bottom bracket stuck - !?*@

carlstone
carlstone Posts: 602
edited April 2008 in Workshop
After the nightmare that was a stuck crank leading to stripped crank threads I now have the nightmare of a stuck cartridge bottom bracket. My first question is (after referring to the internet and bike manuals) can someone please confirm I am trying to unscrew it the correct way. I am trying to unscrew the drive side clockwise and the non-driveside anti clockwise i.e. with the spanners handle pointing upwards I am turning it towards the front of the bike.

I have removed the cranks and bottom bracket several times and never had these problems before. The bottom bracket is seized solid. I had a 2 foot bar on it at the weekend with 16 stone stood on it and the only thing that happened is I have started to strip the splines. Thats after soaking in WD40 for 24 hours.

I have given up the ghost and I will take it to my LBS tomorrow but would still like to know if anyone has any ideas for next time?

:(

Ps its the first time I didn't put copper ease on the square taper cranks or bottom bracket threads before assembly as this has been suggested elsewhere (lesson learnt)

Comments

  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    As long as it's an english thread BB, you're correct. Use a long lever and tap with a rubber hammer to loosen it - lots of plusgas the night before if you can. Make sure your bottom bracket tool is fully engaged, or else you risk damaging the nothches.

    Off the wall suggestion, never tried: Alu has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than steel IIRC, so if it is a steel or carbon frame, try icing the bottom bracket.
  • carlstone
    carlstone Posts: 602
    Cheers rob.
    Thats what I needed to know. Unfortunately it is an alu frame. Will take it to LBS tomorrow.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Your LBS will probably have developed devious means of dealing with the same, usually involving a four-foot metal pole and a large amount of force - you are indeed trying to unscrew the right direction for a BS BB. Getting a decent, screw-on BB tool like a Cyclus of Tacx means that it engages firmly and then the force of somone literally jumping on the pole to 'break' the bond
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • carlstone
    carlstone Posts: 602
    LBS to the rescue :D . New bottom bracket installed (looks like one side of new BB is plastic which surprised me as last one was metal, is everything plastic these days?). He also had back wheel off and tightened it and trued it (as I had some clicking noise coming from the back end). All for a reasonable £35. Well chuffed. He said it was a real pig to get out even with his two foot bar and 32mm spanner!!!

    Big thanks to Henry Gregsons in Accrington.
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    I struggled getting one out last year, couldn't shift the metal cup side, broke-off half the plastic cup side, so eventually gave up and took to the LBS.

    The guy said it was common, that the factories regularly use cheap grease when building a bike and it dries-out and sets, sod to get out.

    But they had a bit of a backlog in the workshop, I'd have to book it in and bring it back the next week, but he'd have a quick go there and then and see if he could get it out.
    - he leaned on it rather heavy and snapped his spanner ! :oops:

    So I booked it in, dreaded to think what they'd be doing to it with a big pole, and mallet and chisel to get the plastic side out, but went back and they proudly said what a b*st*rd it had been, took them 1/2h, that'll be (IIRC) £6 sir.

    Can't complain about that !
    :arrow: Altrincham BikeShak

    (although did feel very guilty that the replacement BB I was fitting had been bought from an internet shop and I was only using them as last resort cos I'd got stuck... :oops: :oops: :oops: )

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