While a teen, I worked in a local shop and cotter pins were the norm except for Schwinn's and the higher end jobs with cotterless cranks. For quite a while the shop did not have a press so we removed and installed with a hammer. Support the crank or bb axle with a piece of wood with a v notch to protect the bearings/cups. When installing we would tighten the nut as we hammered the head so as not to shear it. The shop owner was good at custom filing a pin when we couldn't get one of the different sized/tapered pins to fit correctly. It's not rocket science.
Len Diamond Not a rocket scientist in Ridgewood, New Jersey USA
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Don Williams Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 1:45 PM To: donald gillies Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Worn cotter pins?
I compleatly agree with what's been stated before... But... If you can't get new cotters or a press, all hope is not lost...
In a pinch I've used a propane torch and a dead blow hammer to remove a cotter. I know, I know, it's crude, but it is effective. DON'T use a metal hammer it WILL bend the pin. Keep the nut on the pin when you try to drive it off. The plastic dead blow can get it done. Don't burn your paint!
Then if you can't find a pin, you can flat file the face of the old one. Then use a washer under the bolt so the threads will pull it tight.
The reason I used this was, as a kid I was poor, I coulden't get tools or parts. IF you can't get a press or a pin to fit...Try this!
I can hear the grones from here...
Don Williams Woodinville WA U.S.A.
On Mon, Dec 1, 2008 at 10:16 AM, donald gillies <gillies@ece.ubc.ca> wrote:
> I have two bikes with cottered cranks and I think I will face the
> cotterpin reinstallation issue fairly soon.
>
> It occurs to me that with a tall stack of washers, or a piece of pipe
> tubing of the right diameter that's fairly thick, plus a hobby vise or
> unmounted vise, you could probably create a makeshift cotterpin press.
>
> You just need to stack the washers or pipe on the crank arm around the
> cotter pin threads, and then attach the vise to the crank arm. Make
> sure to use some sheet-copper or brass to shield the cotter and/or
> pipe from scratching. Put one jaw on the cotter head, and the other
> jaw on the washers or pipe. Then, crank the vise closed to press in
> the (greased) pin.
>
> This depends upon being able to find washers or pipe with an inside
> diameter of 10mm+, and a fairly narrow outside diameter so as not to
> hit the crankarm spider.
>
> Best wishes and good luck,
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA, USA
> _______________________________________________
>
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