Originally Posted by
zwickerz
So I recently got a really cheap Peugeot uo8, and in hopes of getting it running again I discovered much of it was extremely rusted and much of the parts needed to be replaced. I have some square tapered cranks and was looking at just getting a new BB, but as it turns out French bb's don't come around often. The only new option I found was from VeloOrange, and used ebay options are even more expensive. I was wondering if anyone has removed a spindle from a used (Or new) bb and placed it in french bb cups? I feel like this could be an option but I have never done it and can't seem to find anyone who has. Thanks in advance!
...yes, I have done this. It was much more of a practical option when everything was cup and cone BB, so there were a bunch of various spindles hanging around in the used parts stream. Unless you can find a co-op nearby that has a box or bin of them, it's just easier, faster, and a better option to spend the 40 bucks on the Velo Orange cartridge BB. You're probably gonna spend more than that on a used or new decent square taper crank anyway. Buy the new crank first, so you'll know which length spindle you require for that crank...they vary.
Originally Posted by
zwickerz
I do know of its entry levelness and is why I bought it (along with the low price for my area). The fact that there are so many available means I have no fears if I do manage to somehow destroy it. As for the spindle and the cups, they are okay actually, its the crank with a bent cotter loged in one side thats the problem. I manage to get the adjustable cup off easily and am await the the delivery of the hcw-4 parktool to the remove the fixed cup. I coud've just went out and bought a bigger wrench but I wanted the proper tool for future issues. Ill be sure to bring it by my local re-cycle store and Ill update the post with pictures as I work on the bike and get it riding again.
...the wrench in and of itself is not gonna get the fixed cup out of a Peugeot that old. If it does, it will just be blind luck. .. happens about once in 50 times on a bike that old where the fixed cup has been rarely or never pulled. There're a couple of threads on fixed cup removal, and there might even be something remaining in the tips and tricks thread that shows you how to use a long bolt and some fender washers to hold the wrench on the cup flats so you can hit it with a hammer or a dead blow hammer. You probably already know that with French standards, both sides are Right hand threads. So hit it in the proper direction after applying some penetrating oil to the thread interfaces.
You remove a bent or stuck cotter by drilling. It's relatively soft steel. So if you want to re-use the cottered crank, drilling out that cotter and replacing both of them with new ones of the proper taper after cleaning and re-lubricating the bearings is probably your cheapest and most workable option. The bonus is you don't have to remove the fixed cup, which is always a blessing.
RH threaded fixed cups are usually stuck in there pretty solidly. Otherwise, they have a tendency to back out in use. You need a press if you are gonna hang onto a bike with cottered cranks. Either that or find someone who does...you can usually get by for 5-6 years in between service intervals on them, sometimes longer depending on use and conditions.