Originally Posted by
Narhay
Barring a precision lathe and grinding new cup and cone surfaces can a slightly pitted cone ever improve with usage with new balls, clean races and new grease?
IME they can, I've told this story before.
My first lesson in what is now C+V was way back in high school when after I got my first really good bike.
It was a unique to the PNW Mizutani Super Seraph, top of their line, a bit heavy and equipped with a Sugino Mighty Competition crankset.
I failed to realize when the pathetic factory grease got washed out of the BB early on from the deluge that was PDX, everything was compromised finish wise, no actual pitting but pretty rough.
Still wasn't smart enough to replace the bearings, but cleaned and scrubbed everything, loaded it up with thick auto wheel bearing grease and set it up a bit loose.
Cleaned and regreased everything monthly for about six months while tightening the adjustment each time.
It lived on just fine for 30 more years until it was stolen along with the Raleigh SC it was on.
I would bet money its still going, wherever it is.
I now use said grease on any BB, HS and hub that is headed in the wrong direction as many are now days that are more or less mid level to keep them going, seems to work just fine long or short hall.