Bottom bracket concern - cross threaded?

[Zippy]

I have just refit the cassette side of the BB, I backed the thread up until it clicked and then threaded it on, the first few turns were in line and turned by hand, but then I needed a fair bit of torque to keep the BB tool turning.

Now it is snugged down it is flush with the frame at the bottom but I can get a small screwdriver blade in between the cassette rim and the BB on the frame uppermost - surely this means the axle is not horizontal before I go any further?

I am worried that I have cross threaded the frame based on this.

If I have can I still fit an external BB cassette - how do these work?

Would be a ruddy shame if this were to happen after I just cleaned a fused seat post out of the frame!

 

[SimonC]

I have just refit the cassette side of the BB, I backed the thread up until it clicked and then threaded it on, the first few turns were in line and turned by hand, but then I needed a fair bit of torque to keep the BB tool turning.

Now it is snugged down it is flush with the frame at the bottom but I can get a small screwdriver blade in between the cassette rim and the BB on the frame uppermost - surely this means the axle is not horizontal before I go any further?

I am worried that I have cross threaded the frame based on this.

If I have can I still fit an external BB cassette - how do these work?

Would be a ruddy shame if this were to happen after I just cleaned a fused seat post out of the frame!

Presume you mean the chainset side cup is not tight up to the frame all the way round?? If so then cross threaded.

I should think cos its a cartridge BB, it wont make a blind bit of difference, assuming its not so far on the p1ss that you cant get the left hand cup in. Leave it where it is and forget it.

You can get a threadless cartridge BB for knackered BB shells, might be useful for if and when you have to swap it. dotbike.com sell them i think.

 

[Zippy]

Thanks for that - two You-Tubes later and I realise that the threads go away from the front of the bike (anti forward pedalling) so I've been trying to thread the cassette on the wrong side of the bike.

Now I've got it all snugged down it is obvious really that the heavy side of the cassette is going to be anchoring the drive chain - doh! Live an' learn.

 

[fossyant]

There is a good chance the BB won't be faced anyway, and might not be exactly 'straight' - If you can get the non-drive lock ring in OK then it's OK - doesn't need to be 100% with a cartridge system as it's not reliant on the shell being straight. External bearing systems need the BB facing.

High chance the threads are full of crap anyway. Back out and try again ?

 

[Zippy]

Done it - thanks guys!

 

[02GF74]

^^^ does anyone else understand the OP?

 

[Zippy]

02GF74: I do
what do you need?

 

[Matthames]

A good top tip for preventing cross threading. When you insert the screw you turn it the opposite way for 1 turn. This should seat the thread and hopefully prevent you from crossing the threads.

 

[SimonC]

A good top tip for preventing cross threading. When you insert the screw you turn it the opposite way for 1 turn. This should seat the thread and hopefully prevent you from crossing the threads.

Thats what the OP did.

Great tip, works every time.