changing bottom bracket easy or not?

[oldgreyandslow]

How difficult is it?

I have a 1998 campag veloce triple BB which is knackered, so I have a new one on order from wiggle. How difficult is it to fit a new one, any special tools neeeded? I am fairly mechanically minded and have most of the usual home workshop tools, but don't really want to spend shed loads on some tools I'll only use once! Rather take it to the LBS in that case.

If anyone can point me in the direction of a "how to" website or publication I'd appreciate it.

Ta

 

[accountantpete]

I think you needed a pin spanner to remove the BB - are there holes in the cups?

If it has been there for 10 years I think you would need the proper tool to get the job done and of course Campag have changed the design of the tool needed to install the new BB so it would be expensive for a one-off.

Try going through Sheldon's pages here

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools/bottombracket.html

 

[threebikesmcginty]

ACP's right - you'll need a special tool - last one I bought was a 'fat spanner' from ebay - did Campag and Shimano..£12 IIRC. Check out the Park Tools web-site too, tells you which tool does which type of BB - but then you may be able to source a tool cheaper. TBH if it's £12 and you only use it once that's still cheaper than an LBS.

 

[GrasB]

How difficult? If you have the right tools, damn easy. If you don't it's a nightmare.

You can get the required tools for less than £25 which is the sort of price I'd be expecting to pay a LBS to do the job.

 

[PpPete]

How difficult is it?


If anyone can point me in the direction of a "how to" website or publication I'd appreciate it.

Ta

http://bicycletutor.com/part/bottom-bracket/ may help.

 

[gavintc]

One of my best bike related purchases was a 1 day maintenance course with Edinburgh Bike Coop. It gave me the confidence to do exactly this type of work. You will need some tools, but as has been mentioned earlier, it is actually remarkably simple.

So, my contribution to this thread - get yourself on a maintenance course, you will save yourself a fortune.

 

[accountantpete]

How difficult? If you have the right tools, damn easy. If you don't it's a nightmare.

You can get the required tools for less than £25 which is the sort of price I'd be expecting to pay a LBS to do the job.

You can always ask the LBS to lend/hire the tools and then do it yourself. I did this with Longstaffs and proceeded to bugger up their only Campag BB tool but I got the B/B off.

 

[Blott's Mate]

Went on a 2 day w/e bike maintenance course recently & most of us struggled to undo bottom bracket seal with std tool & needed help.
You need crank remover tool & BB tool

 

[4F]

http://bicycletutor.com/part/bottom-bracket/ may help.

Excellent site, I watched that a couple of times and found BB removal and refitting a doddle (once you have the right tools)

 

[swee'pea99]

Not. Especially after a decade.

I've always done it the cheap and chavvy way, using a big screwdriver and a hammer. It works, but it's a bugger. And don't do it if you care about looks, 'cos you're bound to slip at least once and scrape up the paintwork. Oh, and be absolutely sure you know which way you need to go. Italian BBs unscrew 'the right way' on both sides (like taking the lid off a jam jar); British BBs unscrew the right way on the left (as you look forward down the bike), but the wrong way on the right (they're reverse-threaded).

 

[accountantpete]

[quote name='swee'pea99']

I've always done it the cheap and chavvy way, using a big screwdriver and a hammer. It works, but it's a bugger. [/QUOTE]

I tried that on my old frame with a circa 1999 Chorus BB but the metal was lightweight stuff and I just ended up cutting into an ever diminishing shell with the screwdriver.

Sod's Law dictated that whilst searching for a broader headed screwdriver I turned up a long forgotten BB tool which I had bought for the job when originally getting the BB and was now useless because I had shredded the thing!