Campag UT Italian BB cup in...

on-yer-bike
on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
edited July 2011 in Workshop
... Italian BB shell has come unscrewed by about 2mm. Is this a common problem with Italian thread BBs on the drive side? Should I use the same amount of torque but with Threadlock to tighten it up? Cant quite work out where the extra width was being taken up. Not sure how long its been like this.
Pegoretti
Colnago
Cervelo
Campagnolo

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    It's a common problem with Italian BBs due to the RH thread and the friction of the bearings causing it to unwind in use. Remove, clean, apply thread lock and retorque
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    Monty Dog wrote:
    It's a common problem with Italian BBs due to the RH thread and the friction of the bearings causing it to unwind in use. Remove, clean, apply thread lock and retorque

    Thanks. They don't sound like very good bearings!
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    It's a design flaw with Italian BBs - even the Italians are now fitting BSA threads to their frames.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    Is it worth upgrading to ceramic bearings (£85.00) now I that have it apart?
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    No, keeping your chain clean and lubed has more impact on drivetrain efficiency
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    Is it worth upgrading to ceramic bearings (£85.00) now I that have it apart?

    It isn't bearing drag that undoes Italian threaded BB's, it is precession, which is a subtle mechanical phenomenon, much misunderstood.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precession_(mechanical)

    There is no elegant fix to the problem, which is why most BB's are otherwise. Thread lock is an ugly solution but works.

Categories