jonwvara 

I'm a cheap New Englander, so instead of buying a new plastic sleeve to go over the spindle when putting together an cup-and-cone bottom bracket (assuming it doesn't already have one), I've had success cutting a strip of material from the side of a plastic milk jug, maybe 8-9 inches long. The width is the width of the bottom bracket shell minus the length of the threaded portion of the fixed cup (you can just measure from the edge of the shell on the non-drive side to the lip of the fixed cup if it's already installed) minus the length of the adjustable cup threaded in on the non-drive side. Getting that involves test-assembling the BB without the sleeve in place, measuring how much of the fixed cup protrudes beyond the shell when it's assembled, and subtracting that from its overall length. Cut the strip to the correct width, nice and square, then roll it up into a tube and insert in the shell, pushing it in far enough so the edge of the plastic is against the lip of the fixed cup. It tries to unroll itself and that "spring pressure" holds it in place. Replace the spindle and adjustable cup, adjust, replace crankset, and you're done. Takes less time to do than it takes to tell about.
Is that a stupid way to save 5 bucks, or whatever a sleeve costs these days? I'm personally happy to have the money. Does anyone else have a home-brew approach to the same thing?

southpawboston

i like your idea. i understand how it will keep itself in place inside the BB shell by uncoiling tension, but i wonder how it will tension itself between the two cups. normally the sleeves are rubbery and designed to provide some accordion-style compression against the two cups as the left cup is threaded into place. the milk-jug plastic won't do that, and might leave a small gap between itself and one of the cups. water that drips down from the seat tube may enter the cup through that gap. and if you trim it too large, it might collapse inward as you thread the cup in place, and it may come into contact with the spindle.

i'd just fork over the few bucks for a real one. last i checked, harris cyclery had them for $2.

wrk101

I would probably use a sleeve made out of a soda bottle (16 or 20 ouncer) instead, as they are already basically the right shape. Good idea, and recycling and saving $$ makes sense.

rhm

Plus shipping. I'll make my own.

Has anyone made one tight enough to hold oil, so you can have something like an oil bath BB?

jonwvara 

That's why I measure the width, so it just fills the gap--no space, no compression. The sleeves you buy don't provide some magical high-pressure seal that excludes all moisture. Water goes downhill. Any water that makes its way down the seat tube is going to end up in the bottom of the bottom bracket shell no matter what you do. And it will evaporate the same way.

sailorbenjamin

good thinking.

SJX426 

My 72 Motobecane Le Champion did not come with a sleeve and the BB was closed. Never saw rust as a result of water pooling and the seat post is just an open ended AL tube.

sekaijin

Great thread. Good advice and here's how I followed it:


I liked this water bottle's ridged shape, because it allows for some compression to create tension between the cups.





I love BF.net C&V. Thanks for the guidance!

big chainring 

A Business card was pretty common back in the day.

Im Fixed

WD40 for moisture down the seat tub or BB opening after riding in the rain. I never use oil I tear my bike down every winter and use white grease Oil moves the dirt around dirt will stick to grease and its stable when its time to sevice your bike it wipes off and apply a new coat. Just MY 2cents

nlerner

I've had a couple of 1950s English bikes in which the BB sleeve is a piece of rolled steel.

Neal

cb400bill

I found this one in the BB of my 60's Legnano pista.

Chris_in_Miami

Cool idea Jon, thanks! For the record, I've never bought a sleeve for a bike that didn't have one, and have rarely added one to a bike that didn't have one in place.

Sekaijin - that's got to be the thickest BB shell I've ever seen, what kind of frame is that?

sekaijin

It's a 1969 Hercules.

(long after Raleigh bought Hercules - so it's basically a Raleigh Sports frame)

before:



Current WIP status:

unworthy1

I have made them from a strip of aluminum cut from any beverage can (same material as the ubiquitous handle bar shim), rolled and inserted between the cups it usually uncoils and makes a reasonable dust/grit shield. I have found that if you measure and cut exactly it will often get under the edges of the cups where it may even provide a tight enough seal against water, but wouldn't guarantee it.

jonwvara 

As the OP of this thread, I wanted to mention a follow-up thought that occurred to me not long ago: When you protect the spindle and bearings with a convention accordion-ed plastic sleeve, the opening between the seat tube and the BB shell is unobstructed, yes? That is, air has free passage into and out of the BB shell via the seat tube itself, which acts as a sort of chimney. That would seem to be useful from the standpoint of allowing any water that pools in the BB (from rain or perhaps condensation) to eventually evaporate.
But with the roll-up-a-strip-of-milk-jug (or thin aluminum, or whatever) technique, the "unrolling spring" effect presumably presses the plastic pretty tightly against the seat-tube opening in the BB shell. It's not such a good seal that it will prevent water from leaking into the BB shell--any liquid moisture that finds its way into the top of the seat tube will still end up there eventually--but one would think that it would do a pretty good job of obstructing air flow, limiting the ability of the seat tube to act as a "chimney" in allowing it to evaporate later.
This is probably a classic example of overthinking something. But I enjoy postings like this, because they always seems to flush out someone with a background in physics or engineering who can offer some [possibly] useful insight. And if not, hey, ignorant speculation (speaking of myself here) has its charms, too.
JV

SJX426 

A lot of seat posts aren't open at the top. No air flow. Even if there was, the moisture would also condense on the walls allowing for oxidation. Sealing on the other had has its diadvantages too. Using frame saver would likely prevent oxidation of the steel and with an approach having openings where possible, or at least not blocking them, you would have the best and minimize the worst.

So my sleave is a Campagnolo, has anybody seen replacements, or have they all been consumed. I like seeing the logo through the BB cut out.

randyjawa 

Great idea, but remember that there must be some place for water to get out. Generally, a hole in the bottom of the bottom bracket housing will suffice. Otherwise...

The water will just build up until it reaches the lowest level of the spindle hole in each cup. And, for those of you who have seen a half coated sleeve, half coated with rust residue, it is because there was no where for the water to go.

Just an opinion.

LeicaLad 

Or just, every so often or for down periods, pull the seat post and hang the bike upside down.

Leaving the path obstructed but airway clear makes most sense.

Thanks.

Over thinking? You betcha.

jonwvara 

I agree that a drain hole or holes is a good idea. I used to have a Nishiki Prestige with cable guides under the bottom bracket that were formed in such a way that they formed a couple of small drain holes. In a frame that doesn't have them, it's probably a good idea to add them, theoretically. But when I try to picture myself taking an electric drill and a 1/8" bit to the underside of my pristine 1970 Raleigh International (I don't actually own a Raleigh International, but you know what I mean) I don't believe I could do it. Are others here more courageous than I am?