Originally Posted by
Torchy McFlux
A Canadian Raleigh will not have an Italian bottom bracket. It's likely an English with a shell either slightly wider than 68mm, or 73mm (though this was more common on mountain bikes). Are the cups marked with "36 x 24" or "1.370 x 24"? Are you sure the old spindle is marked "5T" and not "3T"?
118mm symmetrical cartridge bottom brackets are very common, cheap, and easy to find. You're better off installing one of these than trying to find a vintage spindle on its own.
The thing is that a few years ago I updated from a cottered crank to a cotterless one with a crankset that I got from an old Raleigh princess that I got from the tip. That's the one that is a 5T. The cup and cone pieces are original, but it wasn't until I replaced the front derailleur that I realised that the spindle was wrong. The BB is measured at 70mm, so therefore from my understanding needs a spindle with a 55mm centre. I haven't found a symmetrical 55mm one easy to find. The only identifying marks that I can find on the visible parts of the cup and cone are the letters that look like 'boris' on the lockring.
Cheers,
P.