'84 Peugeot Stronglight bottom bracket service
 

yes, I did search, but didn't find exactly what i was looking for. Basically, I want to break down & inspect/re-lube the bottom bracket on my PSV10. Reading here, it sounds like the BB is english threading. Don't know if the stronglight crank arms have their own unique French threading/pitch. Can anyone easily enlighten me as to what tools I should need to do this? (anything special?) Thanks in advance.

Starting around 79, Peugeot/Stronglight cranks switched to the more standard 22mm crank puller, so you likely need nothing exotic. If you do need a SL specific cranks puller (23.35mm) the standard one won't even engage the crank threads, so You'll know purty quick...

84 is right around the switch from swiss to english BB threading. I've never precisely nailed it down however...

so, basically, chances are a common 22mm puller (glad to hear '79, 'cause this will be good news for my '82 Peugeot too!) and the 'whip'/'spanner' of my choosing should be all I need to have.

(again, sorry for dumb questions. I'm realizing how well I have gotten away for the last 25 or so years *not* having bike-specific tools of my own, but generally borrowing or improvising to get things done...which is weird to me because during the same time I have expanded my tool collection for car repair to include pretty much everything I would ever need from electrical to body repair, so it feels weird to *not* have whatever I may need right there in the big red box....but it's fun to learn new stuff too, so it's all good).

The "mechanics" Forum has guys who can give detailed advise on stuff like this.

Unfortunately, some of them don't know what they're talking about.

well, probably both good points there, but having to order the tools anyway (as opposed to just going to my tool box), I figured folks here would be most likely to know what that particular vintage & make of bike ought to call for.

Typically you'll need an allen wrench to remove the dustcap, a wrench to get the bolts out, a puller to get the crankarms off, a hooked bb tool to remove the lockring, and a pin wrench to remove the adjustable cup. You leave the fixed cup in unless painting the frame. Though in theory all cranks are the same, each brand may require a slightly different tool to fit.

Remove the adjustable cup and lockring, remove the spindle and bearings from both sides. Clean in your favorite solution; I've always used mineral spirits. Wipe out the bb shell and fixed cup as well.

After the parts have dried reassemble with clean white grease; I've always bought mine at the auto parts store; a 3 dollar tub will last for years. Bearings might be loose or caged, doesn't really matter either way.

Adjust adjustable cup and lockring so there is no horizontal play at the spindle but it still turns freely. Make sure the longer side of the spindle is out the fixed side for the crank.

You can put a rag on one side of the spindle and work it back and forth like shining a shoe to seat the bearings and spread the grease. Check adjustment and readjust if required. Good for another few thousand miles!

my 84 psvn has a swiss BB....

Ain't nothing dumb about a question of this sort. IME, if the old Stronglight (SL) crank says "Peugeot" it always takes a standard puller. Sometimes the SL BB adjustable cups require a wrench type spanner as opposed to the pin type spanner; you can tell by looking. They do on both my 79s, not sure about later.

Mechanics is an okay place to ask, but this is far better place for old Frenchies, as we're not intimidated or dismissive of them.

thanks very much. this one was in many ways an acquisition of convenience (though I'm not really intimidated by much, plus being half French myself, why not carry the flag!), but I'm rapidly becoming a fan of the bike for a variety of reasons.

btw, in case anyone's logging database info on Peugeot mechanicals, it looks like a large (thin) open end wrench is what will turn the adjusting cup on mine.

ive got a 85 peugeot an looking to upgrade the chainset and bottom bracket to something newer, does anyone have any suggestion bearing in mind im on a budget

A sealed cartridge BB and a generic Japanese crankset should do the trick .

Assuming it's British/BSA threading a BB will set you back $15 and a crankset no more than $20.

As a side note the mid 80's Peugeots fall into the purgatory of threading. Not always British (heaven) and not always hell (French/Swiss).

My Gf's 84 psv10 also has a swiss bb. The swiss bb can be identified by the groove on the fixed cup.

According to Sutherlands, the fixed cup on 8-sided fixed cups have one groove (or ring) for French, but NO grooves (rings) for Swiss.
Sutherlands also say that the adjustable cup for French is 6-sided and has no rings...presumedly that's the same for Swiss, it's also the same for British adj. cups, but the FR lockring has 6 notches while the BSC has 4 or 8.
confused yet?

Mine too....aren't we soooo lucky!:thumb::D:rolleyes:

One day.....I will finally spring for that beautiful Phil Wood BB with the Swiss threaded rings.....one day....I've been telling this to myself since the mid 80's!:p....Phil's gone now, maybe I (we?) should do it asap!

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7

I suppose there're exceptions to every rule. This is the Swiss threaded cup from my old PH12. Swiss identifiers would be the circumference ring or a gold/yellow coloring to the cup. If your lucky they'll be stamped 35X1 and the boc will say 'Swiss'. (I found a NOS set at my LBS).

http://cyclespeugeot.com/images/swiss_cup.JPG

that's very exceptional, cause Sutherlands says that that SL fixed cup (with 2 flats) is used only in Italian BB, and it would have one ring...in any case it's sure nice when they are clearly marked with threading numbers and country.

I published a feature article in MY "TEN SPEEDS regarding How To Rebuild a Vintage Bottom Bracket.

Hope this is a help.

And if that turns out to be the case, there are threadless cartridge bottom brackets from e.g. Velo-Orange, YST, etc. that would work and not break the bank.

JDT, this has got to be some sort of experiment - you opening a zombie thread for no apparent reason.