Re: [CR]the deadly NR crankarm crack/ longest lasting grease

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Avocet)

Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 20:33:19 -0800
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]the deadly NR crankarm crack/ longest lasting grease
References: <BAY21-F179E99DC9ECA7C80E9AAACB5920@phx.gbl> <432E2A9E.4000005@new.rr.com> <432E2C21.80807@optonline.net>


Joe Bender-Zanoni wrote:
>
> I'm going to disagree on both points. Campy grease just hardens. It is
> junk and lithium grease in general is not the best idea..
>
> And those crank cracks seem to grow and grow with relatively few
> failures at the junction before people retire Campy cranks. I'm not
> getting into metallurgy, just the long experience of many that the crank
> junction cracks are sort of a benign tumor. Not a good thing, file them
> out and forget it.
>
> Joe Bender-Zanoni
> Great Notch (all my Campy cranks get notched at installation)
> NJ

I agree Joe...

I got clued in to the possiblility of small cracks forming at the crank/spider junction very early on and have always just considered the cranks when new as not quite finished until I put in a nice smooth little radius to that nasty sharp little web.

I've had many new and used bikes with those cranks in the past 30 years and never came across a pair that were too far gone to not be corrected with a swiss pattern file.

Many in the past have used the cranks to "beat up" Tullio's rep... I try to picture the world of bikes without Tullio and can't.

Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California

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