first time stripping a bike

[NOLABIKER]

Hello everyone. As the title says, this is the first time I am stripping a bike completely to have it sandblasted. I need a little advice on a couple of things.

Here's a picture of what I am starting with. An Electra Cruiser 7.

I have this much done so far. I know I will need a tool to remove the kickstand before it gets blasted. Any special tools to remove the cranks? I remember removing cranks from a bike when I was a kid. Don't remember how I did it or why. Most likely the bike got trashed and I was just removing stuff to see what was inside it cause I don't remember putting one back together either.

Not sure of the exact name for this piece, but I was able to remove it with little effort using a pair of channel locks. Is their a specific tool that is made to remove this? I may want to buy one if I see myself building more bikes in the future.

After getting the forks removed, I have another question. Do these things come off? Once again, not sure of the specific name for this part.

One more part that I am not sure of the name. Should this come off as well?

I'm lucky enough to have someone that will blast it for free. I just want to make sure I remove everything that I can to make it easy for him. And to not destroy anything if I can help it. Once that's done, I just have to wait for the wife to pick a color that she wants to paint it. That's the hard part and the one that will take the longest. It's been five years now that she's been deciding on what color to paint the living room!

Thanks for any help.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Sheldon Brown is your friend for all cycle related questions, and he explains it better than I ever could, so click this link to see how to remove the cranks:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/opc.html

The chrome bearing cups on the frame, (there are some at the cranks too) can just be knocked out by sliding a large flat blade screwdriver or even just a piece of pipe inside the frame and resting it against the lip of the cup inside, then just tap the screwdriver with a hammer to knock the bearing cups out, it is usually helpful to knock a bit on one side of the cup and then a little on the other and 'walk' the cup out.

The lower bearing race on the fork in your last picture will need to be removed before blasting, it is just pressed on, that same screwdriver can be used as a drift to tap it off.

Hope that helps!

Luke.

 

[SSG]

On a one piece crank you'll usually have a thin nut on the end, a washer with a tab in the center to keep it from spinning, sometimes you'll have a big flat washer under that, and then you have the adjustable bearing race. Usually it has two cuts in the side and you can use a screwdriver to loosen it until you can grab it with you hand, its usually hand tight unless its rusted on there. Now pull out your non drive side bearing and the whole crank will drop out, you might have to juggle and situate it so it'll clear the frame and not pinch the bearing on the other side. Tap the bearing cups out from the other side using a long punch and a hammer, work your way around the diameter so they come out straight. The crown race on the bottom of the fork can sometimes be tough. First tread the top nut back on the end of the fork threads. Clean the rust above it first, now with the fork upside down on a block of soft wood put an open end wrench below the crown race and tap it gently. If you dont have a wrench that will fit you can use a flat punch and move from one side to the other until it comes loose.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

note that the nut and bearing cone on the crank are reverse threaded meaning you turn it the other way to loosen it. there is a tool to remove the top come in the fork but usually you can tap it off with a hammer and screwdriver or dull chisel, normal thread direction.

Carl.

sent from a phonebooth...

 

[NOLABIKER]

Sheldon Brown is your friend for all cycle related questions, and he explains it better than I ever could, so click this link to see how to remove the cranks:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/opc.html

The chrome bearing cups on the frame, (there are some at the cranks too) can just be knocked out by sliding a large flat blade screwdriver or even just a piece of pipe inside the frame and resting it against the lip of the cup inside, then just tap the screwdriver with a hammer to knock the bearing cups out, it is usually helpful to knock a bit on one side of the cup and then a little on the other and 'walk' the cup out.

The lower bearing race on the fork in your last picture will need to be removed before blasting, it is just pressed on, that same screwdriver can be used as a drift to tap it off.

Hope that helps!

Luke.

I bookmarked the link. Thanks! I figured that the cups would pop out but wasn't 100% sure that they were not threaded in. I didn't want to start banging on them not knowing. My luck they would have been threaded.

 

[NOLABIKER]

On a one piece crank you'll usually have a thin nut on the end, a washer with a tab in the center to keep it from spinning, sometimes you'll have a big flat washer under that, and then you have the adjustable bearing race. Usually it has two cuts in the side and you can use a screwdriver to loosen it until you can grab it with you hand, its usually hand tight unless its rusted on there. Now pull out your non drive side bearing and the whole crank will drop out, you might have to juggle and situate it so it'll clear the frame and not pinch the bearing on the other side. Tap the bearing cups out from the other side using a long punch and a hammer, work your way around the diameter so they come out straight. The crown race on the bottom of the fork can sometimes be tough. First tread the top nut back on the end of the fork threads. Clean the rust above it first, now with the fork upside down on a block of soft wood put an open end wrench below the crown race and tap it gently. If you dont have a wrench that will fit you can use a flat punch and move from one side to the other until it comes loose.

I'm not sure why you suggested to thread the nut back on the end of the forks. Is this just to protect the threads on the forks?

note that the nut and bearing cone on the crank are reverse threaded meaning you turn it the other way to loosen it. there is a tool to remove the top come in the fork but usually you can tap it off with a hammer and screwdriver or dull chisel, normal thread direction.

Carl.

sent from a phonebooth...

I appreciate the tip about the reverse threads. Keeps me from trying to force it in the wrong direction.

 

[RustySprockets]

Here's my home-brew solution for those pesky lock ring collars you've encountered on your headset. Nothing more than a cheap pair of channelocks with much of the jaw filed away, leaving an overbite. Because it's adjustable, it will remove many sizes of lock ring without damage.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I bookmarked the link. Thanks! I figured that the cups would pop out but wasn't 100% sure that they were not threaded in. I didn't want to start banging on them not knowing. My luck they would have been threaded.

3 Piece cranks like on MTB's and modern road bikes are often threaded, but the one piece forged cranks like you have just push in.

Luke.

 

[SSG]

I'm not sure why you suggested to thread the nut back on the end of the forks. Is this just to protect the threads on the forks?

That is correct.

 

[NOLABIKER]

Thanks for the tips you guys. Took me just a couple of minutes and a few hits with a hammer to get those pieces off.

I got everything off the frame today except for the kickstand. I tried this method I found on YouTube, but it didn't seem like it was working. On my bike, it seems like the little ring is recessed in the mount itself. When I push on it, it doesn't seem to move at all. Just for ....$ I looked up the Park Tool removal tool on eBay. Those sellers are pretty proud of what they have!
I sprayed it with some WD-40 and will let it sit overnight. Maybe it's a little rusted in there and that's why I'm not seeing it move. I think I may try with a cpuple of c-clams to compress that ring too. If that doesn't work, I may see if the guys in the machine shop at work have any suggestions or can work some magic.
Thanks again for your tips above.