Park Tool HCW-4 Box-End Fixed Cup Wrench and Bottom Bracket Pin Spanner Tool,Blue,36 mm

I do quite a lot of upgrades and fixes on bikes for me and my friends, and have bought quite a few of the cheapest tools available for the job. I find they generally get the job done, but I’ve had several tools damaged after the first few uses, I’ve even had one bottom bracket spanner break first time. They are worth it in a pinch, if that’s all you can afford and it’s going to get you going again, but it’s if you plan on doing regular work on bikes, I think it’s almost always worth spending the extra cash for Park Tool products, especially the bigger spanners like this, that sometimes deal with a lot of torque.

I ordered this after having spent an entire afternoon trying to remove a seized fixed cup with an open-ended spanner, and achieving nothing more than digging the end of the spanner into my hand.I followed the brilliant suggestion elsewhere in these reviews of clamping a flat plate (in my case a large washer) over the tool so that it didn't come off, and then after a few firm taps on the middle of the spanner with a rubber mallet, the cup released. It was almost effortless.

As expected a high quality 36 mm wrench and fixed cup bottom bracket tool from the Park Tool company. Very well made

Had a very stubborn crank, did the job first time.

As per the other comment. The tool is supposedly 36mm and it is also stamped as such. Measuring with verniers gives 36.65mm whereas the fixed cup is 36.12mm so it is slightly loose and this shows when fitted. Of course my measurements will be subject to errors, I have been careful, but the difference is apparent. It is probably the case that they cannot manufacture this to tighter tolerances or perhaps would not wish to. As you will know the fixed cup is torqued quite highly and does not have much of a lip. You do not use an 'ordinary' spanner on this or try it with an adjustable, cough. Plus Gas is recommend. Make sure the tool is properly on the 'nut' and keep it in place with firm palm pressure then hit the handle with a hammer, repeated firm taps... clockwise on a UK Raleigh. You might have to be a bit of an animal but make sure you are hitting the handle rather than the opposite tool end... I'm just doing this on one that has been in a bike for 28 years and may have spent the last 10 sitting outside.... Grunt..... Grunt...Bang...Bang....Bang. Success. The handle does not appear to have suffered but the working end does show slight signs of wear. The cup appears to have been lubricated with lard and rust whilst the thread has rust dissolved in Plus Gas. OK the tool has worn slightly but that cup wasn't going to come off without it. Thumbs Up. Buy this, don't try it with anything lesser.

Clearly made durable feels heavy sturdy prob has a steel core with aluminium outer layer did the job perfectly what I didn't like is that there's no rubber grip in middle nor any future use like the designers didn't forsee any possible future usage on other bike components

Faced with a well stuck Raleigh bottom bracket that need to be replaced, this tool did the job with no problem. Took a little gentle whacking with a hammer while carefully holding the tool over the right hand bottom bracket, and of course turning it CLOCKWISE.Bike is now working again, having replaced the traditional bottom bracket with a cassette one.

It’s not exactly 36mm, I could feel the play as soon as I located it on the bottom bracket. If your bracket is as seized as mine you’ll end in failure like me I’m afraid. Muscle strength couldn’t shift it and the metal of the tool is so thin it is extremely painful on the hands. A couple of not particularly hard hits with a hammer finished the tool off as the play from not being the right size just caused the flat sides of the tool to round out, it’s very soft metal. 👎