# Rival crank arm keeps coming loose.



## bkranich (May 7, 2004)

Cross-posted in the components/wrenching forum as well...

I've had Rival on my bike for about a year. A couple of hiccups, but overall I love it. Lately the left crankarm (the one with the fixing bolt) keeps coming loose. At first it would be every few rides, but today I'd ride a few miles and I could feel it starting to give. Eventually I gave up and swapped bikes for the ride, because I had to stop every 10 minutes to tighten it (and the bolt would be worked very loose). 

Anything I can do to fix this, or is the arm most likely permanently damaged? I've never had any problems with standard or octalink crank/spindle interfaces, so I'm kind of perplexed.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

As I suggested in my crosspost, make sure to torque the crank fixing bolt to the 48 - 54 Nm specified in assembly step 7 and illustration 7.

It's easy to get mislead by the instructions into believing that assembly step 6 and illustration 6 refer to the crank fixing bolt. They do not. Assembly step 6 and illustration 6 refer to the self-extraxtor only, for which they specify 12 - 15 Nm tightening torque.

http://www.sram.com/_media/techdocs/...ival__1_06.pdf

/w


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## bkranich (May 7, 2004)

I did that (torque the proper bolt) and it still comes loose. This is really frustrating.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Ack, that's not good. I have to pass, no experience with Rival arms coming loose repeatedly.

SRAM does recommend to pull the arm off and reinstall with additional grease (repeatedly, if needed) if there's axial play, but I don't see a direct connection between that axial play and the left arm coming loose all the time.


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