Crank Bros CLEATS, not budging…!

[Zebra]

Swapped cleats out for much of my life; never really had any problems removing the cleats, but ALL FOUR bolts across 2 crank bros cleats are resisting effort of correctly-sized Allen key,

…..am worried about rounding out the bolt-heads, so stopped whilst I’m ‘ahead’, as it were…

Have given them a spray of penetrating oil overnight; any tricks/tips from those in the know, else who might I take it to (CT), with a better driver to remove the bolts?
 

At our workshop, we have Torx drive bits for a ratchet, but not Allen, IIRC.

Thanks

Chris

[Me rida my bicycle]

I use a shifting spanner to grip the Allen to give it more leverage and control. 

[BaGearA]

is there any dirt in the screws ? 

 

Usually if you can sink the tool all the way risk of rounding the bolt is very low 

[Barry]

If you do round the allen hole try cut a slot with a dremil and thin disc. Use a large flat screw driver a little oil and maybe a slight tap with a hammer while turning.

[MORNE]

There was someone on here recently ‘bragging’ about having so many titanium bolts on their bike, even has them on his cleats. 
 

it wasnt you right?😅

(galvanic corrosion and all)

then: can you remember if you use threadlock on them? I do on mine…but that means you sometimes have to apply some heat to get them to budge the day you want to take them out. If all else fails, as @Barry mentioned, a dremel is one of the most useful tools you’ll ever own. 

Edited December 20, 2022 by MORNE

[madmarc]

1. Use a bit of heat on them - Be careful not to melt the shoe.

2. Using a pin punch that fits into the hex and give each one a smack and then try a hex wrench - I normally use a tube or a ring spanner on the hex wrench to give more leverage

3. An impact driver with a 1/2" Allen key socket on the end - Adendorff 225 ronds

4. as a last resort drill out the heads using a drill same dia as the head of the bolt - pull the cleat off and use a vice grip to grab the remain threaded bit and turn them out.

[Zebra]

1 hour ago, MORNE said:

There was someone on here recently ‘bragging’ about having so many titanium bolts on their bike, even has them on his cleats. 
 

it wasnt you right?😅

(galvanic corrosion and all)

then: can you remember if you use threadlock on them? I do on mine…but that means you sometimes have to apply some heat to get them to budge the day you want to take them out. If all else fails, as @Barry mentioned, a dremel is one of the most useful tools you’ll ever own. 

No Titanium anything on my bike/shoes!
…and no thread locker, either!
But yes, have a Drexel at work, thanks.

[Zebra]

11 hours ago, BaGearA said:

is there any dirt in the screws ? 

 

Usually if you can sink the tool all the way risk of rounding the bolt is very low 

Cleaned bolt holes before starting, but appreciate the advice.

Allen key just SEEMS to not go in as deeply, same key I would normally use, though.

Cheers

Chris

[Zebra]

11 minutes ago, madmarc said:

1. Use a bit of heat on them - Be careful not to melt the shoe.

2. Using a pin punch that fits into the hex and give each one a smack and then try a hex wrench - I normally use a tube or a ring spanner on the hex wrench to give more leverage

3. An impact driver with a 1/2" Allen key socket on the end - Adendorff 225 ronds

4. as a last resort drill out the heads using a drill same dia as the head of the bolt - pull the cleat off and use a vice grip to grab the remain threaded bit and turn them out.

Some great advice there, appreciated.

[Paul Ruinaard]

drill them out and replace the cleat plates in the shoe - much simpler and quicker.

[Shebeen]

13 hours ago, Zebra said:

Swapped cleats out for much of my life; never really had any problems removing the cleats, but ALL FOUR bolts across 2 crank bros cleats are resisting effort of correctly-sized Allen key,

…..am worried about rounding out the bolt-heads, so stopped whilst I’m ‘ahead’, as it were…

Have given them a spray of penetrating oil overnight; any tricks/tips from those in the know, else who might I take it to (CT), with a better driver to remove the bolts?
 

At our workshop, we have Torx drive bits for a ratchet, but not Allen, IIRC.

Thanks

Chris

this is the bolts on your shoe?

they are replaceable, get new ones first and then drill them out

 

[DieselnDust]

the cleat bolts get jammed in for two reasons:

1) Corrosion

2) Corrosion

Usually this is due to the bolt corroding into the retaining plate inside the shoe.

To get penetrating oil to work you will need to get it in from the retaining plate side which will require you to remove the shoes insole and , lift the fabric cover and start squirting.

If you have a bit of pool acid around, use an old eye dropper to get a few drops of HCL onto the bolt and cleat (make sure this eye dropper does not get used for any other purpose in future!!!) This will dissolve some of the corrosion.

clean out the hex socket with an ear bud and toothpick. Dirt gets compacted in there and doesn't come out if just using water.

Then af ter about 30min try to crack the bolt lose with an L-shaped allen key

[lechatnoir]

i nukes the Torx bolt on a rotor once. stripped it out completely. So I drilled the head off and was able to remove the rotor as the other 5 bolts were fine - the drill bit needs to be just bigger than the threaded part of the bolt. I was able to get a good grip on the remaining part of the stud with a pair of pliers and it turned out really easily. If it was corroded, I may have battled, but I was in a bind (literally) anyway

[Brakepad]

if all else fails, drill the head off and remove the remains of the screws with a grip plier

[Zebra]

Some EXCELLENT advice here, will memorize/refer to it all going forward!
 

For now, removed all 4 ‘stuck’ bolts earlier today, soaked the bolts in penetrating oil overnight, followed by light/sharp taps using the L-shaped Allen key to ‘break’ the seemingly lock-hold, and then CAREFULLY applied pressure, and all 4 then came loose, not much different technique wise to yesterday, so I DO feel the penetrating oil and sharp taps helped.

Nice shiny (jewelry!) cleats fitted, and will test (check) them later today.

thanks all, a REAL brotherhood of advice!
Chris

[PhilipV]

1 hour ago, Zebra said:

Some EXCELLENT advice here, will memorize/refer to it all going forward!
 

For now, removed all 4 ‘stuck’ bolts earlier today, soaked the bolts in penetrating oil overnight, followed by light/sharp taps using the L-shaped Allen key to ‘break’ the seemingly lock-hold, and then CAREFULLY applied pressure, and all 4 then came loose, not much different technique wise to yesterday, so I DO feel the penetrating oil and sharp taps helped.

Nice shiny (jewelry!) cleats fitted, and will test (check) them later today.

thanks all, a REAL brotherhood of advice!
Chris

Did you grease the new bolts?