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Bicycle Mechanics - Loose Ball Bottom Bracket...

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thenewb

11-04-06, 10:10 AM

forensicchemist

11-04-06, 10:13 AM

Wino Ryder

11-04-06, 10:25 AM

try putting a little grease where the bearings rest....then push each ball into the grease...they should "stay put", allowing you to put everything back together......

patience and a steady hands helps too....

mark

+1

Just like Mark said, a good waterproof bearing grease will hold your balls (lol) good, allowing you to assemble the bearings. I use Phil Woods waterproof bearing grease. (green grease)

bykerouac

11-04-06, 10:41 AM

I agree with the use of grease, but use more than a little. A liberal amount of grease will keep those pesky bearings in place. :)

Sheldon Brown

11-04-06, 10:47 AM

getting it apart to re-pack it was easy enough. now getting it back together is really turning into a chore.
i dont know how to get the bearings to stay put so i can get the spindle back in. and when i occasionally get
one side, getting the opposite side together is just impossible. the bearings just fall out before i can get it together.

can anyone help with some advice and helpful methods?
Yep. There's a trick to it:

•Lay the frame on its right side, grease the fixed cup and drop the 11 1/4" balls in the fixed cup.

•Grease the adjustable cup and install the balls in it.

•Stick the spindle into the adjustable cup so it engages the balls.

•Turn the adjustable cup/spindle assembly over, holding it by the spindle. As long as you don't let the spindle drop down out of the cup, the balls will stay in place.

•Reach under the frame with one hand and poke a finger into the hole in the fixed cup, up into the bottom bracket. Lower he spindle into the BB so that the end of it is supported by that finger.

•Gradually lower the spindle without allowing it to lose contact with the adjustable cup.

•Screw the adjustable cup into the bottom bracket shell.

See also: http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

and: http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbadj.html

Sheldon "Those Were The Days" Brown

+------------------------------------------------------+
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| it was because I stood on the shoulders of giants. |
| -- Sir Isaac Newton |
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