Tried a 'quick fix' for a creaky crank and it got way worse

My bike's left crank arm had a small creak for a few weeks. I watched a video where someone said you could pack the square taper with a mix of grease and plumber's tape to fill any gaps. So I cleaned it, put on a thick layer of grease, wrapped the spindle with two layers of tape, and cranked the bolt down hard. The creak stopped for about 10 miles, then came back louder than ever, and the crank felt loose. I took it apart and the tape had shredded, mixing with the grease into a gritty paste that probably wrecked the fit. I learned that shortcuts can ruin parts. Has anyone actually fixed a worn square taper crank without buying a whole new crankset?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_sullivan204d ago

That "metallic groan" description is perfect. It reminds me of a friend's old Peugeot. The bottom bracket made a sound like a ship's rigging in a storm. He kept riding it, saying it added character. One Tuesday, it just went silent halfway up a bridge. Not a good silence. The crank was just hanging there, spindle worn to a smooth nub. We had to walk it back in the rain.

sean1194d ago

My uncle swore by jamming a cut-up soda can shim into a loose crank back in the day. It worked for a while until the whole arm folded on a hill climb. That metallic groan still haunts me.