Bottom Bracket Cup removal

davidcambridge1
davidcambridge1 Posts: 275
edited February 2010 in Workshop
I am trying to remove some Camag BB cups so that I can replace them as I have a new chainset. This is on a Planet X SL Carbon, and I have tried numerous times to remove them. The trouble is, I keep thinking that if I pull too hard on the spanner, I will destroy my frame! So I thought that I should go to a bike shop, and get them to do it. How much should they charge to remove and replace BB cups? I have been given a quote, but it seems ridiculously high! £40 for it (although that also included putting the cranks on, but still seems stupid money!!!!)

Comments

  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    davidcambridge1 wrote:
    I am trying to remove some Camag BB cups so that I can replace them as I have a new chainset. This is on a Planet X SL Carbon, and I have tried numerous times to remove them. The trouble is, I keep thinking that if I pull too hard on the spanner, I will destroy my frame! So I thought that I should go to a bike shop, and get them to do it. How much should they charge to remove and replace BB cups? I have been given a quote, but it seems ridiculously high! £40 for it (although that also included putting the cranks on, but still seems stupid money!!!!)

    Are you turning them the right direction?????? What type BB is this?? Square taper or outboard bearing???
  • rrsodl
    rrsodl Posts: 486
    My LBS charges £10 to fit a chain now, that is stupid money if you ask me. To fit a light, a saddle bag or water bottle cages is £5 :lol:
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    When I built up my Peugeot, my LBS pulled the old Shimano BB, faced and tapped the BB shell and fitted the Campag UT cups and crank.

    £10
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
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  • davidcambridge1
    davidcambridge1 Posts: 275
    dennisn wrote:
    davidcambridge1 wrote:
    I am trying to remove some Camag BB cups so that I can replace them as I have a new chainset. This is on a Planet X SL Carbon, and I have tried numerous times to remove them. The trouble is, I keep thinking that if I pull too hard on the spanner, I will destroy my frame! So I thought that I should go to a bike shop, and get them to do it. How much should they charge to remove and replace BB cups? I have been given a quote, but it seems ridiculously high! £40 for it (although that also included putting the cranks on, but still seems stupid money!!!!)

    Are you turning them the right direction?????? What type BB is this?? Square taper or outboard bearing???

    I think so, it is an English thread, and I have been following what the Park Tools 'Big Blue Book' said, but I don't want to put too much pressure on it just in case!! They are external bearings.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    davidcambridge1 wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    davidcambridge1 wrote:
    I am trying to remove some Camag BB cups so that I can replace them as I have a new chainset. This is on a Planet X SL Carbon, and I have tried numerous times to remove them. The trouble is, I keep thinking that if I pull too hard on the spanner, I will destroy my frame! So I thought that I should go to a bike shop, and get them to do it. How much should they charge to remove and replace BB cups? I have been given a quote, but it seems ridiculously high! £40 for it (although that also included putting the cranks on, but still seems stupid money!!!!)

    Are you turning them the right direction?????? What type BB is this?? Square taper or outboard bearing???

    I think so, it is an English thread, and I have been following what the Park Tools 'Big Blue Book' said, but I don't want to put too much pressure on it just in case!! They are external bearings.

    All I can suggest is make sure you've got the right direction to turn figured out, put the spanner on the bearing securely, and tap the end with a hammer. sometimes you need to break the bond of whatever "Loctite" is on the threads. Sometimes you have to MAKE things come loose. Be careful and good luck.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    they can require quite some force.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Wappygixer
    Wappygixer Posts: 1,396
    We charge about £15 to fit a bottom bracket.
    This cover labour and tool wear and obviously overheads.
    If someone really does need to have a bottle cage or saddle bag fitted then they deserve to pay £5 imo.
    Remember these are buisneses and not charities.
    If your afraid to put force on the bottom bracket cups for fear of breaking your frame why should your LBS do it on the cheap.If they turned around and said £10 but if the frame goes its at your cost what would you think then?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Bear in mind that Campag's preferred method of installation involves the use of Loctite, so you'll need to apply a bit of grunt to unstick them.
  • Meds1962
    Meds1962 Posts: 391
    Wappygixer wrote:
    We charge about £15 to fit a bottom bracket.
    This cover labour and tool wear and obviously overheads.
    If someone really does need to have a bottle cage or saddle bag fitted then they deserve to pay £5 imo.
    Remember these are buisneses and not charities.
    If your afraid to put force on the bottom bracket cups for fear of breaking your frame why should your LBS do it on the cheap.If they turned around and said £10 but if the frame goes its at your cost what would you think then?

    Well said, it's more about the value of having it done professionally than the time spent doing it.
    O na bawn i fel LA
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    Hit your tool handle with a hammer.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    How are you supporting your frame?

    BBs normally take quite a bit of welly to remove (as usually they are installed by spanner-wielding rock apes like me). Are you using the correct tool? Turning it in the right direction?
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • davidcambridge1
    davidcambridge1 Posts: 275
    DesWeller wrote:
    How are you supporting your frame?

    BBs normally take quite a bit of welly to remove (as usually they are installed by spanner-wielding rock apes like me). Are you using the correct tool? Turning it in the right direction?
    It's being held on a workstrand, and I am definitely turning it in the right direction. It is just being stubborn.
    Wappygixer wrote:
    If your afraid to put force on the bottom bracket cups for fear of breaking your frame why should your LBS do it on the cheap.If they turned around and said £10 but if the frame goes its at your cost what would you think then?
    That's a very good point, it doesn't seem so bad when you think about it like that!!
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    Wappygixer wrote:
    We charge about £15 to fit a bottom bracket.
    This cover labour and tool wear and obviously overheads.
    If someone really does need to have a bottle cage or saddle bag fitted then they deserve to pay £5 imo.
    Remember these are buisneses and not charities.
    If your afraid to put force on the bottom bracket cups for fear of breaking your frame why should your LBS do it on the cheap.If they turned around and said £10 but if the frame goes its at your cost what would you think then?

    +1, there are those who seem to regard bike shops as charities, just cos they have bought some bits off them. If want a job doing professionally, you pay the rate.
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,819
    Doubt you will destroy your frame - it might even be easier with the bike on the floor with wheels on ? I replaced my Shimano square taper BB recently and it took a heck of a lot of effort to get the non-drive side moving and the drive side was even harder. Make sure that the BB tool isn't going to 'jump' out of the BB cup when you apply force - on both sides the tool I had fitted into a 32mm socket and I had a heavyweight 1/2" drive ratchet which I took up any slack and hit it very firmly with a rubber-faced mallet. I think it was likely this that got it turning initially.
    Bike shops sometimes fit the tool in a vice then hold the frame and turn it.
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    Just MTFU and hit the damn thing with a hammer.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    andyrr wrote:
    Doubt you will destroy your frame - it might even be easier with the bike on the floor with wheels on ?
    +1, anything requiring large amounts of brute force I tend to do off the workstand.
  • elcani
    elcani Posts: 280
    ^^ +2. Easier with bike off the stand so you can use lots of downward force. In fact, I had to remove a stubborn bb the other day and ended up taking one of the legs off the workstand to put over the end of the spanner for extra leverage. Worked a treat. :D
  • mmacavity
    mmacavity Posts: 781
    davidcambridge1 wrote:
    The trouble is, I keep thinking that if I pull too hard on the spanner, I will destroy my frame!......

    Do you have much trouble with things breaking?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlDWdfTAx8o
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    Yesterday I failed to get my old BB out.

    Had the bike upside down, had the tool inserted into the BB and held in place with a bolt to stop it slipping, bounced up and down on end of 14" wrench - no joy, hit wrench with block of wood - no joy, hit wrench with hammer - no joy.

    Gave up and took bike to LBS, they did it there and then, took perhaps 20 mins and charged me a tenner, including tapping the threads when they'd got it out.

    Seems fair enough to me - I don't know what a major chain would charge, or have me book it in and come back next week or whatever, but I happily paid a tenner and will go back there again.

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