Removing SRAM XO cranks....do I have to use a crank puller tool?

First time attempting to take these off. Do I just unscrew the 8mm "inner" bolt (tried this but doesn't seem to move). Or do I need a special tool? Thanks!!

 

Yes, a rubber mallet!

 

You unscrew the 8mm inner bolt. The outer bolt is a dust cap which you don't need to worry about
These cranks are self extracting, at first it will be difficult then it will break loose, then you will get some more resistance as it starts to pull off the arm.

 

I have a piece of pipe I sometimes use to get more leverage with the 8mm wrench. Much better than banging on your wrench and safer.

 

So I unscrewed the bolt...but the cranks are still attached. They didn't come off with the bolt. Am I doing something wrong? There's also a little play/knocking in the cranks now

 

The drive side arm is attached to the spindle via the 8mm bolt and unscrew the 8mm bolt completed until the crank arm just falls off. You probably only loosen the 8mm bolt and have not turned the 8mm bolt complete. Keep turning it and it will have resistance again and the crank arm should start to come out.

 

Did the bolt come out of the crank arm while leaving the arm attached? If so, just wiggle and pull that crankarm away from the bottom bracket. It is connected to a spline from the other crankarm that goes through the bottom bracket. With the bolt removed, nothing but friction is keeping it attached.

 

Yeah the bolt came out but the crank was still attached

 

Thanks everyone

 

So the bolt is out.....but the non-drive side arm does not want to come off!!

 

Did you take the dust cap off before unscrewing the 8mm bolt? The 8mm bolt and the dust cap work together as a crank puller. With the dust cap on the crank arm you unscrew the 8mm bolt until the crank arm comes free from the spindle.

 

There are two bolts right? An 8mm and a larger one?

The larger bolt/dust cap is supposed to stay on there while you unscrew the smaller 8mm one. As the inner bolt pushes against the cap the crank arm will start pushing away from the bb.

 

This helped me so much. Thanks

 

Whats the best to get more torque on this bolt? My statndard allen key was nearly impossible to move.

 

What do you mean by more torque? to loosen it? In my home toolbox I have a set of longer handled allen keys. If i were stuck with a shorter wrench I would probably use a pipe on the end of it as a torque multiplier if i needed more leverage.

 

That is what I said in my 2nd post at the top. I have had to really put all my weight into it sometime to get it loose and I weight 215lbs even with my longer handle wrenches so I always have a 18" piece of black iron pipe at hand.

 

Yeah, I didn't see your post until after my response. Been using iron pipes for leverage as far as i can remember. if you need THAT much power maybe start using some anti seize on some of those bolts!

 

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I'll try this, thanks

 

It's not an issue of a seized bolt, but rather the way the crank works and comes off. I'll try some sort of pipe to gain more leverage!