Talewinds

I recently built up this Pinarello


(Yes, that was a shameless plug)

I had read a couple of places that because of the nature of the Italian bottom bracket design, both sides of the BB are righty-tighty, the drive side cup can unscrew while riding. And I'll be damned they were right! I took the bike for it's first real ride last Saturday on 36 miles of rolling Missouri countryside. We were at the turn around point 18 miles into the ride and I had noticed that the BB on the drive side looked to be backed out not quite 1mm. At this point I wasn't too worried about it but I was going to watch it the entire way back. The return trip included a lot of climbing and I cranked heavily on the pedals during a lot of it. By the time I got back the BB had backed out 4mm!!! It was backed out so far that the bike would no longer shift into the big ring as the front derailleur could no longer reach it. Admitadely, I should have called it quits earlier but what the hell. When I got back home I disassembled the works and found that I could unscrew the BB cup with my fingers, and all of this occured even though there was a healthy dose of blue locktite applied to the threads of the BB from the factory.
My solution was to go to the local Autozone and pick up some high strength red Locktite and coat both sides of the BB with it, screw it back in and wait the recommended 24 hours for it to cure. I've put another 20 miles on it since the repair and I don't see any loosening yet.
So, I guess the moral of the story is that yes indeed, an Italian BB can unscrew itself during use.

mrkott3r

I would put up with that for a bike that looks that hot.

jeff_o

i had the same problem before with english threads... for years the cup tends to rotate a little... what i did was to buy PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), aka teflon, the white tape that seals pipe fittings. Try it it's effective.

DonPenguino

Pinarello still does Italian threads??? What other manufacturers do? It just seems so damn unintelligent for the sake of not admitting someone else is correct.

531Aussie

I've had 2 Italian BBs without any problems, including one on the Cinelli I still ride. I just use grease, and do them up VERY tight. I mark the BB with a dab of tuoch-up paint so I can see if it's moving, and it hasn't in a year. I've had both alu (Dura-Ace 10sp) and steel (9s Ultegra) cups in there without a problem.

What type of BB is in there?

I was told on here that cartridge BBs shouldn't be a problem, because, unlike the old style BB, the balls don't rotate on the same part (the cup, obviously) that's screwed into the frame.

I found the quote I was looking for:

Proximo

Better hope you don't have to remove that BB down the road. Red loctite needs ~400F to break the glue bond. Hand tools won't do it.

531Aussie

a lot of people swear by the teflon tape, but i've seen a couple of tefloned BBs stuck in frames......but only 2

EdZ

This is what I thought also. Your not getting that bottom bracket out again without a torch.

plobby

Teflon is the way to go, loctite is going to be a ***** to get off/out when you need to, especially red loctite.

Nice bike btw

jbhowat

How long did you give the blue Loc-Tite to set up? I'm pretty sure it can take 24+ hours to be fully "locked".

Also, using red loc-tite was a ******** thing to do to your bike. Have fun with that.

slide13

Glad you got it fixed, but red Loctite??? In a couple years when that BB wears out you are going to have a definite challenge on your hands with that one.

brunning

word. i winced a little bit when i saw "red loctite".

i've owned two pinarellos and have always had good luck with using a little bit of blue loctite (usually applying to the outside half of the threads, if that makes sense) on the non-drive side cup only.

it never comes unscrewed and it's easy enough to remove.

red loctite. ouch.

Talewinds

I guess I don't understand the problem with red Locktite... I haven't had problems removing it in the past??? Drink your milk.

Proximo

Perhaps the threads were still greased when you used that red loctite and it didn't adhere properly. Read up on loctite: the high strength red stuff is designed to be *permanent*. The blue stuff is designed to be strong but removable with hand tools. You can break the red stuff down but you have to use high heat to do it, usually with a torch. Good luck saving your paint.

On the chance the red loctite hasn't set up yet, or grease has kept it from adhering fully, I'd pull that bottom bracket off ASAP, clean it out, and then use the blue stuff.

Reynolds 

I've never had problems with Italian BBs on steel frames - no experience in Al. Grease the threads and remember that the right side cup must be tightened real hard with a proper tool, not just a crescent wrench.

Talewinds

You know, I posted this thread to be informational for everyone else, not to solicite opinions about the use of red loctite. I don't know why I listened to some of you hacks, I guess free advice really is worth what you paid for it, squat (insert sarcasm here)
So after today's ride I took the bike back downstairs and took off the cranks and guess what??? the BB comes out just fine with an 11" ratchet and a Park Tool BB socket even after a week of curing!
So, here's some info on the red loctite I used:
Listed as "high strength"
"May require hand tools for removal"
"200 in-lbs required for removal"

I guess the stuff you folks were referring to was the permanant kind?

rapidcarbon

have 3 bikes (al, carbon and steel) with Italian BB and never have any problem with them after thousands of miles. So I guess if the we install BB correctly, we won't have that BB problem at all.

Proximo

I'd say pointing out the dangers of using red loctite is informational. If you look on the label, there's a three digit number. That's what determines whether is is permanent strength or removable strength.

https://www.loctite.com/int_henkel/lo...id=19&layout=3

fmw

The problem was simply that the bottom bracket wasn't tight enough. You don't need locktite. You need a torque wrench. BB's need to be tight.

Disco Stu

i agree. Some people don't realize just how tight a BB should be, and some people just aren't strong enough!!

ultraman6970

I agree with Disco Stu... I have 2 frames with italian BBand not problems ever. Teflon and good Tools.. thats all...

Ultraman