mrkano

Stripped my vintage Raleigh Magnum today in the hope to re grease all the bearings and respray the frame etc.

The bottom bracket bearings didn't seem to have a case and they dropped everywhere. Does anyone know where I can just buy the bearings in a case.

Or what is the way to get these back in??? Surly they are not loose, would be impossible to get them back in???

Thanks in advance.

DOS

They could have been loose. Just grease up the cups, then stick balls in one at a time, using grease to hold them in place until you get the BB reassembled.

fietsbob

Balls are common 1/4" , buy a bag of new ones
You pack the cup with fresh grease after you clean them up.
then the loose balls stick in the new grease fine..

I like Boat trailer wheel bearing grease myself.. Tub is cheap
given I'm still using the same tub 20 years later

Balls get discarded with every overhaul in the Shop

same ball size in the rear hub too ..

Even if there are retainers , you can replace just the balls there..

mrkano

Thanks for the advice. Yeah will pack them with grease and see if I can get it all back in...

Have you guys ever used OXALIC ACID????

I plan to stick all my metal parts in a bath of that stuff to get it all nice and clean and rust free...

Any advice with that stuff other than to be very careful with it..

dedhed

Search In the classic & vintage forum - plenty on oxalic acid.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ht=oxalic+acid

mrkano

Is there a way to get and keep these bearings in??? I know you said grease but seems like they would fall out when you screw it in....**********

DOS

Install the fixed cup without bearings with a good amount of grease. Then, reaching through the the shell, stick the bearings in the fixed cup. Then, slide spindle in so spindle will hold bearings in place. Then, grease up the adjustable cup and stick in bearings. Carefully screw in adjutable cup.

social suicide

Step 1. Empty your 401K, 403B, and wife's stash.
Step 2. Phil Wood BB and Phil Wood 26tpi rings. Expensive crankset & chainrings
Step 3. Ride like hell away from angry wife.

DannoXYZ 

I like the blue boat-trailer bearing-grease as well. It has high tackiness and pulls itself back after being pushed aside by a rolling bearing. Better long-term durability than simple auto grease.

You can use oxalic acid to remove rust, but keep in mind that it eats perfectly good metal just as quickly as rust. There are other rust-removers that work better because they stop eating once the rust is removed, leaving good metal alone. This can be important on critical old parts that needs to preserve as much metal as possible.

And wear rubber-gloves. The stuff forms oxalates which binds with the iron in your blood and is as deadly as cyanide.

3alarmer 

If all you are doing is servicing your BB, oxalic acid
is overkill unless this has been sitting outside in the
rain for a number of years. Even then, BB is usually
(but not always) pretty rust resistant.

Have you considered using something a little less
hazardous like citrus degreaser, mineral spirits,
kerosene, or diesel ?

fietsbob

I was much younger then.. no that was Lycergic ..