What tools to remove this BB?

[Boopop]

Hello fellow cycle chatters,

In the past couple of weeks I managed to get a hold of this Bronx Vintage bike for the tidy sum of £30. Its RRP was about £3-400, and it has hub brakes and gears, so the perfect little runaround town I think. I've almost finished getting it up to a working state (save for very worn tyres and no basket), however the bottom bracket is shot. Despite a new chain the bike makes an awful noise, a noise which can be replicated by just wobbling the cranks. Here's the bike. I added a pink brake cable outer as a bit of a flourish!

...and here's the bottom bracket in question:

My research would suggest it's a cup and cone bottom bracket - what sort of tool do I need to get it out? Please could someone send me some links to what I could buy? Under £30 would be good. I assume when I take it out it'll have the spec of the thing printed on it...here's hoping! Cheers.

 

[Spiderweb]

Could be the angle of the pic but that pink brake cable looks far too short, can you turn right ok?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Looks like it will be an ordinary crank extractor. Take off/screw out that plastic cap. Use a socket to undo and remove the retaining bolt thingy that's hiding underneath. Screw the middle bit of the crank extractor all the way back and screw the crank extractor in where the plastic cap was. Now screw in the middle bit of the crank extractor and it will push the crank off the spindle.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/shimano-tlfc10-crank-extractor-puller/

https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/crank-puller-for-square-taper-cranks-ccp-22

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Once the cranks are off as above, then a chisel and hammer should be able loosen the BB till you can unscrew by hand.

 

[rogerzilla]

^^ or any lockring spanner, if you're not a brutal galactic overlord

 

[Windle]

^^ or any lockring spanner, if you're not a brutal galactic overlord

Less chance of doing yourself a mischief using a chisel & hammer though, lockring spanners are the bloody devil's work .

 

[I like Skol]

Could be the angle of the pic but that pink brake cable looks far too short, can you turn right ok?

look again and have a think about what you're suggesting....

 

[Boopop]

Could be the angle of the pic but that pink brake cable looks far too short, can you turn right ok?

Yeah, it is shorter than I would have liked, but it doesn't affect the steering or braking, phew! Thanks.

 

[raleighnut]

Don't use a Chisel, a brass 'drift' (6" length of brass rod) will get the lockring off without chewing it up
Once apart have a look at the case hardening on the shaft, if that's OK then replace the bearings (couple of quid) if not then you will be forced to use a modern 'sealed bearing' BB so good luck finding the right one

 

[rogerzilla]

The best test for pitted bearing races is to run the point of a ballpoint pen around the tracks made by the balls on the spindle and the cups. You will feel any pits even if they are hard to see.

A pitted BB will still work but adjustment becomes something of a compromise and it may rumble a bit.

 

[wafter]

As per my Routier thread, I settled on a Super B lockring spanner which did the job on the NDS along with an adjustable spanner. If you want to get the DS out, there are a lot of of generic socket-type tools on ebay.. I have this one saved for when the Routier's time comes..

 

[chris667]

That is indeed a cup and cone bottom bracket.

TBH, unless you are going to be doing this a lot or want to as a learning exercise, I'd just get a cartridge one. If you go into a bike shop with just the frame they'll have the correct fixed cup tool to remove the other side of the bottom bracket.

If not, you need a lockring tool:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/icetoolz-bottom-bracket-headset-lockring-tool/

plus a big adjustable spanner for the flats.

take apart, clean everything up, then put it all back.

They are a pain though. One of the few bits cycling of technology I'm glad is in the past.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Don't use a Chisel, a brass 'drift' (6" length of brass rod) will get the lockring off without chewing it up
Once apart have a look at the case hardening on the shaft, if that's OK then replace the bearings (couple of quid) if not then you will be forced to use a modern 'sealed bearing' BB so good luck finding the right one

And if you do have to replace it with a sealed unit, you will have to remove the fixed bearing cup on the drive side (normally just leave that in place for maintenance). And with that comes a whole world of pain. It can be almost impossible. So just clean and regrease, replace the balls if nec, and put it back together.

 

[raleighnut]

And if you do have to replace it with a sealed unit, you will have to remove the fixed bearing cup on the drive side (normally just leave that in place for maintenance). And with that comes a whole world of pain. It can be almost impossible. So just clean and regrease, replace the balls if nec, and put it back together.

Yep, done a bunch like that, as long as the shaft isn't fubarred it will last far longer than any 'sealed unit' crap ever will

 

[Cycleops]

Suppose no one has seen an old C spanner?