Mtn Bike Update!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

So I was lucky enough to get a bike speciality tool kit for Christmas so I could FINALLY start doing some of the projects to my mtn bike I’ve been wanting to do, such as replace the bottom bracket that’s going bad on me. Anyone who has had a bottom bracket going bad knows how frustrating it is when you’re riding and then snap into that freewheel feel for a second! And you better HOPE you’re not standing while that happens….. 
I definitely learned a lot here, I think the main lesson being, working on old high miles bikes, is not that much different than working on old high miles cars…. Things are seized, things break, and nothing is as easy as it should be in theory…. You can’t really tell from the pics below, but I DESTROYED the crank getting it off to get to the bottom bracket….. The crank puller made for bikes which is SO simple in theory, didn’t work out…. The crank which has been on there for at LEAST 10 years and through all KINDA weather was seized of course….. So normal operation of the crank puller ended with threads being pulled out of the crank arms….. not the crank being pulled off (had pics but got a new phone between then and now, maybe I’ll post them later.) As you can see I ended up using a general puller….. which killed the crank, but DID get it off…. Not easy, but off. I’m excited to say I just ordered parts today so this thing SHOULD be back together in a couple weeks!! I’m extra proud of myself for doing this with plenty of time before the season starts!! Not my usual! 
I’d really like to hear from other people who bike wrench, DIY or expert. I didn’t know so much went into fitment…. I’d really like to pic someone’s brain without wasting someone’s time in a bike shop! 
Here's the crank with the gears separated.... For the longest time I thought, I can get this back on, it's all good, it's all good, it's all good..... Aaaaaand then something that's hiding in the pic broke.... And I knew there was no coming back from that so I started looking into getting a new crank.

Felt SO good when I finally got the bottom bracket out. It actually came out easy compared to the crank. 

That puller behind everything is NOT an approved bike tool..... But it sure did put in work prying away a crank that was happy after 10 years of filth.

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