Change chainring on 2016 Giant Dirt-E+ 2

[Scriptalert]

Hello forum,

The largest chainring on my 2016 Giant Dirt-E+ 2 is worn out and needs replacing. I have managed to get the crankarm off and loosen the chainring bolt, but I apparently need remove the spider as well and this is where it starts to get tricky. Do I need to remove the hex-nut in the middle of the picture below as well? And what dimension is it? I've seen it mentioned as 35mm, which is a really difficult size to find sockets for. Are there any other pitfalls where I need weird tools after getting the spider off? Are the chainrings perhaps some obscure italian standard?

 

[Mtl_Biker]

It's 36mm. Your profile doesn't say where in the world you are, but here in Canada I managed to find the right socket at Canadian Tire. (How did you get the crank arm off... do you have a puller - which is needed?)

Yes, you do need to get the spider off in order to change a chain ring.

Good luck!

 

[Scriptalert]

It's 36mm. Your profile doesn't say where in the world you are, but here in Canada I managed to find the right socket at Canadian Tire. (How did you get the crank arm off... do you have a puller - which is needed?)

Yes, you do need to get the spider off in order to change a chain ring.

Good luck!

Thanks! 36mm sockets are readily available. Yes, I have a puller and got it off using that.

By the way, is the 36mm nut reverse threaded? I saw some German video on YouTube say that it is.

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Thanks! 36mm sockets are readily available. Yes, I have a puller and got it off using that.

By the way, is the 36mm nut reverse threaded? I saw some German video on YouTube say that it is.

Yes, it's reverse threaded.

Turn it clockwise to remove.

 

[Scriptalert]

Yes, it's reverse threaded.

Turn it clockwise to remove.

I got my hands on a 36mm socket today from my local hardware store, but it turns out that the socket walls are too thick and that the socket won't fit into the hole in the spider. Argh ...

 

[Mtl_Biker]

I got my hands on a 36mm socket today from my local hardware store, but it turns out that the socket walls are too thick and that the socket won't fit into the hole in the spider. Argh ...

Oh no! What are you going to do?

Are the socket walls really thick? I had no problem with the socket that I got, but then again my bike is a different model... 2019 Explore E+1 GTS.

The thickest part of the wall (by the sides of the bolt) are 1/4". The thinnest, (by the corners of the bolt) are 1/8". Unlikely that you'd find something thinner than that. Does your socket have thicker walls than that?