Removing octolink crank?

**Sinfield** · 03-18-2018, 07:36 PM

Anyone know if there is a way to adapt a standard square taper crank removal tool to remove an octolink crank? The crank puller I have has too narrow of a tip to fit in the inner threaded portion of the octolink BB and I don't want to fuck anything up. Looking at amazon, it appears that the park tool and other universal pullers come with an extra "bullet" type thing for the end to convert to octolink removal. I'd rather not wait/buy a brand new octolink crank puller if there is something that I can use to replicate the "bullet" thingy and use my existing puller. Thanks in advance for any advice.

**stuckathuntermtn** · 03-18-2018, 07:38 PM

What crank puller do you have? Because yes, other tools have a narrow end and a wide end, but I thought they all came that way.

**cmcrawfo** · 03-18-2018, 09:01 PM

You either have a solid chunk of metal laying around that approximates the shape of the bullet, or you don't... in my experience, trying to hack something together usually takes longer /costs more. If the substitute you find doesn't evenly distribute the force you could damage parts... the plug is like 5 bucks. I bet you could have delivered in few days.

Alternative options; phone a friend, or bribe a bike shop with beer ( likely more costly than part + express shipping, but big time bro-cred)

**SJG** · 03-18-2018, 09:23 PM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/253438719654

**cmcrawfo** · 03-18-2018, 09:44 PM

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/m...Cprd%7C19318CA

**Conundrum** · 03-19-2018, 12:01 AM

Isn’t a dime the proper diameter? I remember hearing that trick but bought park adapter realizing I would probably jam the dime in there and have to pay someone to fix my mistake.

**bagtagley** · 03-19-2018, 06:55 AM

Mine are self extracting. There’s a collar that the bolt pushes against when loosening.

**El Chupacabra** · 03-19-2018, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by Conundrum

Isn’t a dime the proper diameter? I remember hearing that trick but bought park adapter realizing I would probably jam the dime in there and have to pay someone to fix my mistake.

IIRC, this is right. It's been awhile since I did this though.

**cmcrawfo** · 03-19-2018, 10:46 AM

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A dime. Huh, You guys are pretty smart

**XXX-er** · 03-19-2018, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by bagtagley

Mine are self extracting. There’s a collar that the bolt pushes against when loosening.

https://www.amazon.com/Race-Face-Cra.../dp/B002SQVS14

this^^ ? I now have this on my Yeti its like 10$

when I wanted to change front chain ring I didnt have this^^ puller so I think I used an 11mm socket in the hole to allow me to tap on the crank spindle with a ballpeen hammer while holding the bike off the ground by the crank and it came loose pretty easy ... a mcgyveresque op for sure

I also have shimano octalink cranks on my touring bike which are from 15 yrs ago and you don't need a puller for those, just undo the allen bolts and they fall off, I would be careful not to cross thread putting them back on

**stuckathuntermtn** · 03-19-2018, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Conundrum

Isn’t a dime the proper diameter? I remember hearing that trick but bought park adapter realizing I would probably jam the dime in there and have to pay someone to fix my mistake.

Wow, that just brought back a memory of trying that once. Yeah, it doesn't work. Bent the dime.
There should be a "bullet" side and a "doughnut" side. The latter is the one you want.

**SJG** · 03-19-2018, 02:33 PM

last bike I worked on (buddy's) who had these cranks, I didn't have the pulley. I tried the coin, then 2 coins, was simply not strong enough.

**cmcrawfo** · 03-19-2018, 04:05 PM

Third coin might have been the charm

**GeezerSteve** · 03-19-2018, 04:07 PM

a grade 8 washer a bit smaller than a dime

**SJG** · 03-19-2018, 04:32 PM

Perhaps, but it was costing me so much I couldn't continue....

Originally Posted by cmcrawfo

Third coin might have been the charm

**Sinfield** · 03-19-2018, 08:13 PM

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I wound up putting a narrow, but long socket in the hole in the center of the BB (narrower than the threads so it wouldn't damage them), then pushing against that with the square taper puller. Worked like a charm since I only needed to pull the drive side crank to swap out for a single chainring.

Now I have a second question...when converting to 1x11, I assume I will need to mount the narrow/wide chainring inboard of the spider not outboard? Like the stock middle ring was originally mounted?

**cmcrawfo** · 03-19-2018, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Sinfield

......when converting to 1x11, I assume I will need to mount the narrow/wide chainring inboard of the spider not outboard? Like the stock middle ring was originally mounted?

Correct