Bottom bracket

[Celtic Warrior]

Hi
Please can anyone identify the bottom bracket in my avatars, thanks.

 

[midlife]

Can't see the pic very well on my tablet.... Maxy?

 

[raleighnut]

Standard square taper,

 

[Celtic Warrior]

Thanks for the replies. Any idea which tool I need to remove it?

 

[alicat]

A C spanner.

Something like this. Cheaper models are available - just make sure the notches line up.

 

[Celtic Warrior]

That's great thanks. Do you know if these bottom brackets, with this method of installation, are still available? If not, what should i use?
Many thanks

 

[midlife]

Looks like the BB is trashed so I'd just knock the lock ring off with a hammer / drift / big screwdriver and then set about trying to get the cups out.... Yep, cup and cone bb's are available but something like a shimano un55 of the right size would do the job, any more pics of the bike and crankset

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Looks like the BB is trashed so I'd just knock the lock ring off with a hammer / drift / big screwdriver and then set about trying to get the cups out.... Yep, cup and cone bb's are available but something like a shimano un55 of the right size would do the job, any more pics of the bike and crankset

I agree. Life is too short to not enjoy the joys of UN 55.

 

[raleighnut]

I'd just replace the bearings provided the shaft is undamaged (a nice full bright ring on the bearing tracks)



However if the shaft is pitted on that bearing track I'd not bother fitting a new loose shaft, the 'case-hardening' on newly manufactured ones is awful so I'd be looking at changing to a sealed unit.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I prefer sealed units if I have to replace, as the sealed unit may correct whatever went wrong to cause the failure of the bottom bracket in the first place. Some of the old 5 piece BBS had rubber seals, which wear out. Some folks just don't do regular maintenance. Sometimes things just go wrong with components like bearing cages. So the UN 55 type sealed BB still takes square taper, is simple to use and install, and works well for a good long while. Inexpensive, as well.

 

[rogerzilla]

There are cheap versions of this still made, but the major manufacturers have changed to sealed units. There may still be high quality NJS cup-and-cone units for keirin racing, since keirin is firmly stuck in 1970s technology, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I've removed quite a few of these from rescued vintage frames over the last couple of years but only fitted one as a replacement (an as-new Shimano 600 tricolor unit, to preserve the integrity of the mint 600 groupset on my Ron Cooper).

The fixed cup can take some special tactics to remove. My fixed cup spanner has never failed (augmented by a mallet) but it's unlikely you'll have one; you can either try to grip the flats in a vice and turn the frame, or use a large bolt and a couple of nuts; the fixed cup unscrews clockwise, so pinching it between the bolt and a nut or two, then cranking the nut down onto the bolt, will generally persuade the whole cup to unscrew,

The adjustable cup looks as if it has Raleigh-style flats so will just come out with a large adjustable spanner. The lockring will take any generic lockring tool. The Park one is excellent but a cheap one with a pivoting hook will work just as well, with a bit of percussive encouragement if it's tight.

 

[Celtic Warrior]

Again, thanks for all the advice. Just got the fixed cup to remove(see image). Hopefully I can remove this, then plan.to by a sealed unit. Cheers

 

[Celtic Warrior]

*buy

 

[Arjimlad]

Again, thanks for all the advice. Just got the fixed cup to remove(see image). Hopefully I can remove this, then plan.to by a sealed unit. Cheers

I would put the bike on its side and pop that fixed cup in an engineering vice on my bench, and carefully turn the frame with a good dose of PlusGas on the threads. Good luck !

 

[Celtic Warrior]

I don't have a vice, so I'm going to try a large adjustable wrench. Does it turn clockwise or anticlockwise? Thanks