Old triple crank arm with new chainrings (spacers?)

Manc33
Manc33 Posts: 2,157
edited January 2015 in Workshop
When you take an "old" triple chainset apart and it has five spacers for the granny ring and five spacers for the middle ring, should the chainset be reassembled with the spacers when using brand new chainrings that came off a new chainset that had no spacers?

It seems the spacers are needed regardless of the chainrings, but I am just double checking.

It is shifting perfectly. I think thats because my chainline ended up at 42mm instead of 45mm. Its a long story. :roll:

Comments

  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    Why not?
    It's either spacers or pieces of the spider , something must keep the rings at their places.
    A "standard" triple crankset has no spacers.
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    Keezx wrote:
    A "standard" triple crankset has no spacers.

    They are a lot better these days because of that... but this thing is a FC-B124 - late 1980's. :D
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    just bin it and buy a fake FSA one as featured on the telly last night!
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    Manc33 wrote:
    Keezx wrote:
    A "standard" triple crankset has no spacers.

    They are a lot better these days because of that... but this thing is a FC-B124 - late 1980's. :D

    Actually I have a FC-B124 laying around and the chainrings are bolted direct to the spider, no spacers, just like all triples.
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    My Campag Victory triple has spacers.
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    Behind the granny ring I suppose?
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    Keezx wrote:
    Behind the granny ring I suppose?

    Yes. Bit fiddly to replace the granny ring. Luckily, I've never lost the spacers over the years.
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    Campag Victory was made latest in the late 80ies, on more modern triple sets the granny ring bolts directly to the spider.
    Must be a very rare set you have there....never seen one in life.
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    I fitted it when I built up my tourer in 1991 with classic Campag stuff. Beautiful polished and engraved finish which looks higher quality than modern Campag alloy chainsets. Inner ring is standard 74BCD but the other two are a weird size. I eventually got a replacement middle ring custom made by Chris Bell of Egg Ring fame.
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    BCD of the Victory was 116, Miche still can deliver these for their Young cranksets.
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    Yes Keezx my FC-B124 crank has ten spacers. Five that look about 3mm for under the granny ring, then 5 really thin washers for the outside of the middle ring / inside of the spider.

    You can see the thin spacers here alongside the thicker granny ring ones:

    0ztguEO.jpg

    Don't say "that's not a FC-124B" :P

    Because then I'll have to go take a photo of mine and I cba doing it.

    Large ring: bolts directly onto outside of spider holes, no spacers.
    Middle ring: bolts onto the inside of the spider - over the thin spacers.
    Granny ring: bolts onto the 74BCD holes, over the thick spacers.

    Personally I love these cranks compared to my Prowheel Ounce and the Spa one, then again its probably above both of those in cost, certainly the Ounce.
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    That crankset is very similar to mine, it shows still vaguely "EXAGE" on the arms, think it's an very early MTB triple.
    No spacers required.
  • satanas
    satanas Posts: 1,303
    Many triple cranks use spacers ~3-3.5mm thick between the spider and the inner ring. This is good because it means one can remove the inner ring, fit a shorter BB axle and use the cranks as a double without any inbuilt tabs hitting the chainstay.

    The other thinner spacers (~1mm) for the main BCD were used on some Shimano cranks which came with thinner, pressed rather than machined chainrings. If using normal rings, these can be omitted. The thinner rings can be identified by the lack of extra thickness past the actual teeth that engage the chain; normal rings will extend about 1mm further either side , varying a little between brands/models.

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