Some Help Identifying Tools Needed To Remove Bottom Bracket

elmer

Guys,

Can anyone help me identify the tools i need to remove this bottom bracket. If there happens to be a generous person willing to lend them to me that'd be great. I'm in bray.

I'm thinking that the second tool needed is this one:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17504

cdaly_

I always did that type with an adjustable spanner. You first undo the side with the smaller flats (your photo with the broken shaft). Then the other should come out fairly easily.

If things are stuck, you might loosen it with a hammer and cold chisel/screwdriver applied to the edges of the first side.

Am I right to say this type of BB has only right hand threads or not?

lescol

Agree with cdaly. Now you've removed the lock ring the cup should come fairly easily. Are you intending to simply replace the broken axle or fit the entire BB?

elmer

Thanks for taking a look - I tried an adjustable wrench but it didn't budge - i couldn't maintain a decent grip though - I might buy a bigger one

I'm not sure about the threads - I was working on the assumption that one side was left and one side was right threaded

cdaly_

Which way did the lockring come off? The cup should unscrew the same direction. Try a hammer and chisel to get it started. You can try in both directions to break any rust seizing there may be.

lescol

From your picture the blade of the screwdriver/chisel wants to be on the upper left face with the blow directed downwards!

tomasrojo

An adjustable spanner will open the adjustable side (picture 1). The fixed cup can be removed with this makeshift tool; you probably have to loosen by turning clockwise.

http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

elmer

lescol: I'm replacing the entire BB - I bought a new sealed shimano(UN54) as I didn't want to have to deal with bearings etc in the future.

cdaly: the lockring came off counter clockwise. I'll give it a go in that direction with a chisel tomorrow.

tomasrojo

If you're just replacing the spindle, I'd leave the fixed cup alone.

elmer

Thanks tomasrojo I should have the bits needed to make that - It has a nicer price than the park tool

elmer

I got the adjustible side off eventually with alot of chisel action. I used the chisel until close to the end as it just wouldn't budge with a wrench. The inside wasn't pretty. The bearing casings were heavily corroded.

I tried the fixed cup side with an extra wide adjustible wrench but i couldn't get it to move. I need to get the bolt and washers as what i have wouldn't do the trick.

Thanks again for the help - hopefully i'll be reporting back full success soon

tomasrojo

Yeah, I think you won't have any luck with trying to grab the narrow edges of the fixed cup.

That Sheldon Brown improvised tool is very like the proper tool you'd need otherwise; you basically would place a special spanner around the extenal face of the fixed cup and attach it tightly by tightening a long screw and cup into the face of the spanner through the bottom bracket shell, which would mean the fixed cup woudl be grabbed by both the outside and the inside face.

If the adjustable side required so much work, you'll need a lot of strength to get the fixed cup off. Don't forget: if it's English standard, the fixed cup screws off clockwise.

tomasrojo

The proper tool looks something like this (though I've never used this particular one):



http://www.raleigh.co.uk/p_details.aspx?id=1059

tomasrojo

Some discussion of using the Sheldon makeshift tool here. Positive experience.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3940500

D20903

I have the spanner you need to remove the BB - mail me if you want a lend of it - ph950@hotmail.com

elmer

cheers for the offer - i'll see how i get on and give you a shout if the sheldon brown one doesn't work for me

elmer

I gave it a go but i ended up snapping the bolt i had as the washers needed to be bigger. I'll be trying again tomorrow with a bigger washers and a new bolt

so close yet so far away

tomasrojo

Sounds as if the fixed cup is very tight.

cdaly_

If you're intending to paint the frame you could take a blowtorch to the BB to try to loosen it up. It is likely to damage the paint though. You might get away without damage by directing the flame into the cup from the open side.

elmer

well i gave up and decided i'd try and put on the new bb backwards with a ring of bearings to keep it in place on the side i couldn't remove. i couldn't get it fully screwed in because the tool i had kept slipping.

So now i'm thinking the best bet might be just to buy a replacement axel, bearings and a new cup.

i took a look on chainreactions and wiggle but i can't find any. anyone got a suggestion of where i can buy a generic axel, bearings and cup online?

tomasrojo

I have a spare 5R spindle (spindles come in different lengths) and spare cups, fixed and adjustable. PM me if you want them They're not great quality, but old-style bottom brackets are complete crap now. Very hard to get anything of quality, because sealed units are now the standard. They wear out very quickly, even with frequent cleaning out and regreasing. If you're not too fussy, they'll run for a while with pitted cups before the feel and noise get too annoying to bear.

Any spare bearings from a rear wheel should do for the bottom bracket. 1/4", I think is the size (about 6mm anyway). I could see whether I have any spare lying around, but you should be able to get these yourself if I don't have any.

tomasrojo

I don't think you can get adjustable bottom bracket parts online anymore. I was finding it harder and harder to get them. My old bike's frame cracking meant that I had to get a bike with sealed bearings in the end, so that was the end of my search.