Dust Cap Replacement

[jim.furfaro]

I've lost the dust caps off my 2005 KH freeride muni in the snow and have been looking for a replacement. What is making my search difficult is that the original dust caps have a left hand thread and all my bikes and the local bike shops carry only right hand threaded dust caps. I'm not sure if the ones on Unicycle(dot)com are right of left handed.

Does any one have any suggestions?

Does anyone even bother to replace them?

They have been missing off my torker since last summer and I have not noticed and visible damage to the exposed threads.

[Krashin'Kenny]

I leave the dust caps of of all my uni's (including my MUni) to make it easier to keep an eye on the crank nuts. I haven't had any problem with thread contamination at all.

[jagur]

left hand threaded dust caps??? whats up with that?

[john_childs]

The new KH hubs have a self-extracting system with the crank bolt. It pulls the crank off the hub when you undo the crank bolt. That dust cap ring is the part that makes the self-extraction thing work.

I assume that it's the standard size self-extracting dust cap. If that's the case, then you can go to your local bike shop and get replacements.

The local bike shop can also sell you the special tool (a pin spanner) needed to tighten up the self-extracting dust cap so it doesn't come loose again. Or you can make your own ghetto pin spanner with heavy guage wire from a metal coat hanger. Oh, and don't forget to grease the threads of the self-extracting dust cap before threading it on the crank.

[jagur]

john thats all good advice for a normal self extracting bolt but hes saying its left hand threaded....ive never seen a left hand threaded crank arm...not even the old French road bikes went that far.

[Darren]

Bedford Unicycles stocks replacement bolts, washers and threaded rings for 2005 KH cranks.

FREE for people who bought them from Bedford Unicycles...
10.00 US + 5.00 US shipping for those who didn't buy their unicycle from Bedford Unicycles.

The proper tool is also available for 10.00 US


You will need the washer and ring to remove the cranks.


info at bedfordunicycles dot ca

Darren

[Darren]

Jagur

The rings tighten going counterclockwise, or to the left.

It is part of the self-extracting devise.

Darren

[jagur]

Originally posted by Darren
Jagur

The rings tighten going counterclockwise, or to the left.

It is part of the self-extracting devise.

Darren

i understand the theory so the cap tighten as the bolt is loosened but regular threaded self-extracting bolt kits have been working flawlessly for 10 years Sugino, Campagnolo etc all have them....threading it left handed is just over kill and make a replacment part available from only one source.

[jim.furfaro]

I have received an e-mail from kris holm informing me that unicycle(dot)com will be carrying replacement parts in the future. In the mean time, I will follow up with Bedford unicycles (Thanks Darren).

[siafirede]

The dust caps came off my 05' KH trials, but I (hopefully) will not be needing to remove the cranks for a while, so I don't feel rushed to get them now.

[vanman2004]

Originally posted by siafirede
The dust caps came off my 05' KH trials, but I (hopefully) will not be needing to remove the cranks for a while, so I don't feel rushed to get them now.

I've had my kh 05 trials for just a few hours, and the right cap is missing. Will this be a big problem, or will it just mean that I need a crank puller? Will I even need a crank puller? I never did on my dx....

[mandarin]

Originally posted by vanman2004
I've had my kh 05 trials for just a few hours, and the right cap is missing. Will this be a big problem, or will it just mean that I need a crank puller? Will I even need a crank puller? I never did on my dx....

You only need one washer. If you're missing one already, just make sure you don't lose the other one. It'll fit both sides; you can take it off and use it to extract both cranks.

[Mikefule]

The amazing thing about this wonderful forum: that a thread with such an unpromising title is read by over 400 people and generates so many replies!

All my unis have square tapered hubs rather than splined. Although the duscaps are nominally right hand thread, in practice, they are push to fit.

[adelman]

Originally posted by jagur
i understand the theory so the cap tighten as the bolt is loosened but regular threaded self-extracting bolt kits have been working flawlessly for 10 years Sugino, Campagnolo etc all have them....threading it left handed is just over kill and make a replacment part available from only one source.

Actually, early Campy self-extracting cranks used a left-hand thread cap just like the KH. Campy even made a shop-extractor with left-hand threads (I have one). This is really a solution in search of a problem -- right hand threads in the cap and crank work just fine.

The correct solution to the "loss" problem is to use some medium-strength loctite on the caps. Tightening them doesn't work -- if you tighten them fully they bind against the crank bolt and don't work right.