killsurfcity

i bent a pair of pin spanners pretty bad trying to get it unstuck. what else could i do?

sydney

Pin spanners?? What BB is it, and Edco or somethng like it with a lockring on each side and holes in each cup for the pin spanner?

killsurfcity

it's a 3 piece. square taper. it has a fixed cup on one side, with two flats for wrenching. on the other side there is a lockring and a cup. the cup should be adjustable via the pin spanners, but it won't budge.

killsurfcity

anyone home? please help!!!

killsurfcity

anyone home? please help!!!

Retro Grouch 

Stuck bottom brackets can require the use of your full vocabulary to get loose. In extreme cases it might even be necessary to enlist for a hitch in the Navy just to learn enough of the right words. Ask for destroyer duty, you won't learn the words that you need on some fancy pants carrier.

1. The first thing is to be sure that you are turning it the correct way. The non-drive side needs to go CCW to loosen.
2. Since your pin spanner is already toast, dremel a radial slot near the outer circumference of the cup. Brace your oldest crummy screwdriver into the slot and try to hammer it in the correct dierction.
3. In a pinch you can give it a hit with a propane torch, but be careful not to ruin the paint.
4. Once you get the adjustable cup out you'll find out why the drive side is called the fixed cup.
5. Take out the spindle and bearings and thread a hacksaw blade through the hole. One or two cuts and it'll come right out.

sydney

Or before resorting to #5, try a monkey wrench on it.

cascade168

If I am reading your post correctly, you are trying to loosen the adjustable cup before the lock ring. You must loosen the lock ring first. Or, is your problem that you have removed the lock ring already and the adjustable cup is just frozen?

If you have removed the lock ring and the adjustable cup is still frozen there are a few things you can try.
First, squirt some PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench into the threads. Tapping the part with hammer will help the penetrating oil to work better. Let it set overnight. Spray some more in the threads and tap it again. Now try to use your pin spanner. BTW, there are different kinds of pin spanners and you may find that you need a tool more rigid than what you have. You can try angling a pin punch into the holes on the adjustable cup and giving it some whacks, but that will likely be the end of your adjustable cup. That's not a big deal, as these can be had for <$10. Most people will replace that BB with a cartridge type these days. It makes good sense. If you really get desperate you can take a heat gun and heat up the BB tube (to make it expand) and then try to remove the cup. This may ruin your paint job ;-( Before I'd try that, I'd take it to the LBS where they likely have the big, honkin', manly BB tools and can get it right out. Oh, if your adjustable cup is stuck, your fixed cup is probably really stuck, so be sure and hit it with the penetrating oil while you are at it. Good luck.

killsurfcity

thanks for all the help. i have removed the lockring, and it is the sdjustable cup that is frozen. i will try the liquid wrench option and post my results. ironically enough the fixed cup was fairly easy to unscrew

andy_is_me

try this, go half way down the page to the nut/washers/bolt gadget. it worked for me after the lame fools at the bike shop had given up.

San Rensho 

As you are facing the cup, identify one of the holes for the pin tool on the left hand side of the cup tha is in approximately at the 9 o'clock position, put a center punch in that hole and angle the center punch towards the vertical (upwards). Smack the center punch with a hammer.

killsurfcity

that would be the fixed cup... i don't have a problem with that. yet.

killsurfcity

not a bad idea, maybe i'll give that a try.

askrom

Since I was a kid, this has always been the only way I've ever removed a BB cup. Metal rod + hammer + tangential smacking = rotating cup.

Grand Bois

I use a very thin drift punch and tap lightly with a hammer.

cascade168

This is exact what I suggested in post #8, but apparently a lot of people don't bother to read the previous posts. Oh, well.

killsurfcity

i tried the hammer to centerpunch to pinhole and got nowhere so far. but i am still planning on getting some liquid wrench and trying again. will post results.

Grand Bois

I read your post. "Whacking" and tapping lightly are not the same thing.