Rivnut In Downtube

womack
womack Posts: 566
edited May 2021 in Workshop
As title suggests I had to Dremel a broken bottle cage rivnut with the result that the residue is in the Downtube.

Is it a given that all downtubes will be hollow at the bottom and with removal of the BB it will fall out or could they be solid at the bottom?

Edit. I would ignore it but it makes a right noise!

Comments

  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,712
    Depends a *lot* on the frame, cable routing and BB type: carbon, aluminium, steel, internal cable or external and threaded or press-fit BB?

    If it’s external cable and threaded BB I’d say you are likely to be unlucky. The BB shell is often a cylinder with only a drain hole in the bottom either welded or bonded into the frame, but no hole on the downtube side.

    If it’s internal cable routing and/or press fit BB you might be ok
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    womack said:


    Is it a given that all downtubes will be hollow at the bottom and with removal of the BB it will fall out or could they be solid at the bottom?

    There's only on way to find out...

  • womack
    womack Posts: 566
    imposter2.0 said:

    womack said:


    Is it a given that all downtubes will be hollow at the bottom and with removal of the BB it will fall out or could they be solid at the bottom?

    There's only on way to find out...

    Yes, you are correct. Would need to go and buy the correct spanner first.

    It is a 10 year old Allez Sport, aluminium with external cables. It has Sora nine speed and I think the BB is what people call Hollowtech.

    I don't have the bike at home at the moment so can't verify that.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    If you can't remove from the BB area, maybe the head tube? You could possibly remove some debris with a vacuum cleaner attachment over the bolt hole- with bike upside down
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,430
    if there's no exit hole at the bb or head tube...

    if the rivnut remains are steel, you can use a strong magnet to drag them back to the hole

    if they'll fit through the hole, easy, otherwise perhaps you can cut/grind them to fit - grab with fine pliers, use the dremel
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    This happened on N1 bike about 15 years ago.

    it rattled and rattled amd rattled and one day it stopped all by itself.

    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • womack
    womack Posts: 566
    edited May 2021
    MattFalle said:

    This happened on N1 bike about 15 years ago.

    it rattled and rattled amd rattled and one day it stopped all by itself.

    To be honest have already put new rivnut in down tube so old one won't come out that route.

    I have some white grease which dries solidish and gloopy so I may well straw spray some down through the bolt hole and see if the remains of the nut get stuck in it.
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Yep, spray some glue down there which will grab all the bits and stop them rattling...

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