Trick to removing square taper crank without puller?

[aaron04]

I need to pull the square taper cranks off my bike but dont have a puller, is there anyway to do it without damaging anything? Thanks! Aaron

[Bikinfoolferlife]

You could remove the crankbolts and then ride some until it loosens, but be careful and stop riding once it loosens.

[shiggy]

I need to pull the square taper cranks off my bike but dont have a puller, is there anyway to do it without damaging anything? Thanks! Aaron

No. Just get a crank remover.

[Bikinfoolferlife]

I should have included a disclaimer that a puller is a much better method and that personally I wouldn't do it any other way. You could damage the cranks with the riding and loosening method though several claim success. If it were a situation where a puller was not an option...well, no I even carry one in my car tool kit, so no personal experience there.

[f3rg]

Trust me, Aaron, it's worth the small expense: http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/119...ank-Puller.htm

No other way to do it correctly.

Make sure when you thread it into the crank arms, you tighten it nice and tight (but not overly so) with an adjustable wrench. Otherwise, you may end up stripping the threads.

[aaron04]

Thanks all, I used my little steering wheel puller, worked great, no damage. But I did order a regular crank puller for the next time.
Thanks! Aaron

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Not ever having pulled a steering wheel I had no idea, but now that I think of some I've seen, that was cool you could use something already in the toolbox...

[aaron04]

Not ever having pulled a steering wheel I had no idea, but now that I think of some I've seen, that was cool you could use something already in the toolbox...

It was a slight pain to use but it worked ok, I can see how a real crank puller would be much easier! I was going to make one but I couldnt find a bolt that large with the same threads as the crank. I was going to cut the end off of a bolt, drill out and tap the center so I could run a smaller bolt through it to press the crank off. I went ahead and ordered a crank puller from PricePoint for the next time.
Aaron

[MikeCordell]

I don't remember what I did without a crank arm puller.

[IAmtnbikr]

Or use some self-extracting crank bolts/washers. You loosen the bolts and they pull the arms right off. But I prefer the Park tool myself.

[Excel]

Waaay back in the day before I had a crank puller I used a block of wood + precision hammering. I only did this 2 or 3 times before realizing how much harder it is than using the actual tool for the job.

Don't do this if you care about your cranks. My drive side crank got to the point where I could pull it off without using a crank puller, but it wasn't bad enough to really affect anything.

EDIT: Forgot to mention these were ISIS cranks (Hussefelts).