Dura Ace BB bad rap?



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Bbear505

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Hi All:

I'm getting ready to build up my bike and was wondering if it is truly necessary to sqaure up the
bottom bracket face for the supposedly super touchy Dura Ace BB? I've read some reviews and "tips"
about needing an in-lb torque wrench and using loc tite on the cups and or lock rings. I finally
read the actual Shimano instructions and all it says is get it tight and then back off between 1/8
to 1/6 of a turn. The bike in question is a 2001 or 2002 compact S-Works in Festina colors with
paint on the BB face. Any help appreciated

thanks, Ernie
 
> I'm getting ready to build up my bike and was wondering if it is truly necessary to sqaure up the
> bottom bracket face for the supposedly super
touchy
> Dura Ace BB? I've read some reviews and "tips" about needing an in-lb
torque
> wrench and using loc tite on the cups and or lock rings. I finally read
the
> actual Shimano instructions and all it says is get it tight and then back
off
> between 1/8 to 1/6 of a turn. The bike in question is a 2001 or 2002
compact
> S-Works in Festina colors with paint on the BB face. Any help appreciated

I haven't found setup on DuraAce bottom brackets to be terribly picky or difficult, but you may
prefer an Ultegra bottom bracket instead, because they're so much more durable. DuraAce bottom
brackets don't like rain, and have rather obnoxious bearings that are difficult to clean.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
[email protected] (BBear505) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi All:
>
> I'm getting ready to build up my bike and was wondering if it is truly necessary to sqaure up the
> bottom bracket face for the supposedly super touchy Dura Ace BB? I've read some reviews and "tips"
> about needing an in-lb torque wrench and using loc tite on the cups and or lock rings. I finally
> read the actual Shimano instructions and all it says is get it tight and then back off between 1/8
> to 1/6 of a turn. The bike in question is a 2001 or 2002 compact S-Works in Festina colors with
> paint on the BB face. Any help appreciated
>
> thanks, Ernie

ive never touched a DA BB, but if you trust your frame (most BBs are faced well enough, IMVHO), but
are worried about the paint- you can sand it off with a light touch and a scrap of sandpaper.
that's what i
did. i did it more so that the tightened BB wouldnt chip the adjacent paint on the BB, but it might
be a step in the right direction
 
All frames aren't made equally. I have a '91 Masi TT Record Bike totally built with D/A (because I
was poor at the time). I have never had any problem with it, at all... I wouldn't hesitate to ride
that bike anywhere (a TT bike is needed). I have had no problems at all... I think a bigger concern
other than facing should be correct threading but I can see why an uneven paint job on the bracket
housing could cause incomplete mating of the surfaces. If you have the tools, do it... A surfacing
from a bike shop shouldn't be very expensive. If you don't have the tools, or as suggested earlier,
use an emery cloth just to remove the paint on the housing.

Of course, if you wanna do it by the book... have it surfaced and then have the paint removed
from the threads on the BB with a paint remover or thread chaser (the latter the being the
better choice). That is done so the paint does not cause expansion to either the BB or housing.
Also if you service the BB often paint chips from the constant installation and removal of the
BB could get in the BB and cause race or bearing wear... If you have old cups from another BB
you don't use anymore, you can always run the threads with those and use it as prep, several
times greased. Get a rag and circle around the threads to see if there is any visible chips
after each run through. But a Thread chaser would be ideal.

FWIW... NS
 
Bbear-<< I'm getting ready to build up my bike and was wondering if it is truly necessary to sqaure
up the bottom bracket face for the supposedly super touchy Dura Ace BB?

Of course, it is just a cup and ball BB...in spite of it saying 'sealed' and 'cartridge' on it..

<< I finally read the actual Shimano instructions and all it says is get it tight and then back off
between 1/8 to 1/6 of a turn.

Grease the BB shell and the cups well. install the right crank arm after the right cup is
tight...and then adjust the wee bit of play out, just like any cup and ball BB,,,,then tighten the
adjustable cup lockring...

<< The bike in question is a 2001 or 2002 compact S-Works in Festina colors with paint on the BB
face. Any help appreciated

face it Dano....both sides...

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
[email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Bbear-<< I'm getting ready to build up my bike and was wondering if it is truly necessary to
> sqaure up the bottom bracket face for the supposedly super touchy Dura Ace BB?

> << The bike in question is a 2001 or 2002 compact S-Works in Festina colors with paint on the BB
> face. Any help appreciated
>
> face it Dano....both sides...

You can skim on everywhere else except proper prep'ing the BB and headset. All frames are built
using the BB as the alignment reference. Your shifting setup will be automagic if you start
right. Since you have a high dollar frame, the place you got it from should do that for free. ~30
minute job.

I have no issues with the DA BB. It is dirt cheap and it is helium light. Just load the inside with
lots of grease.
 
On 27 May 2003 12:21:22 -0700, [email protected] (Richard Chan) wrote:

>I have no issues with the DA BB. It is dirt cheap and it is helium light. Just load the inside with
>lots of grease.

As a random question, how much does it matter if you save, say, 30 grams off the weight of a bottom
bracket if you have to compensat for it by adding 40 grams of grease?

Jasper
 
Jasper Janssen <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On 27 May 2003 12:21:22 -0700, [email protected] (Richard Chan) wrote:

> As a random question, how much does it matter if you save, say, 30 grams off the weight of a
> bottom bracket if you have to compensat for it by adding 40 grams of grease?

Shimano sells an ultra-light grease to use with their DA BB's. I use
39.5 grams per installation.
 
> you may prefer an Ultegra bottom bracket instead, because they're so much more durable.

This only applies to the double. The D-A triple BB is the same construction as the XTR BB (=
well-sealed).
 
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