Bicycle Mechanics - Stuck Bottom Bracket

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azwhelan
04-17-06, 11:13 PM
I've seen this dilema posted here a couple of times but it seemed that they were working on much older bikes. I have a 2004 bike in Arizona so it isn't very old and we don't get a lot of wet weather, I don't ride in it anyway. In fact the only time it is around water is to wash it. So are BB generally hard to take off and I just need a bigger wrench? And just to confirm, to loosen it is clockwise on the driveside and counter clockwise on the nondrive side, right?

nodnerb
04-18-06, 06:26 AM
Actually, I think you have your directions mixed up. I think it's counter clockwise on the drive side to loosen, and clockwise on the non drive side.
mactheknife68
04-18-06, 06:36 AM
Actually, I think you have your directions mixed up. I think it's counter clockwise on the drive side to loosen, and clockwise on the non drive side.

Actually, he had it right. English-threaded BBs tighten to the rear of the bike so he was correct that they loosen CW on drive side, CCW on non-drive. PEDALS, now, thread in the manner you describe.Some Italian BBs have RH threads on the drive side but I think he'd know if he had sucuh exotica.

tlupfer
04-18-06, 07:22 AM
sometimes the robots that build most modern bikes get a little overzealous with torque and a bit underzealous with lubrication. use a bigger wrench.
64deville
04-18-06, 08:01 AM
I always remember it like this, loosening the BB is always (99% of the time anyway) the way you pedal. So turn the wrench toward the front of the bike, drive and non drive side. We have a huge Crescent wrench for some of the stuck BB's we deal with. It hasn't failed yet.
HillRider
04-18-06, 08:39 AM
I use a 15" adjustable wrench and clamp the bb tool FIRMLY in place with an M8 x 1 mm bolt for square taper spindles and the qr skewer for Octalink or ISIS spindles. It's best to leave the wheels on the bike so it can be placed on the floor while you apply the huge torque needed to remove or replace the bb cups. Some times I even have to rap on the wrench handle with a rubber mallet to get the threads loose.

As noted English threaded (that is most) bottom brackets loosen clockwise on the drive side and counter-clockwise on the non-drive side.