Star Fangled Nut

Guys,

I have just swapped over my forks, headset and bearings from one bike to the other. The star fangled nut looks very corroded and stuck in place. I have reassembled everything but not torqued down yet. Do you reckon I should replace the nut? I assume it should be 'encouraged' down the steerer with a solid bar and heavy hammer.

I'm not sure about this one...in 2 mids. If its corroded to the point it may fall apart, then tw*t it down the steerer. If not i would be tempted to simply use it, as it may stay in place better than a new one.

I'd use it once the headset is tensioned and the stem bolts done up there isn't much pressure on the star nut

Think I'll use it and keep an eye on. It's not so coroded it'll fall apart and took a bit force to get the bolt out so I imagine it's soid enough. One of the those things where you have a imaginery toolbox elf on your left shoulder saying 'Tut tut you know better' and another one on the right should saying 'It'll be alright'. At least if it fails I'll think it's wasn't just me, someone else would have made the same call.

Can't get my crank arm off though. $l00dy thing. I have the XT BB with the octalink splines but the XT arms that don't have the tension bolts at the end.

Craig I take it you are using one of these:



There are two round plugs that you fit on the end for various BB's/ Maybe you are using the big one and simply pushing against the crank arm.

Nath

Dude, yes got something very similar just a different finish. I used it successfully before in getting other crank arms off, they were square taper. With these it looks as if the inner bit fits inside the crank arm and rests nicely on the end of the BB shaft. The outer screws into the crank arm no probs. When the inner is tightened instead off forcing the crank arm off it forces the outer out of the crank arm.

It might be the inner catching on the crank arm - not just the BB shaft or just $h1t threads/extractor. I have tried to persuade the crank arm off with a block of wood and a hammer and it's come a few millimetres. I will have another go tonight but if I can't sort it then its down to the bike shop on Saturday........ or saw the BB shaft, tidy up the crank arms and buy a new BB.

Just another thought my XT Hollowtech crank arms don't have the split at the end which is tensioned by the bolt. Maybe the reason my arms were cheap at CRC is that Shimano have realised they get stuck and had to find some way of releasing the pressure on the BB shaft where they mate - hence the pinch bolts in later versions.

Ah....didn't realise they were HTech. I have XTR and I'm assuming the XT cranks are the same.

So you've used the little round tool that looks like a plastic flower to remoce the crank bolts, then unscrewed the two 6mm allen key bolts.....and this is where you are where the crank arm is stuck on the spline of the BB. this happended to me once and I placed a piece of wood through the frame from the drive side and placed it as close to the drive end of the crank arm and gave it a gentle few taps. Try that. if that doesn't work, from the non drive side, place a socket into the whole where the crank bolts were, ensurings its smal enough to miss the sides, then gently drift the chain rings off, but be careful as the centre tube is only plastic.

Hope it helps.

Just been and given it another go. Safe in the knowledge that I hadn't missed something and IT was beng stubborn I teased it off with a hammer and length of wood Nice.

Cheers.