n00b BB question

[thebeatcatcher]

It's me again, the old Schwinn revival.

When I turn the cranks (with no chain on) there is some noise (not too terrible) in the BB, so I assume I need to replace or at the very least service it. There is no play in the cranks when I try to wiggle them left to right. Please help identify the current one, all I know is that it's probably lower-end Shimano.

Can/Should I service the current one, or should I replace it with a newer sealed type? Tools?

TIA

 

[kdelong]

You can service this one fairly easily just by lubing it. It probably only has a little grit in the grease. It also probably has either loose bearings or caged bearings. It doesn't have sealed bearings.

You can replace it with a sealed cartridge and then not have to worry about it for 16K - 20K miles, but you may want your LBS to do this because there are a lot of different cartridges with different threads and spindle lengths. They'll be able to match up the right one to your bike. They'll also have all the right tools to remove your old fixed cup and install the cartridge and lock ring to the specified torque.

 

[thebeatcatcher]

You can service this one fairly easily just by lubing it. It probably only has a little grit in the grease. It also probably has either loose bearings or caged bearings. It doesn't have sealed bearings.

Would I use a bb tool (and which style/model) to get to the bearings to regrease them?

 

[Retro Grouch]

Would I use a bb tool (and which style/model) to get to the bearings to regrease them?

Once you remove the crank arms it's possible to remove that style bottom bracket wih no special tools. 1. Use a crummy screwdriver or a drift punch to loosen the left side lock ring (CCW). 2. Use a needle nose pliers or maybe a bent coat hanger to remove the non-drive cup (also CCW). 3. CAREFULLY clamp an adjustible wrench onto the drive side cup. It'll turn clockwise to loosen and it'll be tight. The hardest part of the job is holding the wrench on the flats so that you can put some torque into it.

You'll still need a special tool for installing the new, cartridge bottom bracket.

 

[thebeatcatcher]

You'll still need a special tool for installing the new, cartridge bottom bracket.

But if I use your method of removal (thanks BTW) would I then be able to get to the bearings to regrease them and not have to get a new bb?

 

[kdelong]

Would I use a bb tool (and which style/model) to get to the bearings to regrease them?

You will need a ring spanner, Park Tool HCW-5 or equivalent, and a face pin spanner, Park Tool SPA-2 (red handle) or equivalent. You will also need a crank removal tool for a square tapered bottom bracket.

Remove your crank arms with the crank removal tool. Remove the locking ring on the left side of the botton bracket with the ring spanner. Remove the adjustable left cup with the face pin spanner. Do not remove the right Fixed Cup.

Remove the left side bearings and then pull the spindle out of the BB shell. Note which end of the spindle goes in which side. I usually thread one of the crank bolts into the left side end of the spindle. If there is a plastic dust sleeve around the spindle, remove it. Remove the right side bearings. Sometimes the bearings are caged and sometimes they are free. Caged bearings are easier to work with. Anyway, clean the bearings, spindle, dust sleeve, and adjustable cup in soap and water and allow to dry. Using a 1" paintbrush with soap and water, clean out the bottom bracket and the fixed cup. Also clean around the outside of the bottom bracket to avoid contaminating the new grease. Allow this to dry. If you have caged bearings and you want to re-use them,you will want to use a small brush to clean as much grease as possible out of the bearing cages. I suggest replacing them, bearings are cheap.

To reassemble, use white lithium grease and run a bead of grease into the fixed cup. Also apply grease to the bearings if they are caged bearings and put them into the fixed cup. If they are caged bearings, the back of the cage should be facing the center of the BB shell. Apply a small amount of grease to the spindle races and insert the spindle in the bottom bracket making sure that the ends are not reversed from the way it came out. Install the dust sleeve. If your BB didn't have a dust sleeve, go buy one at your LBS.

Run a bead of grease around the inside of the adjustable cup. Grease the bearings and insert them into the removeable cup. If they are caged bearings, the back of the cage should be facing the center of the BB shell. Carefully thread the adjustable cup into the BB shell, taking particular care not to cross thread it.

Now comes the tricky part. Run the adjustable cup into the BB shell until the bearings contact the spindle and then back it off about 1/8 of a turn. Spin the spindle by hand and feel for any binding. If there is binding, it is too tight and needs to be loosend a little. Try to move the spindle up and down. If there is any play in it, it is too loose and needs to be tightened. When the spindle turns freely with no play, then you have the adjustment right. Now reinstall the Locking Ring without letting the adjustable cup move. Hold the adjustable cup with the face pin spanner and tighten the locking ring with the ring spanner. Once again check the spindle to ensure that the adjustment is correct. If not, loosen the lock ring , readjust the cup, and retighten the ring. If for some reason you cannot get the adjustment right on the money and you are getting frustrated, it is better to leave the adjustment slightly loose rather than slightly tight.

It takes a little patience to learn how to do the adjustments to the BB. I spent an hour adjusting the BB on a nice little bike that I picked up not long ago and it rides like a dream. It is a little too small for me though, so it is going to a lady freind of mine. She'll appreciate it.

 

[kdelong]

But if I use your method of removal (thanks BTW) would I then be able to get to the bearings to regrease them and not have to get a new bb?

Retrogrouch's method is one way to remove the old bottom bracket if you want to replace it with a new cartridge BB. What I have described to you above is the correct way to do it if you are just going to re-lube your existing BB. Removing the cups and rings with a hammer and screwdriver tends to render them non-reuseable.

 

[thebeatcatcher]

Retrogrouch's method is one way to remove the old bottom bracket if you want to replace it with a new cartridge BB. What I have described to you above is the correct way to do it if you are just going to re-lube your existing BB. Removing the cups and rings with a hammer and screwdriver tends to render them non-reuseable.

I found out that I can borrow a cartridge BB tool, but do not have the spanners, so I think it is going to be more cost effective and a better idea to replace it with a new cartridge BB.

Thanks for all the great info!

 

[kdelong]

Good luck with it then! The BB cartridge is much less hassle. Just be sure to let the LBS know what bike you have when you go shopping for cartridges. They'll be able to cross reference which one will work best for you. Just remember that you will need to get one that has a square tapered spindle in it, otherwise you'll have to replace your crankset with the BB and that gets expensive. Also, if your LBS tries to tell you that nobody makes square tapered spindle cartridges anymore, go to another LBS. This happened to a freind of mine so I took him to my favorite LBS and they hooked him up. If memory serves me right, I think that you'll need a torque wrench to install the BB cartridge correctly. See if you can borrow one of those too, or get one from a tool rental place.