Lube for BB insertion on ti frame and Chorus vs. Record

[Lou D'Amelio]

My Campy Chorus BB has given up the ghost at 21 k miles. Time to
replace. Frame is titanium - should lubricant for change be anti-seize,
regular grease , or teflon tape ? If the latter, how does one use it?
Is it the plumber's tape you get at the Home Depot ?

Also, how do Record and Chorus stack up for durability ? To me, it
looks like the carbon shell on Record should affect only weight and not
durability.

TIA for replies.

Lou D'Amelio

 

[Dave Thompson]

Lou D'Amelio wrote:
> My Campy Chorus BB has given up the ghost at 21 k miles. Time to
> replace. Frame is titanium - should lubricant for change be
> anti-seize, regular grease , or teflon tape ? If the latter, how does
> one use it? Is it the plumber's tape you get at the Home Depot ?
>
> Also, how do Record and Chorus stack up for durability ? To me, it
> looks like the carbon shell on Record should affect only weight and
> not durability.
>
> TIA for replies.
>
> Lou D'Amelio
Anti-Seize and teflon tape (plumber's tape from Home Depot) will keep you BB
quiet and tight.

 

[Mark Hickey]

"Lou D'Amelio" <[email protected]> wrote:

>My Campy Chorus BB has given up the ghost at 21 k miles. Time to
>replace. Frame is titanium - should lubricant for change be anti-seize,
>regular grease , or teflon tape ? If the latter, how does one use it?
>Is it the plumber's tape you get at the Home Depot ?

The best way (IMHO) to prep a BB in a ti frame is to first thoroughly
clean everything (of course), then wrap the cup threads in 3-4 layers
of teflon tape (yes, the kind you get at HD). Slather the inside of
the loose cup(s) with grease, slather the outside of the cups (over
the teflon tape) with grease, and slather some on the inside of the
bottom bracket shell (in the threads) for good measure. Install to
torque and fuggedaboudit.

>Also, how do Record and Chorus stack up for durability ? To me, it
>looks like the carbon shell on Record should affect only weight and not
>durability.

Both are excellent - I'm kind of surprised at a failure after only
27,000 miles. My own Chorus BB has a LOT more miles than that, most
of 'em along the ocean and plenty of 'em in the rain. OTOH, I'm only
about 150-155 pounds and not a power sprinter. I seem to recall some
sort of issues with the first generation of Record carbon BBs, but
that was a long, long time ago - I haven't had any complaints about
them. At all.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

 

[Ron Ruff]

> The best way (IMHO) to prep a BB in a ti frame is to first thoroughly
> clean everything (of course), then wrap the cup threads in 3-4 layers
> of teflon tape (yes, the kind you get at HD). Slather the inside of
> the loose cup(s) with grease, slather the outside of the cups (over
> the teflon tape) with grease, and slather some on the inside of the
> bottom bracket shell (in the threads) for good measure. Install to
> torque and fuggedaboudit.
>

You don't use anti-seize on your Ti frames? Or was that the "grease"
you were refering to? Just curious... I have a Ti frame now, and wonder
what is best.

-Ron

 

[Mark Hickey]

"Ron Ruff" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> The best way (IMHO) to prep a BB in a ti frame is to first thoroughly
>> clean everything (of course), then wrap the cup threads in 3-4 layers
>> of teflon tape (yes, the kind you get at HD). Slather the inside of
>> the loose cup(s) with grease, slather the outside of the cups (over
>> the teflon tape) with grease, and slather some on the inside of the
>> bottom bracket shell (in the threads) for good measure. Install to
>> torque and fuggedaboudit.
>
>You don't use anti-seize on your Ti frames? Or was that the "grease"
>you were refering to? Just curious... I have a Ti frame now, and wonder
>what is best.

I've never used anti-seize on BB's, and never had any issue with
anything seizing. A-S *IS* a good idea on applications where titanium
fasteners are screwed into titanium threads, where there will be
significant friction between the surfaces. Ti on ti contact can lead
to "virtually welded interfaces" in that situation, but not IME on an
aluminum/titanium interface in a BB shell, providing there is a good
coat of grease.

A-S won't hurt anything either, and I suppose would give you more
margin - but I think it's unnecessary.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

Mark Hickey wrote:
> "Ron Ruff" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>> The best way (IMHO) to prep a BB in a ti frame is to first
>>> thoroughly clean everything (of course), then wrap the cup threads
>>> in 3-4 layers of teflon tape (yes, the kind you get at HD).
>>> Slather the inside of the loose cup(s) with grease, slather the
>>> outside of the cups (over the teflon tape) with grease, and slather
>>> some on the inside of the bottom bracket shell (in the threads) for
>>> good measure. Install to torque and fuggedaboudit.
>>
>> You don't use anti-seize on your Ti frames? Or was that the "grease"
>> you were refering to? Just curious... I have a Ti frame now, and
>> wonder what is best.
>
> I've never used anti-seize on BB's, and never had any issue with
> anything seizing. A-S *IS* a good idea on applications where titanium
> fasteners are screwed into titanium threads, where there will be
> significant friction between the surfaces. Ti on ti contact can lead
> to "virtually welded interfaces" in that situation, but not IME on an
> aluminum/titanium interface in a BB shell, providing there is a good
> coat of grease.
>
> A-S won't hurt anything either, and I suppose would give you more
> margin - but I think it's unnecessary.

I used anti-seize on my alu-framed, steel BB cup bike and it was quiet,
until it dried. I rode a little bit for a day in the dry, but by the next
day, good lord I had never heard such creaking in my entire life! I had to
clean every bit of that anti-seize out and use regular grease.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Lou D'Amelio wrote:
> My Campy Chorus BB has given up the ghost at 21 k miles. Time to
> replace. Frame is titanium - should lubricant for change be anti-seize,
> regular grease , or teflon tape ?

Grease or Antisieze, either one. Teflon tape can be added but not
subsituted for a 'lube'.


If the latter, how does one use it?
> Is it the plumber's tape you get at the Home Depot ?
>
> Also, how do Record and Chorus stack up for durability ?

Genrrally take away the titanium bits in the brake calipers, rear der,
front der, the carbon cage of the ders, and you get Chorus. Durability
is the same thruout the Campag line since the working guts is all the
same thru Mirage.

To me, it
> looks like the carbon shell on Record should affect only weight and not
> durability.

Carbon shell of the BB is a crud guard only. The BB spindle on Record
is a lighter, two piece, welded in the center, oversized, affair to
make it lighter. The bearings are the same.
>
> TIA for replies.
>
> Lou D'Amelio