Originally Posted by
3alarmer
...there's an entire section in the 4th edition of Sutherland's Manual on interchangeability and fit for various cups and spindles. Unfortunately no one has a 4th edition any more, and those that do usually can't access an endless stream of cups and spindles, so it tends to be of limited use any more. I'm uncertain why a person here would tell you that the fixed cup needs to come out unless you plan on replacing it with something else like a sealed unit or a different cup. It's a whole lot of work for a perceived benefit of little or negative value if you can't reinstall it tightly enough.
I'm certain it is well intentioned advice, and if you choose to follow it, best wishes for your success.
I don't want to get into some big kerfuffle over the point, and nobody really knows what your approach will be right now. But the idea that removing it is somehow of benefit to some future owner, or even to you, over cleaning it well in place and reinstalling a spindle and clean, re-lubricated bearings has no basis in any "good mechanical practice" routine with which I'm familiar. It's usually a difficult enough job that it is better avoided unless required....which in your case it may or may not be. And believe me, I've removed plenty of them.
Huh, well its a little late on the kerfuffle if you're so certain my view is that much in error. I stated that many disagree and that's fine. You and I know what a challenge this can be.
The reason to do it is the right thing, plain and simple. For you, me and future owners/mechanics that may not have our level of skill and experience so parts and frames retain and preserve their integrity moving forward. It is a basic tenant of "good mechanical practice", remove, clean, thoroughly inspect, repair or replace as necessary, then properly reassemble and torque.
I have been a mechanic/technician all my life, professionally for most of it. ASE and fomoco Senior Master certified for 30 yrs with an AAS degree in Automotive technology, drag racing motorcycles for 40 yrs and bikes all my life.
Anytime somebody asked why we had to take some thing all the way apart that they thought didn't need to be it became a valuable learning experience for them when they found out it was the correct and proper way of doing it and often you find something that would be missed otherwise by short cutting form lack of experience. The full understanding of the task increases the success of all related tasks and builds overall skill.
All that being said I understand the rationale and on your own things it is of course your call. Once you have the experience to do the complete job, you have the basis to make the call, but the skill to do the complete job is invaluable as it means you can do it if necessary when you have to. Its easy to say "you don't have to do that, it's not needed", for you and I it can be ok but for others, if it goes bad they can be in further over their head when it could have been avoided.
I obviously feel strongly about advocating that others in this hobby develop the skill to tackle any and all tasks, it's the right thing, it preserves often rare parts and pieces, saves time and money in the long run and promotes others being able to work on and save many things related to our hobby which benefits all and again builds skill which is usually a good thing.
As I have stated before, I have a foolproof, simple method for removal and installation that has never failed me and has never damaged any frames, cups, tools or flesh, provides more than enough leverage to get them out and in properly tightened without excessive force.
Again, I know it can be a challenging task which is why I feel strongly about it and it really doesn't need to be.