Yo Mama's Bottom Bracket Is So Sh^t...

[Volnix]

Ain't repairing the bike a trip...

So the nuclear shell sealed catridge bottom bracket (which apparently is absolutely unrepairable) is doing this... "Noise". It probably just needs some bearings and grease but as mentioned again is bust.

So there are these... New options in Chainsets and bottom brackets now.

1. The Shi-mafuk-you-no? Hollow tech.

First of all, are these f@ckin cups even repairable? Can you grease them and change the bearings? I'll put Shimano bearings, I promise!
Also isn't this solid axle fixed to the chainset probably the only part that will eventually fail? Isn't that gonna need a whole new sh^tty chainset instead of just a 12 euro sh^tty bottom bracket?

2. Eeeey, you, buy... Campy no? - Ultra- T-Dork

So this thing looks like something that Igor whipped for Dr. Satan for Christmas.
What the **** is it? Now they compromise -both- the right and left parts of the crank. The f@ckin left crank would probably not break, but now it will!
The right one, would ofcourse break in Sh^tmano's way of rotatin' dat chainsh^t and if you just use a sealed catridge bottom bracket you are some kind of a wasteful slow slug on the "peloton". (Brevets are serious business! )


What the f@ck?

Does it even worth it upgrading to a better system for the chainset? Or just buy a dozen of bottom brackets? I bet they are f@ckin stiffer too.


Fanks!

"I got the new left one, but not the new-new left one..."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyTA33HQZLA

 

[swampy1970]

What chainset do you have right now?

This could be the place for you:

https://www.philwood.com/products/bbhome.php for the old school square taper

or

https://www.philwood.com/products/outbbhome.php for outboard bearing cranks

Both can be had with a variety of excellent bearings that shame the CU*T bearings in ****-bag-no-go bum brackets.

The stainless steel models will last longer than the planet and if the sands of time try and contaminate those hallowed bearings then civilization as we know it will end.

 

[Volnix]

I've got the square one...

So they make quality square ones too... Interesting. (I don't think I will go for the fixed axle robbery).

So all I need is a quality square tapered spider and "pray" that I can fit some chainrings there?

Are these "Phil" ones enchanted by purple elves in Mordor too? Because "Rick's" say that have ballz of Terrificum forged in Mordor in a 0.01*10^-10000 micro-meter accuracy...

(The accuracy measurements made by "Accuron Measuring Services" which contribute to the 70% of the cost of the bearings. They measure them one by one in the north pole, the only place where the macro-micrometer can operate. The macro-micrometer runs on reversed sunlight.) Sh^t...

 

[swampy1970]

So you had the Spankynogo cranks that snapped? Oh dear!

The Phil Wood bottom brackets are magical - not enchanted. All you need to know is what BB Axle taper you need and what length. The folks at Phil Wood are helpfull at wil be able to help.

You will need to purchase a set of the following:

A pair of bottom bracket cups
A set of cup installation tools
Some Loctite blue threadlock compound.

They do some clip in covers for the BB cups that prevent the dirt from getting in the splines. They look ace and don't cost all that much.

Phil's bearings are legendary. Simple products, well made and last a long, long time.

Their outboard bottom brackets will not do the Campag Ultra-Snap cranks that you posted above.

 

[Volnix]

They do some clip in covers for the BB cups that prevent the dirt from getting in the splines. They look ace and don't cost all that much.

Even more interesting... I had a look on a few of those "cup" BB's and they kinda look nicer - and more element proof then the f@ckin Shimano throw-away BB and "covers" which are, ehmmm, dont get what they are, they dont look like flanges, or washers, or something...

But ofcourse they are also non-repairable... 12 euro for a bit of grease and a ball bearing! and the "cups" ending on a dolphins snout... Nice stuff!

Will keep an eye.

 

[alfeng]

Even more interesting... I had a look on a few of those "cup" BB's and they kinda look nicer - and more element proof then the f@ckin Shimano throw-away BB and "covers" which are, ehmmm, dont get what they are, they dont look like flanges, or washers, or something...

But ofcourse they are also non-repairable... 12 euro for a bit of grease and a ball bearing! and the "cups" ending on a dolphins snout... Nice stuff!

Will keep an eye.

FYI. The cartridge bearings in Shimano's Hollotech II BBs can be serviced OR replaced ...

The way the Shimano Hollowtech II BB cups are designed makes removing the cartridge bearings more difficult than removing the cartridge bearings from FSA's external (MegaExo) BB cups ...

But, it is not impossible ...

• If you really want to service your Shimano Hollowtech II BB's cartridge bearings, the first thing you need to do is to remove the plastic shroud which effectively reduces the inner diameter of the cartridge bearing from 25mm to 24mm ...
  you will need to do this whether or not you are replacing the bearings OR simply servicing them ...

[*]if you want to try to service the bearings, then you will need to GENTLY pry an edge of the embossed shroud up to access the bearings ...

• flush the bearings until you don't feel the grit/grinding
• re-grease
  test

[*]push the shroud back down AS WELL AS YOU CAN or simply DISCARD (cartridge bearings are available with both sides sealed, one side sealed, or neither side sealed)

• test, again

[*]press the Inner Diameter reducing shroud (this is ALSO meant to be a weather "seal") back onto the cartridge
[*]repeat on the OTHER side
[*]re-install the crankset

-----​

• If you are inclined, you can remove the cartridge bearing & replace it ...
  Shimano has made this difficult by having shrouded the cartridge with a lip on the inside of the cup which precludes simply tapping the cartridge from the cup
• the easiest (?) way to remove the bearing is by inserting a "spindle" which is a micron-or-two larger in diameter than the inside of the cartridge bearing ...
  I have NOT tried this, but if you clean the spindle & wrap it with anything (e.g., clear packing tape) you may then be able to jam a 25mm spindle into the cartridge bearing enough to then pull the bearing from the cup OR (to contradict my earlier instruction) jam the "taped" Hollowtech II spindle into the plastic reducing shroud & hope that you can pull the cartridge bearing from the BB cup ...
  yes, that is probably about as crude a way to do it ...
• alternatively, if you an Ultra Torque spindle which doesn't have a bearing in place then you can tap that part of the way into the bearing and then remove the bearing from the Hollowtech II BB cup by simply pulling the UT spindle away from the cup

[*]PRESS the replacement cartridge into place
[*]et cetera


You can do it!

 

[oldbobcat]

My eyes are telling me the most obvious broken part isn't the bottom bracket bearings, it's the half-spindle of the left crank. And it's a Campagnolo crank, not Hollowtech II. Or am I missing something?

I get it, it's April 1.

 

[alfeng]

My eyes are telling me the most obvious broken part isn't the bottom bracket bearings, it's the half-spindle of the left crank. And it's a Campagnolo crank, not Hollowtech II. Or am I missing something?

I get it, it's April 1.

FWIW. The way I read Volnix's post, he had two different complaints regarding external BB cranksets which he chose to include in the same post ...

1. he isn't keen on the reliability of the Campagnolo Ultra Torque spindle
2. he isn't happy with his understanding of the design of Shimano's Hollowtech II BB cups

The only way to avoid the UT spindle is to NOT buy a crankset of that ilk ...

I will be a very unhappy camper if one of my UT cranks fails in a similar manner!

Despite the intent of Shimano's engineers, the Shimano BB cups are servicable ...

OR, the individual can buy one of the many alternatives which are Shimano/-compatible.

 

[oldbobcat]

Despite the intent of Shimano's engineers, the Shimano BB cups are servicable ...

Hollowtech II bottom brackets work with UltraTorq spindles?

Yeah, I'm aware that Hollowtech bearings can be replaced. Usually the entire cartridge is so cheap, and Shimano bearings are so good, that it isn't worth the bother.

 

[alfeng]

Hollowtech II bottom brackets work with UltraTorq spindles?

Yeah, I'm aware that Hollowtech bearings can be replaced. Usually the entire cartridge is so cheap, and Shimano bearings are so good, that it isn't worth the bother.

If you are asking if the cartridge bearings are the same size, then I believe that is the case ...

The cartridge bearings which BOTH Shimano & Campagnolo use both have the same INNER DIAMETER & OUTER DIAMETER ...

And, AFAIK, they are dimensionally equal ...

So, if YOU were inclined, then you could put a set of CULT bearings into a set of Shimano Hollowtech II or MegaExo BB shells ...

Or, someone could cannibalize the bearings from a set of Shimano or FSA BB to fit onto an Ultra Torque spindle.

Of course, the Ultra Torque cartridge bearing is only sealed on one side to allow for maintenance whereas the Shimano & FSA/etc. cartridge bearings are sealed on both sides ...

If you are asking if empty Shimano Hollowtech II cups can be used instead of Ultra Torque cups ... I haven't tried it ... but, possibly-and-probably if one realizes that there is NO wavy washer for the non-driveside nor the seemingly superfluous retaining clip for the driveside & "shims" may-or-may-not be required to compensate for any lateral slack.



Regardless, while the Hollowtech II BBs may not be overly expensive, the "bare" cartridge bearings are certainly much less expensive ...

And, I was simply trying to elaborate how little effort was needed for Volnix/whomever to service the seemingly un-serviceable Hollowtech II BBs.

 

[Volnix]

And, I was simply trying to elaborate how little effort was needed for Volnix/whomever to service the seemingly un-serviceable Hollowtech II BBs.

I might be going to buy some ballz and grease and give it a try... They only cost 2 euro anyway and they sell them in sets too.

So I went to a few shops and asked around.

1. They are positive about all BB systems (cups, square tapered, etc) not being servicable. They also say -it can- be done, but for 12 euro for a new set it's not worth it and they wont do it since it costs 15 euro for them to change the bearings.

So that kinda means that -all- BB systems, from the cheap square tapered ones to the "super slippy" Hollow-cult of whatever are f@ckin wasteful pieces of components.

But what is interesting is that:

2. When I asked them about the design of Hollowtech and UT or PT campy axles, they were positive that these axles simply -wont- fail. Like ever...

But I kinda suspect that they will... Especially the UT systems.

and if they do:

1. Shimanos **** will need a whole new spider + axle.
2. Campys **** will probably need -both- a new left and right crank... (as I suspect that this "toothed" design will be changing every year to make sure that components wont fit.)

Also, if you somehow manage to repack the bearings in any of these systems (cups, tapered square etc) there is a possibility that they will eventually f@ck up the axle due to them being badly re-assembled causing a torsional force on the axle???

Call me paranoid, but I think that these b@stards are going after the frames designs. Maybe they will start making some **** that is supposedly 2% more efficient and 120% faster to fail, which will only fit in their frames...

 

[alfeng]

Uh-oh ...

Unfortunately, the-cycling-World-isn't-perfect & I was subsequently wrong ...

Some (more recent) Campagnolo Ultra Torque cranks apparently use a 6805N (as in "narrow") or 6805w6/whatever!?! for a cartridge bearing which is apparently 25x37x6 ... and, some use a 7mm wide cartridge bearing!?!

I don't know what happens if you mismatch the replacement bearing with the original which was on the UT crankset.

And, if you look on the seal of a Hollowtech II cartridge bearing you will see the model number is 6805-2R which equates to the 25x37x7 ...

The prices vary w.i.d.e.l.y ...

As I previously stated, "cartridge bearings are available with both sides sealed, one side sealed, or neither side sealed" ...

Unfortunately, cost is probably NOT always an assurance of quality.

 

[hajiwahyu]

nice information
thanks all