Originally Posted by
jj1091
Cool deal on the rebuild start, I know you've been waiting with anticipation. I learned the hard way about the caged bearings. Out riding and started hearing a grinding noise from my rear wheel. Rode gently back to the car, and upon getting it disassembled back at the house, found that I'd put the caged bearing in backwards. Didn't really harm the raceways, but the bearing cage had broken in two. Now, I don't even think about needing the cages, just do what you're doing and take the bearings out and add a couple extra ones. Much smoother and no chance of damage. Kind of hard to get a round bearing in backwards.
I've had a few with the plastic inner sleeve, the only one I kept was on an old Raleigh tourer that had internal wiring for the dynamo rear light, which routed through the downtube, then into and through the BB, then into the lower rear stay to the dropout. The plastic BB sleeve kept the wire from being rubbed on by the BB spindle as the wire passed through the frame. I don't really know what use the plastic sleeve is, seems just to be an extra thing I don't want to worry about.
The BB fixed cup thing made me have to go out and get a new adjustable wrench, since the LBS wanted $10 to do it, and the wrench large enough for that cup was only $12. For the spanner wrench on the left side lock ring, I just hand tighten it, then put an old leather belt around it and tighten the ring with some large vise-grips. The leather grips the ring teeth and keeps the wrench from scoring up the lock ring. But then, I'm sorta cheap that way. The lock ring doesn't need much torque, and I've never had one loosen up on me with my old-belt-protector-tool.
As far as photos, just zoom in on the thousands of photos here and you'll see the precise setups needed. Most of these guys know what they're doing. I used their photos to tell me how to set my bars pointing towards the rear derailleur, how to wrap bar tape, all sorts of stuff.
Also, about the other reply on your paint drying-time. Good advice. Sure, you can assemble everything presently, but I'd definitely wait for decals and graphics for a week after the paint was applied. Have fun.
Go make some coffee 'cause you know you won't sleep till you're done....
Lots of great responses, but this one was exceptional. Thanks. If I wasn't so addicted to purchasing shiny new tools, I'd go the leather belt route. :-)
Can't remember where I read it but somewhere is the suggestion that, if you're going to ditch the caged bearings for loose bearings, you'll go from 9 to 11 bearings on each side, and that those bearings should be the
larger 1/4" size. No? yes? no?
The new paint is apparently powder-coat with a final clear coat. In any case I'll wait a week or two before applying the Velocals. Plenty of other work to do. The frame is at the LBS now, getting the headset cups pressed back in.
And you're right, these projects do have a way of consuming your idle time. Which is why I started this project. Thanks again. DB