Raleigh Crank Arms Offset? Help!

[Danimal]

Ok, so in my quest to find cool Raleigh 80's road bike, I bought one perhaps too fast.

Not sure of the model, as there is no name on it. It is classic late 70's-80's 10 speed. Overall pretty clean and it appears to have been used very little. Once I got it home, I noticed the left crank arm was a bit loose. When I tried to findout why, I realized the pin had stipped threads. No big deal...I think I had a spare sitting here somewhere.

BUT, I then realized there might be something else wrong. The 2 crank arms are not a perfect 180 degrees off. ...??? I pulled the drive side off too and lined up the bottom bracket shaft. Sure enough, the slots are not a perfect 180 from each other. Is this some weird Raleigh thing or is this thing messed up? Surely the shaft cannot be twisted?

Any advise or help? Please!
Dan

 

[Bendix]

Ok, so in my quest to find cool Raleigh 80's road bike, I bought one perhaps too fast.

Not sure of the model, as there is no name on it. It is classic late 70's-80's 10 speed. Overall pretty clean and it appears to have been used very little. Once I got it home, I noticed the left crank arm was a bit loose. When I tried to findout why, I realized the pin had stipped threads. No big deal...I think I had a spare sitting here somewhere.

BUT, I then realized there might be something else wrong. The 2 crank arms are not a perfect 180 degrees off. ...??? I pulled the drive side off too and lined up the bottom bracket shaft. Sure enough, the slots are not a perfect 180 from each other. Is this some weird Raleigh thing or is this thing messed up? Surely the shaft cannot be twisted?

Any advise or help? Please!
Dan

put the cotters in so that when the crankarms are horzontal one nut is facing up and the other is facing down. otherwise you'll be off by @ 11 degrees. not twisted, not a raleigh thing. it's just the way those crazy cottered cranks are.

 

[Danimal]

Thanks, I will check that out. I thought I had them the proper way, but perhaps I did something wrong.

Dan

 

[Riverbend Bicycles]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have a 57 Hercules with the same issue. I'll bet that's what's wrong with it.

 

[Danimal]

Yup, that was it! Boy do I feel stupid.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Bendix]

Yup, that was it! Boy do I feel stupid.

Thanks,
Dan

it's just counterintuitive- every new shop mechanic does it that way the first time