I will make sure, I don’t want to go through this again

 

[EMTBSEAN]

yep..there is never a need to remove the caps...............unless of course you want to change their colour

I must admit that I’m disappointed with Hope, why would anyone want black caps on their crank arms unless they were black crank arms, it’s just a way of getting another £20 out of their customers plus the £10 for the special tool to remove the caps, if I have this issue again I will seriously think about different crank arms from a different company

 

[irie]

I must admit that I’m disappointed with Hope, why would anyone want black caps on their crank arms unless they were black crank arms, it’s just a way of getting another £20 out of their customers plus the £10 for the special tool to remove the caps, if I have this issue again I will seriously think about different crank arms from a different company

As Henry Ford allegedly said "Any color the customer wants as long as it's black."

 

[darwink1]

A big assed torx bit may fit in there, that would allow you to use ratchet and get some leverage on it.

D