Help. Frozen Bottom Bracket

[Me]

Hi, I'm replacing my shimano lx chartridge bb on my 4 year old Aluminum frame and the fixed cup side
seems to be frozen.

Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge at all even with a big
ass wrench.

Perhaps the cup has bonded to the frame. Is that possible?

If so, any suggestions for eventually removing it...

-jason

 

[Huw Pritchard]

On Tue, 11 Mar 2003 22:31:31 +0000, Me did issue forth:

> Hi, I'm replacing my shimano lx chartridge bb on my 4 year old Aluminum frame and the fixed cup
> side seems to be frozen.
>
> Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge at all even with a big
> ass wrench.
>
> Perhaps the cup has bonded to the frame. Is that possible?

If the thread wasn't properly greased when it was installed, it's entirely possible.

> If so, any suggestions for eventually removing it...

Get a penetrating lubricant and try and get as much as you can into the thread. Try shifting it
then, if it doesn't go, try putting the bottom bracket tool in a bench vice and turning the bike.

If you're still having problems, try moving onto nastier chemicals to try and free it. Try ammonia,
or even Coke.

--
Huw Pritchard Replace bounce with huw to reply by mail

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

Huw Pritchard <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 11 Mar 2003 22:31:31 +0000, Me did issue forth:
>
> > Hi, I'm replacing my shimano lx chartridge bb on my 4 year old Aluminum frame and the fixed cup
> > side seems to be frozen.
> >
> > Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge
at
> > all even with a big ass wrench.
> >
> > Perhaps the cup has bonded to the frame. Is that possible?
>
> If the thread wasn't properly greased when it was installed, it's entirely possible.
>
> > If so, any suggestions for eventually removing it...
>
> Get a penetrating lubricant and try and get as much as you can into the thread. Try shifting it
> then, if it doesn't go, try putting the bottom bracket tool in a bench vice and turning the bike.
>
> If you're still having problems, try moving onto nastier chemicals to try and free it. Try
> ammonia, or even Coke.

The other option is to gently tap it all the way around with a hammer, then to _warm_ (not cook!)
the BB shell, with a lighter or some-such under it, and try again (this worked for me when all else
had failed, and it was a tip I read here).

Shaun aRe

 

[James Connell]

Me wrote:
> Hi, I'm replacing my shimano lx chartridge bb on my 4 year old Aluminum frame and the fixed cup
> side seems to be frozen.
>
> Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge at all even with a big
> ass wrench.
>
> Perhaps the cup has bonded to the frame. Is that possible?
>
> If so, any suggestions for eventually removing it...
>
> -jason
>
>
be sure you are turning it the right way - it is reverse threaded.

 

[Spademan O----L]

"Shaun Rimmer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Huw Pritchard <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On Tue, 11 Mar 2003 22:31:31 +0000, Me did issue forth:
> >
> > > Hi, I'm replacing my shimano lx chartridge bb on my 4 year old Aluminum frame and the fixed
> > > cup side seems to be frozen.
> > >
> > > Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge
> at
> > > all even with a big ass wrench.
> > >
> > > Perhaps the cup has bonded to the frame. Is that possible?
> >
> > If the thread wasn't properly greased when it was installed, it's entirely possible.
> >
> > > If so, any suggestions for eventually removing it...
> >
> > Get a penetrating lubricant and try and get as much as you can into the thread. Try shifting
> > it then, if it doesn't go, try putting the bottom bracket tool in a bench vice and turning
> > the bike.
> >
> > If you're still having problems, try moving onto nastier chemicals to try and free it. Try
> > ammonia, or even Coke.
>
> The other option is to gently tap it all the way around with a hammer, then to _warm_ (not cook!)
> the BB shell, with a lighter or some-such under it, and try again (this worked for me when all
> else had failed, and it was a tip I read here).
>
> Shaun aRe

I had a BB frozen in a titanium frame. It had been stuck in there since I bought it second hand
(D'oh). When the frame cracked around the BB I stripped it down and had it re-welded but had to
leave the BB
in. It was re-welded about three times. What I'm trying to say is that this thing was not just
stuck, it was ssttttttuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccccck. This POS frame was actually a pretty good ride
and so when the BB finally started to seize up (after about 5 years that I had it) I took it to
Dave at the LBS to see if he could do anything. Clamping the BB and turning the frame managed to
free up one side, leaving the spindle still in the frame. I was asked if I wanted to leave the
room for the 'delicate' operation to continue. Slightly unsettled I declined. Dave got a hammer.
Not a small hammer to go 'tappity tap tap' on the shell, but a bloody big lump hammer. He then
pounded the sh*t out of the spindle until finally it flew out the other side, leaving just the
cup in the BB shell. Instructions were issued to go home and carefully hacksaw the remaining cup
into quarters and prise it out, which I'm happy to say I
io.

You may want to exercise caution when using the Dave R. method on a 4 year old aluminiumm frame....

Steve E.

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

spademan o---[ * <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Shaun Rimmer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> > The other option is to gently tap it all the way around with a hammer,
then
> > to _warm_ (not cook!) the BB shell, with a lighter or some-such under
it,
> > and try again (this worked for me when all else had failed, and it was a
tip
> > I read here).
> >
> > Shaun aRe
>
> I had a BB frozen in a titanium frame. It had been stuck in there since I bought it second hand
> (D'oh). When the frame cracked around the BB I stripped it down and had it re-welded but had to
> leave the BB
> in. It was re-welded about three times. What I'm trying to say is that this thing was not just
> stuck, it was ssttttttuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccccck. This POS frame was actually a pretty good
> ride and so when the BB finally started to seize up (after about 5 years that I had it) I
> took it to Dave at the LBS to see if he could do anything. Clamping the BB and turning the
> frame managed to free up one side, leaving the spindle still in the frame. I was asked if I
> wanted to leave the room for the 'delicate' operation to continue. Slightly unsettled I
> declined. Dave got a hammer. Not a small hammer to go 'tappity tap tap' on the shell, but a
> bloody big lump hammer. He then pounded the sh*t out of the spindle

This is known in the trade as 'giving it a right good twatting'. This has worked for be too in the
past. First time a BB shell got stuck, I hadn't thought aboput the warming thing, and had to know
the spindle out like this (but easier). Then I got a heeeuuuuge screwdriver and lump hammer, and
twatted the cup inwards all around the protruding bit, working my way futher into the shell as I did
it. I got some vice grips on one of the remaining bits of it, and it came out easily, but of course,
bu this time, only about
2/3 of the BB cup's threads were still in contact with the shell. Took me some time, but it was
ultimately very extremely rather quite satisfying.......

> until finally it flew out the other side, leaving just the cup in the BB shell. Instructions were
> issued to go home and carefully hacksaw the remaining cup into quarters and prise it out, which
> I'm happy to say I
> did.
>
> You may want to exercise caution when using the Dave R. method on a 4 year old aluminiumm
> frame....

Aye, but a wise person could adjust the Dave R method to suit their own particular siteration
like.....heheheh.....

Oh dear....

Shaun aRe

 

[Jan Sacharuk]

In article <[email protected]>, Me wrote:

> Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge at all even with a big
> ass wrench.

There's your problem. You should be using a wrench meant for a bike, instead of an ass wrench.

Ho, ho, ho.

Ignore me. Listen to those other guys giving real advice.

JS

--
========================= [email protected] ========================
Jan Sacharuk Member in Good Standing of The Discordian Solidarity Turn on viewing of the X-Geek-Code
header to see my Geek Code
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"This is a dumb world. In my world, there are people in chains,
and we can ride them like ponies." - Evil Willow, BtVS

 

[Me]

Thanks guys, I bought a £1.50 mallet and whacked the heck out of my spanner. One big ass cracking
sound later and guess what? Its out. Hopefully that wasn't the sound of me fracturing my bb shell!
Guess I'll find out on my first climb!

cheers for the advice!

"Jan Sacharuk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, Me wrote:
>
> > Adjustable cup came out nice and easy. However the fixed cup wont budge
at
> > all even with a big ass wrench.
>
> There's your problem. You should be using a wrench meant for a bike, instead of an ass wrench.
>
> Ho, ho, ho.
>
> Ignore me. Listen to those other guys giving real advice.
>
> JS
>
> --
> ========================= [email protected] ========================
> Jan Sacharuk Member in Good Standing of The Discordian Solidarity Turn on viewing of the
> X-Geek-Code header to see my Geek Code
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> "This is a dumb world. In my world, there are people in chains,
> and we can ride them like ponies." - Evil Willow, BtVS