Bottom Bracket
Posted 6 months ago by ChucklesI think my bike is dead..
I've been planning to change out the bottom bracket and crankset for ages. Basically, the bearings in the BB and the pedals are completely shot, the pedals have siezed to the cranks, and the middle chain ring is shot.
I knew it wouldn't be a fun job, but.. Well, I don't think I can get the BB out. I first tried to remove the (plastic) lock ring, but instead of moving the teeth shredded off. I switched to the body side, and now I'm beginning to round off the hex nut area of the extraction tool.
The answer to that problem when dealing with a freewheel is to put the tool in a vice and move the wheel instead. I'm thinking about that approach, but I'll need to lock the extraction tool into the BB body to be able to do that.. I also don't have a properly setup vice, because I don't have a workbench to bolt it down to, but I've been able to work around that in the past..
Oh ya, this is after ample application of liquid wrench.
Shit!
The dérailleur was really sloppy too, so I was planning on changing it and the cassette/chain all at the same time. Turns out the dérailleur's socket head mounting screw was rounded off, but that wasn't a big problem.. A little dremel cutoff wheel work and that part was ready :)
A couple of years ago I also hacksawed a seat post out on this bike, after the top broke off during a ride. Thing is, I can't see how I could possibly cut a BB out, BB bodies are pretty beefy..
ARGH!!!
Replies
I'd say it's worth taking it to a shop. Nothing like having the exact tool for the job. Plus if the threads get really screwed up they can retap the frame for a larger Italian size BB.
Well.. I gave the BB one more try, and failed..
I can't see how a shop could do any better at getting the thing out, frankly, So I've scavenged what parts I could, and that frame has been scrapped. Not a big loss financially, but I've nursed that thing through quite a bit :P
Oh well..
I still might do the 'well used bike' site :)
-Three wheelsets.(and countless rear axles, pulverized bearings, and so on)
-Three seatposts
-Two handlebars
-A cracked dropout
-Popped open half the welds on a rear rack
And, lots of rust :)
might be a bit late to this, but if it's a "cartridge" style BB, it's worth noting that one side will be reverse threaded....