BB not looking too healthy

[Cheule]

My tool kit from Edinburgh Cycles arrived today (cheers!) and like a kid at Christmas I excitedly used it to remove the drive side of my BB. This is what fell out (and please note it has been cleaned prior to taking the pic)

I know next to nothing about BB's (my first ever extraction!) but I can tell there's supposed to be ball bearings on the left side too - all that's left is part of the cage I think.

Once I've measured this up, can I replace it for a sealed cartridge style BB? I'm presuming this is a "cup and cone" style?

 

[chillyuk]

Doesn't look too good does it!

You should be OK with a sealed BB. Measure your shaft from end to end and then measure the frame where the BB goes through. When looking for a new one these are the two numbers they go by in mm.

When I did mine the new sealed bearing assembly butted up against the rivet that secured the cable guides under the frame. I drilled out the rivet and replaced it with a very short self tapper.

 

[ChrisKH]

I replaced my BB on the Brompton recently. You will be surprised once you've done it a) how much easier it was than expected when you have the right tools and b) what a difference it makes.

 

[PpPete]

Certainly easier to replace with a sealed unit, but if the shaft not pitted, and the cups still smooth you can just replace the bearings/races. I think Halfrauds do them for BMX bikes that still use old school BBs

 

[Cheule]

Certainly easier to replace with a sealed unit, but if the shaft not pitted, and the cups still smooth you can just replace the bearings/races. I think Halfrauds do them for BMX bikes that still use old school BBs

Unfortunately the shaft appears not pitted but several chunks have been scraped off, almost like a knife cutting through butter.

If it wasn't for that it may have been cheaper just to refurb it. :-(

 

[Cheule]

Having tons of trouble removing the lockring from the non-drive side, maybe reconditioning is an option after all...

 

[Ticktockmy]

Buy a new sealed BB unit as cheap enough, and last a long time, it the cheapest opition

 

[Cheule]

I would believe me, but the darn lockring is stuck on t'other side. Plus my lockring remover is one of those "adjustable" ones. I knew I should have bought a solid one. Help!

 

[OLDSHUNTER]

Don't bother with the fixed side ,clean inside best you  can and fit new bracket .

 

[Cheule]

Found a new problem, the locked side's hole is no longer circular, its a bit oval. I've packed in 11 new ball bearings each side, loose but held with grease. It's gone back on ok, but there's a small amount of play due to the wear on the non drive side.

 

[tyred]

If it's only a vry small amount of play, it should be okay for a while.

If you want to remove the fixed cup, get a 5/8" (check the size of the hole in the cups but it's 5/8" iirc) bolt and some spring washers. Put the spring washers on the the bolt and push through the fixed cup from the inside of the BB shell, tighten the nut on the outside and keep tightening and it will grip and unscrew the cup as the cup has a left hand thread. It will take a fair amount of effort and you will need a slim wall socket to reach through the BB shell to hold the head of the bolt and possibly someone to hold the bike steady. These cups are cheap to buy.

 

[Cheule]

I ran on my bodge job for 60 miles in the end, until the creaking and grinding noises got too much. I ordered a 68-122.5mm Shimano UN54 from CRC and attempted to fit it over this weekend. I got the drive side cup off easily enough, the left side lockring finally budged after half-an-hours grunting, but the non-drive side cup was stuck fast. In the end I gave up and dropped it off with my LBS who have undoubtedly better tools and more leverage than I could generate.

I can pick it up tomorrow to continue fitting the new BB (finally!)

Total cost:

1xUN54 BB - 11.99 from CRC
1xLBS repair visit - 15.00! Argh.

 

[Cheule]

I should also mention that I didn't overtighten the left side lockring and cup, must have been that way since factory new.

 

[eddiemee]

In the end I gave up and dropped it off with my LBS who have undoubtedly better tools and more leverage than I could generate.

When I went on a bike maintenance course a few years ago the mechanics told me that they have a specialised tool for getting extra leverage on stuck bottom brackets. They call it the 4-foot-long-scaffolding-pole (tm). Stick it over the end of the wrench and Newtonian mechanics does the rest.

 

[swee'pea99]

Yeah, don't feel bad about failing to shift 'im - they're famously immoveable when they're old. On a more positive note, once you've got that new Shimano installed, that should see you through years of trouble-free cycling: those UN54s are bullet-proof (or so I've heard).