Q: Campy Bottom Bracket

[Arthur Shapiro]

The patient is a 2002 Habanero with 2x10 Campy Chorus.

Yesterday I noticed a bottom bracket click when standing on it, once per crank revolution.

Having never serviced the unit in over 10K miles, I pulled it apart after today's club ride. This
was the one piece of the Campy group for which I didn't seem to have any documentation, so I felt
pretty stupid once I had it apart and found it was sealed! There was a little bit of rust on the
inside of the titanium bottom bracket shell - is this abnormal?

My questions: the documentation I subsequently found on the web suggests that there are two sets of
bearings on the right side, and one on the left. Makes sense to me. But upon first glance it isn't
really obvious (on a sealed unit) which side is which. Is there some magic way of telling, such as
the lettering reading the correct way from beind the bicycle?

And any ideas what I might look at with respect to the original problem? The crankarms seemed snug,
and nothing felt funny on the Speedplay X1's.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Art Temporary usercode - to be deleted when spam starts. Use MyBrainHurts at this ISP to reach me

 

[Al Frost]

[email protected] (Arthur Shapiro) wrote in
news:jJhTb.15859$QJ3.11493@fed1read04:

> The patient is a 2002 Habanero with 2x10 Campy Chorus.
>
> Yesterday I noticed a bottom bracket click when standing on it, once per crank revolution.
>
> Having never serviced the unit in over 10K miles, I pulled it apart after today's club ride. This
> was the one piece of the Campy group for which I didn't seem to have any documentation, so I felt
> pretty stupid once I had it apart and found it was sealed! There was a little bit of rust on the
> inside of the titanium bottom bracket shell
> - is this abnormal?
>
> My questions: the documentation I subsequently found on the web suggests that there are two sets
> of bearings on the right side, and one on the left. Makes sense to me. But upon first glance it
> isn't really obvious (on a sealed unit) which side is which. Is there some magic way of telling,
> such as the lettering reading the correct way from beind the bicycle?
>
> And any ideas what I might look at with respect to the original problem? The crankarms seemed
> snug, and nothing felt funny on the Speedplay X1's.
>
> Any guidance would be appreciated.
>
> Art Temporary usercode - to be deleted when spam starts. Use MyBrainHurts at this ISP to reach me
>

Initial guess would be that the click is the BB fixing cups shifting in the BB shell. If you have
rust in the shell (not sure what the source would be (Ti frame, Al cups)) then it means that
moisture is being trapped. This moisture will cause the cup threads to oxidize. Clean all the
threads and apply some anti-seize compound and reinstall. Torque to spec. BTW you can download the
instruction sheet off the Campy web page.

ALF

 

[Kenny Lee]

Al Frost wrote:

> Initial guess would be that the click is the BB fixing cups shifting in the BB shell. If you have
> rust in the shell (not sure what the source would be (Ti frame, Al cups)) then it means that
> moisture is being trapped. This moisture will cause the cup threads to oxidize. Clean all the
> threads and apply some anti-seize compound and reinstall. Torque to spec. BTW you can download the
> instruction sheet off the Campy web page.
>
> ALF

I don't think aluminum cups can develop rust. I once had a Record BB that developed a clicking sound
after 15,000km. When I finally got the BB out of the frame rusty water came dribbling out of the BB
shell. The cup threads did not have rust but, the ball bearings were corroded. Evidently water had
crept into the BB shell and subsequently did the BB in. I now have switched to a Phill Wood BB with
its stainless steel construction and fully sealed. I may be exaggerating but with Phil's BB you can
leave it in a bucket of water for a month and it would still work or even if it did suffer from a
little lubricant loss it is easily relubed. But if I were one to use Campy BBs, I would pull the BB
out of the bike at least 4 times a year to make sure water is not contaminating it. I would do this
more often if I rode in the rain a lot and, or lived in a humid climate. Another thing, if you're a
DIY person, you probably know already that pulling the BB out can sometimes be a pain in the ass.
FWIW, get Phil's BB. You'll never regret it.

Kenny Lee

 

[O Wtf]

"Kenny Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Al Frost wrote:
>
> > Initial guess would be that the click is the BB fixing cups shifting in the BB shell. If you
> > have rust in the shell (not sure what the source would be (Ti frame, Al cups)) then it means
> > that moisture is being trapped. This moisture will cause the cup threads to oxidize. Clean
all
> > the threads and apply some anti-seize compound and reinstall. Torque to spec. BTW you can
> > download the instruction sheet off the Campy web
page.
> >
> > ALF
>
> I don't think aluminum cups can develop rust. I once had a Record BB that developed a clicking
> sound after 15,000km. When I finally got the BB out of the frame rusty water came dribbling out of
> the BB shell. The cup threads did not have rust but, the ball bearings were corroded. Evidently
> water had crept into the BB shell and subsequently did the BB in. I now have switched to a Phill
> Wood BB with its stainless steel construction and fully sealed. I may be exaggerating but with
> Phil's BB you can leave it in a bucket of water for a month and it would still work or even if it
> did suffer from a little lubricant loss it is easily relubed. But if I were one to use Campy BBs,
> I would pull the BB out of the bike at least 4 times a year to make sure water is not
> contaminating it. I would do this more often if I rode in the rain a lot and, or lived in a humid
> climate. Another thing, if you're a DIY person, you probably know already that pulling the BB out
> can sometimes be a pain in the ass. FWIW, get Phil's BB. You'll never regret it.
>
> Kenny Lee

Drilling a hole through the BB shell at a dependent spot is a lot cheaper than getting a PW BB.

 

[Appkiller]

The Chorus BB isn't "sealed"; the cartridge bearings are. The cups come off the body and the
bearings are exposed. It may take a little wiggling but they are removeable. I suspect that your
issue is not your BB bearings - I have a 5 year old version of the Chorus BB in a ti frame and no
issues. Try the anti-seize/reinstall as suggested elsewhere in this thread.

I chased a similar creak for a long time (only when standing, etc...), even replaced my crank,
and it turned out to be a dry headset. If you have the Chorus headset too, you will want to check
it. The seals on that puppy are less than optimal. Fine if you ride only in the dry and service
frequently, but if you ride in the wet occasionally, a clean and lube after every wet ride isn't
a bad idea.

App

[email protected] (Arthur Shapiro) wrote in message news:<jJhTb.15859$QJ3.11493@fed1read04>...
> The patient is a 2002 Habanero with 2x10 Campy Chorus.
>
> Yesterday I noticed a bottom bracket click when standing on it, once per crank revolution.
>
> Having never serviced the unit in over 10K miles, I pulled it apart after today's club ride. This
> was the one piece of the Campy group for which I didn't seem to have any documentation, so I felt
> pretty stupid once I had it apart and found it was sealed! There was a little bit of rust on the
> inside of the titanium bottom bracket shell - is this abnormal?
>
> My questions: the documentation I subsequently found on the web suggests that there are two sets
> of bearings on the right side, and one on the left. Makes sense to me. But upon first glance it
> isn't really obvious (on a sealed unit) which side is which. Is there some magic way of telling,
> such as the lettering reading the correct way from beind the bicycle?
>
> And any ideas what I might look at with respect to the original problem? The crankarms seemed
> snug, and nothing felt funny on the Speedplay X1's.
>
> Any guidance would be appreciated.
>
> Art Temporary usercode - to be deleted when spam starts. Use MyBrainHurts at this ISP to reach me

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

arthur-<< The patient is a 2002 Habanero with 2x10 Campy Chorus.

Yesterday I noticed a bottom bracket click when standing on it, once per crank revolution.
>><BR><BR>

-Check pedals first, the most common source of clicking. -Grease inside both BB cups, tap the right
one off(two bearings on the right) -Grease inside of BB shell, cups in and tight, perhaps a wee bit
of teflon tape on the threads of the cups -make sure the bb guide screw isn't too long, hitting the
BB. -Take off the chainring bolts, grease where the ring touches the arm, grease the threads as
well. -Grease onto the outside of the freehub body, tight lockring -Crank on, tightened to torque
onto a dry Bb spindle ala Campagnolo factory recommendations, even tho some say this is bugleoil.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Arthur Shapiro]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote:

--> -make sure the bb guide screw isn't too long, hitting the BB.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. That gives me a few things to check. Gee, I hate to be dense,
but what in the world is the "guide screw"???

And I'm still not sure how to tell the left from the right, as the whole assembly seems to
float in a cylinder that obscures the guts from view. Visually, the two sides seem to be
equivalent in length.

Kenny, thanks, but there's no bloody way I'm going to put a heavy Phil bottom bracket on anything
but a touring bike. I don't care how good it is.

Art

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Pietro Chisolom scritta:

> --> -make sure the bb guide screw isn't too long, hitting the BB.

Arthur Shapiro wrote:

> Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. That gives me a few things to check. Gee, I hate to be
> dense, but what in the world is the "guide screw"???

You're parsing that wrong. He's referring to the screw that holds the bottom bracket cable guide to
the BB shell. Sometimes these screws are long enough to bump into the middle of a bottom bracket
cartridge assembly.

> And I'm still not sure how to tell the left from the right, as the whole assembly seems to
> float in a cylinder that obscures the guts from view. Visually, the two sides seem to be
> equivalent in length.

The left side has normal right-hand threads. The right side has left-hand ("reverse") threading and
a shoulder that bumps up against the side of the BB shell.

> Kenny, thanks, but there's no bloody way I'm going to put a heavy Phil bottom bracket on anything
> but a touring bike. I don't care how good it is.

Huh? What ever gave you the idea that Phil Wood bottom brackets were heavy?

The Chorus BB weighs 228 grams, while a steel 111 mm Phil Wood weighs 208 plus 11 for the rings.
(145 g for the version with the Ti axle.)

Sheldon "Phil Is The BEST" Brown +----------------------------------------------+
| Endless Loop: n., see Loop, Endless. |
| Loop, Endless: n., see Endless Loop. |
| --Random Shack Data Processing Dictionary |
+----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Arthur Shapiro]

Thanks for that information, Sheldon. Wish I had the bb in front of me here in the office, but I
thought I easily pulled the threaded cups off the rest of the assembly, leaving something with no
indication of left vs. right.

Am I the only one here whose familiarity with Phil Wood dates from the old days? My Phil touring hub
(high-low flange that I built radial on the drive side and X4 on the left) certainly is a
heavyweight, although rock-solid of course. I'm more than astonished to hear those impressive weight
figures on the bottom bracket. Ya learn somthing every day.

Art

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Arthur Shapiro wrote:

> Thanks for that information, Sheldon. Wish I had the bb in front of me here in the office, but I
> thought I easily pulled the threaded cups off the rest of the assembly, leaving something with no
> indication of left vs. right.

I don't stock the Chorus BB, so I can't check it out, but generally, if there's printing on the BB,
it will be oriented to be readable from normal riding position, so the "C" will be on the left and
the "o" will be on the right, with "ampagnol" in between. If the printing is crosswise, it should be
readable from the right side.

Sheldon "Which Side ediS hcihW" Brown +-----------------------------------------------------------+
| I don't believe in astrology. But then I'm an Aquarius, | and Aquarians don't believe in
| astrology. | --James R. F. Quirk |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[John Dacey]

"Nil desperandum." - Horace
On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 15:07:57 -0500, Sheldon Brown
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Arthur Shapiro wrote:
>
>> Thanks for that information, Sheldon. Wish I had the bb in front of me here in the office, but I
>> thought I easily pulled the threaded cups off the rest of the assembly, leaving something with no
>> indication of left vs. right.
>
>I don't stock the Chorus BB, so I can't check it out, but generally, if there's printing on the BB,
>it will be oriented to be readable from normal riding position, so the "C" will be on the left and
>the "o" will be on the right, with "ampagnol" in between. If the printing is crosswise, it should
>be readable from the right side.
>
>Sheldon "Which Side ediS hcihW" Brown

Even if the label with the writing has gone missing, the original poster may be assured that there's
little chance of assembling this incorrectly. The bearing diameters used for the left and right
sides are distinctly different. The larger diameter bearing located on the left side of the
cartridge won't fit within the flanged right cup. It becomes self-evident with the parts in hand.
-------------------------------
John Dacey Business Cycles, Miami, Florida Now in our twenty-first year. Our catalogue of track
equipment: eighth year online. http://www.businesscycles.com