Stuck BB Cup - Liquid Wrench vs Ammonia

[Protag Hiro]

I am restoring a 1968 road bike, and I have it completely stripped down
except for the right BB cup, which is completely stuck in there. The
guys at my LBS suggested that I use Liquid Wrench, but I remember
hearing that ammonia can also be used for this purpose.
Which is better?

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Protag Hiro wrote:

> I am restoring a 1968 road bike, and I have it completely stripped down
> except for the right BB cup, which is completely stuck in there. The
> guys at my LBS suggested that I use Liquid Wrench, but I remember
> hearing that ammonia can also be used for this purpose.
> Which is better?
>
Ammonia is good for aluminum, Liquid Wrench for steel.

Make sure you're turning it in the correct direction, which will depend
on the nationality of the frame.

See http://sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html

See also: http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips

Sheldon "Unggggghh!" Brown
+----------------------------------+
| What sane person could live in |
| this world and not be crazy? |
| --Ursula K. LeGuin |
+----------------------------------+
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

 

[Strayhorn]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Protag Hiro" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I am restoring a 1968 road bike, and I have it completely stripped down
> except for the right BB cup, which is completely stuck in there. The
> guys at my LBS suggested that I use Liquid Wrench, but I remember
> hearing that ammonia can also be used for this purpose.
> Which is better?

See if you can find a can of PB Blaster at your auto parts store (I get
mine at Advance Auto). It's very popular on the auto restoration circuit
for freeing bolts last turned at the factory 30+ years ago. It's the
best stuff for dealing with rusted/frozen bolts I've ever used.

And, as always, make sure you are turning in the correct direction.

--
Strayhorn

³Excuse me, brother, who you jivin' with that cosmik debris?" - F.Z.

 

[Protag Hiro]

Sheldon and Strayhorn.

It is a pesky French frame, so I know about the direction to turn.

Sheldon: That homemade nut/washer/bolt tool is awesome, I cant wait to
make one.

Strayhorn: I will track down some of that PB Blaster.

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Protag Hiro wrote:

> It is a pesky French frame, so I know about the direction to turn.

Don't be too sure...some French bikes use Swiss threading. This is true
of most Motobécanes and some Peugeots.

Sheldon "Try Both Ways, Gradually Increasing Torque" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is |
| the man who has so much as to be out of danger? |
| --T.H. Huxley |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
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

 

[Protag Hiro]

Mine is an Astra. According to your site it is a Moto-for-Beacon. Do ya
think it is Swiss then?

Sheldon Brown wrote:
> Protag Hiro wrote:
>
> > It is a pesky French frame, so I know about the direction to turn.
>
> Don't be too sure...some French bikes use Swiss threading. This is true
> of most Motobécanes and some Peugeots.
>
> Sheldon "Try Both Ways, Gradually Increasing Torque" Brown
> +-----------------------------------------------------+
> | If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is |
> | the man who has so much as to be out of danger? |
> | --T.H. Huxley |
> +-----------------------------------------------------+
> 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

 

[Werehatrack]

On 8 Jul 2005 12:47:03 -0700, "Protag Hiro" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I am restoring a 1968 road bike, and I have it completely stripped down
>except for the right BB cup, which is completely stuck in there. The
>guys at my LBS suggested that I use Liquid Wrench, but I remember
>hearing that ammonia can also be used for this purpose.
>Which is better?

Ammonia works only for parts stuck in aluminum frames, and then only
when the depth of the interface is not great. In your case, if
getting the part out intact is not essential, I'd use a hacksaw or
Dremel to cut through the cup almost into the threads, and then peel
it loose from the other side with a hammer and chisel.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Werehatrack]

On 8 Jul 2005 14:25:22 -0700, "Protag Hiro" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Sheldon Brown wrote:
>> Protag Hiro wrote:
>>
>> > It is a pesky French frame, so I know about the direction to turn.
>>
>> Don't be too sure...some French bikes use Swiss threading. This is true
>> of most Motobécanes and some Peugeots.
>
>Mine is an Astra. According to your site it is a Moto-for-Beacon. Do ya
>think it is Swiss then?

Oh, *That* old road bike.

Yeah, you want to extract the cup undamaged.

If the PB Blaster doesn't get it loose, I'd try judicious use of heat
from a propane torch next.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[jtaylor]

"Protag Hiro" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Mine is an Astra. According to your site it is a Moto-for-Beacon. Do ya
think it is Swiss then?

Sheldon Brown wrote:
> Protag Hiro wrote:
>
> > It is a pesky French frame, so I know about the direction to turn.
>
> Don't be too sure...some French bikes use Swiss threading. This is true
> of most Motobécanes and some Peugeots.
>

If you have the other cup (and the axle & bearings) out, you may be able to
tell from looking what direction the threading is just by looking. You'll
need a good light, and a clean BB inside. The key point is where the thread
disappears behind the cup walls - if you can see that it's easy to tell
which way it is threaded.