Should you clean a Shimano BB, if so how?

russboy
russboy Posts: 436
edited August 2011 in MTB workshop & tech
Only recently fitted my new crankset & it's started creaking under load so have stripped the bike to clean everything up.

This is a fair bit of dust/grit around the BB so wiped it off but is there a proper way to clean as such?

BB is SM-BB51

Cheers,

Russ

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    if the crankser is new, it's probably something else that's creaking
  • russboy
    russboy Posts: 436
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    if the crankser is new, it's probably something else that's creaking

    Possibly but only really happens when under load.

    Have bought new pedals as well to fit the ones I had were second hand, its just that the BB itself on the outer faces seem to have dirt in there, but I suppose thats always going to happen

    I suppose wipe it all down, clean it all up, re grease & put it all back together is all I can really do
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    The vast majority of creaks only happen under load.
    Grease the pedal threads. Check the rest of the bike.
  • clwydian_rider92
    clwydian_rider92 Posts: 416
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Grease the pedal threads.

    +1

    I had a creak under load.Greased both pedal threads, no creak anymore. :lol:
    Giant XTC SE 2006
    Cube LTD Race 2009
    Trek Fuel EX 9
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Are you sure its fitted properly?

    I've had a HT2 BB left on a bike for a few years without even considering cleaning it... it ran fine.

    Check the internal sleeve is positions correctly and that the preload nut isn't done up too tight.

    Thats assuming you are sure its the BB/crankset.... as said, its could be many things, just gotta rule them out.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • russboy
    russboy Posts: 436
    Yep will grease the new pedal threads when they go in.

    Only started since fitting the new BB & crankset & got worse over the last week or so
  • russboy
    russboy Posts: 436
    Stripped the whole bike down, cleaned, greased & refitted everything

    Took it up the road, so far so good

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