Originally Posted by
IAmSam
Well I am behind my planned schedule but maybe its better I didn't rush my project...since in some of the last few posts we got onto Phil Wood's factory bottom bracket installation instructions - please allow me to personalize my earlier BB question a bit as that is what I just installed on my bike and it is those very instructions that brought it about.
I've always done it before anyway, and considering they say to do it - I'm going to put a light grease coating on my tapers.
Now onto my next dilemma(s)...
Out of curiosity - is anybody here actually running a Phil's BB? Due to its few mm adjustabiliy -their cup/cartridge interface is different from all the other square taper BBs I have used before, so I have a couple questions...
1) I've never used thread lock when I intalled the cups in my previous bottom brackets. In fact, I greased the threads some and cranked them in. Even so, I had a helluva time breaking my old BB loose on this bike. Phil is telling me that it is a must to use their included blue thread lock but I don't want to - is anybody here with any Phil Woods bottom bracket experience going to tell me it will assplode, if I don't?
2) I don't own a torque wrench but that has never been a problem before since I am not a hamfist. Like I said earlier - this BB has a different cup/cartridge interface than I am used to so I am having trouble deciding whether to leave it a tiny bit looser to make it freer-spinning or tighten it a little more for "safety", which gives it some "sealed bearing resistance." Can I get any educated comments here on what to do about this?
Sorry for TL;DR and TIA for any help...
I've been using one for about two years now.
1)Blue Loctite is required. It prevents the cups from loosening and simultaneously acts as anti-seize compound. I hold the cup vertically and put a few drops on top and let them bleed down into all of the threads. Make sure the threads in your frame are thoroughly clean and grease-free.
2) Phil Wood's official instructions say to torque the the cups to 40 N-m. I don't know how they arrived at this figure, as I actually destroyed the bearings in mine doing this when installing it for the first time in my Steamroller. Here's what I do: Once you figure out where you want the cartridge located laterally in the frame simply tighten the cups and you'll feel the bearings is seating into the cups and then they'll 'stop' once fully seated. Turn the spindle with your hand, it should spin just like it did before installing. If it's draggy at all, back off one side a smidge. IMO, the cups should only be tight enough to ensure there is no play (just like a hub bearing), then let the Loctite take it from there. Just be sure to let the Loctite set for 12 hours before riding.
I pulled mine out after 3,000 miles of silent operation to check it's condition after cyclocross season and it was still good-to-go. I have two Phil BB's right now (one is waiting for a new frame) and they both work perfectly when installed this way. Also, having two installation tools is highly recommended.