Ed.

So I'm putting the bottom bracket back together on my Stonglight fitted Raleigh Pro. How many balls/side??? Color me confused. Loose balls, no retainer.

Kactus

Caged bearings make it so much easier. Then you just need to remember to install then.

oddjob2

Eleven .25s in the BB
Nine .25s in the rear hub
Ten 3/16's in the front hub

JTTDF

Here's a link to an old thread same topic - https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...m-bracket.html

There are active links to Sutherland's Handbook that can be found with Google. I don't know what the copyright status is, so won't post one myself.

bikemig 

Most caged bearings take 9 for the BB. You're better going with loose BBs as you spread the wear and tear over more ball bearings. They do make cages with 11 (campy made them, so did sun tour. and no doubt so did other companies). I still have a stash of them somewhere but finding them would require me to deal with that, hmm, getting old and failing memory stuff,

nlerner

I recently repacked a Stronglight BB--11 per side, iirc.

JTTDF

^^Oops. Once again I'm a day late and a dollar short!

repechage

Well, you do need to face them the correct way.
Like spinal tap, 11 is the number.

Ed.

So here's the thing. I collected all the balls, and tossed everything into the US cleaner, and never bothered to count them as 'everyone' knows there's 11 to a side. After fitting the fixed cup, I loaded it up with grease, counted out 11 balls and deposited them into the bottom bracket. Using the BB spindle I pushed them all into position as one does. I shined a light in there to be certain I'd not missed any. Then I greased up the adjustable cup, counted out 11 balls, and discovered, to my confusion, there were two balls left. I recounted in the adjustable cup. 11. I tried a 12th - not happening, of course. I took the spindle out and counted the balls in the fixed cup. 11.

If there were a 'trouble maker' in the house I'd guess that said person tossed in some extras for a little amusement, but there is no 'troublemaker' in the house... Not knowing what else to do with the two extras I just tossed them in the bottom bracket as 'spares', which, no doubt, will confuse the next person more than it did me.

Ed.

PS: Thanks all y'all for chiming in.

FBinNY 

I gave up remembering those kinds of details decades ago. Just too much nonsense when you can simply remember the rule. Fill race, so there's a gap of roughly 1/2 ball left over, or a small gap between each ball.

Place the cup on a table and stand the spindle in the middle to close the hole. Fill with balls in a circle. Pick up the spindle and let the cone drop into position. Spin with your fingers and note how the balls space. If you think there's room, try one more ball, and see if they still space evenly. If you add an extra ball, it'll be obvious because the balls will be jammed against each other, or in worse cases won't even lay flat.

Why try to remember when you can know for sure by checking. (this works for all the bearings on a bike).

rootboy 

So...let me see, Ed. You've still got two balls after all of this tribulation.

That's normal, man!

bikingshearer 

Because being anal-compulsive/OCD/Sheldon Cooper-esque about such things is to be honored and celebrated. Duh!

pastorbobnlnh 

...and how many 1/8th BBs in a freewheel?

oddjob2

Why do some forum gurus post questions only they know the answer too? It would be like Alex Trebek is the MC and the Contestant!

FBinNY 

As many as fit, +0 -1. Applies to all brands and models.

Kactus

Dang! Now I have something else to worry about.

eschlwc

maybe this is a dumb question, but, if you know the bb size (0.25" for bbs), isn't the loose ball count simple to find through a quick trial without grease?

is there ever a time when you would use one ball less in a hub (for example), even though one additional one would fit perfectly?

headsets are a little trickier due to the much smaller bearing size. pedals are simple to figure out, 'cause the cups are so small.

in my trial example, you just fill the adjustable cup with balls and, while holding in the hand, put the spindle to it and spin.

eschlwc

"but these go to eleven."

FBinNY 

If you weren't the last person to work on this, the extra balls might have been in the BB, but not in the bearing. Sometimes people screw up and drop a ball, or maybe overload the pack, then dislodge the extra ball, which ends up "glued" to either the spindle, or inside the BB shell, but between the bearings, and sits there until some sucker dumps the contents into his solvent wash and is now screwed up by the extra balls.

BTW- cartridge BBs and BB shell liners ended this practice, but BITD the trouble makers among us would coat a ball or two is stiff grease and toss them down the seat tube. It was a variation or the ball in the top tube gag.

Ed.

Oh, but it was I. No question. So I did the same thing, tossed 'em in the BB just to drive some future person CRAZY!

zazenzach

Thanks Captain hindsight!

Henry III

Maybe the previous owner left a few extra I case some went bad. Kind of like a spoke holder on the chain stay but with bearings in the shell. I dunno I wanted to post something tonight. Lol

zandoval 

Ha - That's funny... Did you check under the bed?