Originally Posted by
tigerdog
I need to replace (at least) the spindle on a Dura Ace 7402 8-speed bottom bracket; the current one has crunchy pits where the bearings ride. The cups look OK, it's only the spindle that's graunchy.
I've scoured Sheldon Brown, used the search engine here, read and read, and become thoroughly confused. It seems this era Dura Ace is the odd "low profile JIS" spindle, and assymetrical to boot. On measuring, the drive side spindle is longer than the NDS. If I may ask the collective:
- Can a standard JIS bottom bracket replace the entire unit? If yes, do I need to get something different from the 68 112 spindle length?
- Are there current replacement "low profile JIS" bottom brackets out there?
- Can a 70mm spindle be used in place of the 68 if I shim the cups?
- Does anyone have a NOS Dura Ace 68 W spindle they'd like to part with?
OK... so I did a cursory check of Fleaby and the results were somewhere between comical and tragic. There were several units with spindles so pitted to represent outright fraud. There were some mis-allocated track spindles. And finally, BBs that were a mis-mash of incompatible parts, particularly Italian and English. And of course the pricing was delusional as is the case on most vintage bike parts on Fleabay.
You want the English (68mm) spindles only. If your cups are fine, there is no reason to replace them; spindles always wear out first. Automatically refresh the 1/4" balls for the cost of like $5.
Recommendation: track down a Sugino MW-68 spindle. The same high quality as Dura-Ace, identical dimensionally, and a much better price. I am looking right now at Sugino and Dura-Ace spindles, and they are the same.