Originally Posted by
MichelleMachete
So I've answered this to my self may of times, which is no, but its worth a try:
Is there an alternative bottom bracket for my old skoo Peugeot besides the Phil Wood BB cups. I was thinking of re tapping the threads to maybe an Italian threading, you know something more accessable will that work or will I destroy a frame?
Cheers,
Michelle
Yes, you CAN re thread the BB. We've done this (re-tapped for an Italian BB) and it will works out nicely - so long as the BB shell is thick enough so you are not shaving the shell down to the thickness of a tin can. With better quality bikes the shells always seem to be thicker. With some of the low-end bikes they may have used thinner welded sheet steel to form the BB, so look for a seam or weld line.
The real advantage to doing so would be to use a more modern style of crankset. Otherwise, If you plan to keep a square tapered crankset,
and if the cups are still in decent condition, I wouldn't bother. You can still find replacement spindles in N.O.S. condition for a reasonable price on eBay, and with a change of ball bearings (higher grade preferred) the bike should run just fine for a very long time.
Curious... what were your ultimate intentions for making the BB change?