Campy/Shimano Cross Compatability
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Campy/Shimano Cross Compatability
So i know that very few of the Campagnolo and Shimano parts are compatible with each other, but i was wondering if you could just swap out the crankset? If the bottom bracket is old (just the square kind, not octalink or BB30 or something like that) Can i throw on a campy crank and have it work fine with an old shimano group (deralleurs and STI shifters, BB 600/rsx mix).
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There are two smnilar square taper bottom bracket designs, ISO and JIS. Campy and a few European makers use ISO and Shimano and nearly everyone else uses JIS. They are not directly interchangable as the ISO is slightly smaller across the flats at the end then JIS. Sometimes the tolerance stack lets you use them interchangably but it's not reliable. As a general rule, match the bb to the crank.
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MAYBE you can get away with no problems but it's by no means certain. JIS and ISO tapers are similar but not identical. Sometimes the tolerances add up so an ISO crank goes far enough up a JIS taper to be properly secure but not always.
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First you need to know the recommended spindle length for the crankset you want to use and the spindle length for the BB you currently have installed. If they are close, you may be able to fudge it all together, but it's way better to get a BB to match the crankset and do it right. There's usually a reasonably priced BB available.
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Yes, u can get away with it. Probably will last years working fine. The OP asked if it was a problem to make them to work together... no, he can use the stuff mixed w/o any problem BUT as i stated before he needs to check out the length of that bb axle. Because the crank will be off a few millimeters of the chain line for sure.
This is a thing of semantic... can u do it? yes, u can... it is not recommendable?? No it is not (in the long term).
But how many people is using sugino cranks with shimano BBs? I bet there are a few guys using that combination w/o even knowing that the sugino craks are ISO and not JIS. In a matter of fact i met a guy that didn't know and now after 5 years delivering stuff in DC he finds out that he has the wrong stuff working together. His cranks are ok so far no even marks of possible problems in a near future.
I have seen the weirdest combination's of stuff working together when u have no money or you don't have where to get the stuff in your area or country. U have to improvise... I mentioned the problem the OP will have... "the chain line will be off". Campagnolo cranks can work fine in jis... that after 20 years might get a crack that's another tale. Differences are so minimal that is just like putting a shimano wheel in a campagnolo drive train... yes it will work but you will lose maybe 2 gears. so whats the big deal! all the drive train will fail for using it like that? nah... it is not recommended because u'll lose a few gears?? yes, i give you that but when no money comes around u become creative. On the other side...that a manufacturer say something doesn't mean it can't be done, why? liability maybe?
Another sure example is to use shimano cables in a campagnolo drive train...
At least italians do not say explicitly to get only their stuff or it wont work.
Cya
This is a thing of semantic... can u do it? yes, u can... it is not recommendable?? No it is not (in the long term).
But how many people is using sugino cranks with shimano BBs? I bet there are a few guys using that combination w/o even knowing that the sugino craks are ISO and not JIS. In a matter of fact i met a guy that didn't know and now after 5 years delivering stuff in DC he finds out that he has the wrong stuff working together. His cranks are ok so far no even marks of possible problems in a near future.
I have seen the weirdest combination's of stuff working together when u have no money or you don't have where to get the stuff in your area or country. U have to improvise... I mentioned the problem the OP will have... "the chain line will be off". Campagnolo cranks can work fine in jis... that after 20 years might get a crack that's another tale. Differences are so minimal that is just like putting a shimano wheel in a campagnolo drive train... yes it will work but you will lose maybe 2 gears. so whats the big deal! all the drive train will fail for using it like that? nah... it is not recommended because u'll lose a few gears?? yes, i give you that but when no money comes around u become creative. On the other side...that a manufacturer say something doesn't mean it can't be done, why? liability maybe?
Another sure example is to use shimano cables in a campagnolo drive train...
At least italians do not say explicitly to get only their stuff or it wont work.
Cya
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