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I (unfortunately) have a SRAM Apex GXP crankset that I need to replace after less than a year of use because it's garbage. But I can't get the crankset out of the bottom bracket. I've taken the bolt out, and even removed the non-drive side BB cap, and usually a GXP crank would basically just slide out, but mine does not. After hitting with a hammer several times I got it to move out about 3cm (see second picture), so it's not rust or binding to the BB or anything like that... but then it's stuck there.

The plastic tube that goes between the BB cups is still in there (see pic1), and I can't pull it out either. So my hypothesis is that (somehow) the plastic tube is preventing the crankset axle from sliding all the way out...but how?

Whether that's the case or not, any ideas on how I can liberate my bike from SRAM crankset hell?

The plastic tube from the BB is protruding, but stuck

It's not rusted, and I can pull it 3cm out, but not the rest of the way.

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  • I've hammered it as hard as I can, and set it up so I can stand on the cassettes and pull up on the frame, and as hard as I can pull or hammer, I couldn't get it to move out any more. Dec 4, 2021 at 5:09
  • Question: how did you manage to whack on the thing hard enough to rip the plastic shield in half like that?!?
    – MaplePanda
    Dec 4, 2021 at 7:55
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    There was already a crack in it when I removed the BB cap, and the more I tried to pull it off, the worse the crack got. I ended up tearing it along the crack, and melting it along two lines to the base before I could remove it. Dec 4, 2021 at 11:25

3 Answers 3

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Easy mode is take the other cup out with this: pedros 16 notch x 44mm bb wrench

Otherwise, what's probably happening is there is some kind of debris that's getting wedged in and stuck right as part of the spindle is trying to pass through the bearing. You'll probably have more luck if you can push the cranks back in, pry out the remaining piece of plastic shield and then get everything clean and look for whatever is causing the blockage, and maybe spray some oil or grease in there.

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    Yeah, I wish I had a wrench like that handy. I just have the sprocket type. But basically your advice was right. I used a soldering iron to melt the plastic enough that I could pry it out, and found part of the BB was stuck on the axle. Used pliers to remove that, and everything is fine. New Shimano BB and crankset are already installed!!! Dec 4, 2021 at 6:18
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Have you checked the screw that's used to hold the cable guide on the outside of the bb isn't protruding into the inside and blocking the bb from moving?

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Have you checked your bottom bracket for roundness and concentricity?

Your crank looks pretty off. Yes, Sram GXP is pretty bad, but not as that much. Judging by the suspicious weld around bottom bracket, I'm almost certain that the bottom bracket is stretched and moved after welding. What is that frame?

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  • Redline Conquest Team scandium frame. After installing the Shimano BB and crank 1 year ago I've had zero problems, so the problem was 100% Sram GXP's horrible design and quality. Dec 7, 2022 at 4:40

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