Bottom Bracket Play

Greer_

Was just out cleaning my bike when I noticed if I grab either pedal and rock them, you can feel movement and a slight rocking noise from the BB area. Its only done 4-500 miles. Its a power spline BB with truvative isoflow cranks and shimano m520 pedals. Does this mean a new BB is needed or is there another problem? I can't find much info online about it.

I really don't know much about bottom brackets, never had to remove them or the cranks on this bike yet, and I honestly couldn't tell ya what axle is on it! (I do have the tools and the know-how to remove the cranks though)

Thanks for any help

Chunkers1980

Yep new one. Very poor on mileage tho. Take out old one, read code, buy that and fit.

Greer_

Stock on a carrera - the headset needs replacing too is it easy enough to take out? and if its not an external BB, nothing has to be faced or pressed or what not? Thanks for the quick reply

Chunkers1980

Still need to take out to be sure.

What's wrong with the headset- that's even worse wear rate.
Would think that's just adjustment and/or regrease

supersonic

Yeah, jsut try and service the headset.

A little bit of play int he BB isn't necesarrily the end of it, I got about 1000 miles more out of one of mine before it became excessive.

Greer_

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Still need to take out to be sure.

What's wrong with the headset- that's even worse wear rate.
Would think that's just adjustment and/or regrease

Done both. There's no fluid movement in it, grinding sort of feeling if you lift the front wheel up and turn the bars and its definitely not overtightened - got my girlfriends dad to take a look at it when we were fitting my new fork and he said it was done - just get a new one. Its a semi-integrated headset so press fit, don't believe I have access to the bearings?

supersonic wrote:

Yeah, jsut try and service the headset.

A little bit of play int he BB isn't necesarrily the end of it, I got about 1000 miles more out of one of mine before it became excessive.

That's what I'm hoping, I can't tell there's anything wrong when I'm riding it so I might just leave it until I do. Just the play, and then a grinding feeling as well when the chain is off . Funnily enough I've been building up my old carrera vulcan and the bb in it is fine. It hasn't seen the same use as my current bike has though.

Is it possible to regrease the bearings in it? Never had one out of apart before so I'd find it easier just to leave it!

jfry94

Greer_ wrote:

Was just out cleaning my bike when I noticed if I grab either pedal and rock them, you can feel movement and a slight rocking noise from the BB area. Its only done 4-500 miles. Its a power spline BB with truvative isoflow cranks

i had that problem but after nearly 4000miles through all weather with the same cranks seems the perfect time to upgrade i am lol

Greer_

jfry94 wrote:

Greer_ wrote:

Was just out cleaning my bike when I noticed if I grab either pedal and rock them, you can feel movement and a slight rocking noise from the BB area. Its only done 4-500 miles. Its a power spline BB with truvative isoflow cranks

i had that problem but after nearly 4000miles through all weather with the same cranks seems the perfect time to upgrade i am lol

Will do eventually I reckon but it seems i'll get away with it for the time being so I wont complain. Milage is really poor on it though - guys in the halfords near me are really dead on so might take it in but I know bearings, headsets etc are all classed as wear and tear. Time to start saving even more!

jfry94

im getting this soon http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/product/detail/aid:367976 nice little upgrade over the isoflow

supersonic

Is it possible to regrease the bearings in it?

Unfortunately not. You do play into the hands of chance though if you keep on, but I have had a lot more use when carried on!

The Rookie

You been jetwashing it?
The headset in my commuter is the OE one from a 2005 Kraken, rusty as heck and still smooth as silk, and you can squich grease into it as it's not sealed, while I'm using some Truvative powerspline cranks and BB also off an old Carrera (2007 Banshee) and they are still fine, I've done over that mileage on them since getting them off the daughters BF, he did probably 2k miles on them.

Greer_

The Beginner wrote:

You been jetwashing it?.

Nope, just been using a normal hose, muc off and a sponge - I didn't think a hose would have that effect

The Rookie

It would on the headset as there is no real seal at all, wouldn't on the cranks unless your 'squirting' it with a nozzle or your thumb over the end, with the headset drop the forks out and flush through with some GT85 or WD40 to try and wash any muck out and then squish some grease in, worth a try!

Simon

Greer_

When you say squish some grease in, where do you put it? I would usually grease inside the cups in the headtube then around any seals, is that the right place? Thanks for the help

delcol

i think he means squish it into the bearings..

this may help you

Greer_

I'm not too sure what I'm missing so I'm probably about to ask a really silly question! :oops:

Where actually are the bearings? I have had the headset apart many times (semi-integrated) replacing forks and what not but I have never actually seen bearings :oops: I've regreased my hubs so I do have a rough idea what I'm doing with them. Any help is much appreciated and thanks for the link above - never seen that before

delcol

sheldon is a good read..

depending what type of bearings your headset takes these you will see when you remove the stem ect and remove the forks for the lower set.

or if you have these cartridge style ones you need to pick the seal to get to the bearings.. see the link above.

The Rookie

If you remove the cap, stem and spacers and then the top shields dow to the bearings you'll see the outer race is what pushes into the frame, then a gap, then the inner race, squish the grease in between the inner and outer race, all OE Carrera semi-integrated's I've seen have used the same OE headset.....
Where the black seal is (top middle item in the image) there is no seal on the carrera headsets I've had (4).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-KCNC-Kudos- ... 0557711442

Greer_

Thanks, that's what I was looking for! Will give it a go before I next head out on the bike, won't be this weekend as I have some decorating to help with. Thanks for the input everyone!