freeranger

Last Sunday, after a ride, brought the mtn.bike home, and was wiping off the chain while spinning the crank backwards. Thought for sure the "clunk-clunk" I was hearing was the btm.bracket-as it is older than the rest of the parts and had just a hair of play in it. So, I ordered one (didn't have time during the week to drive to a local shop while they were open, with the shift I work. Well, installed it, put everything back together, spin the crank backwards and clunk-clunk. Turned out that the cassette wasn't real tight! How that happened I'll never know, as I put it on myself, and if anything, I'm usuallly known for overtightening if anything. Oh, well, now I know my btm brkt isn't about to go bad any time soon. So watch those noises--they can be tricky demons!!

bikejack

Overtightening can create as many problems as not tight enough if you get to the stage of stretching the threads.

Might pay to visit the LBS and have the BB recut and faced, facing especially on a cheap frame if its never been done and you are tightening up on an uneven shell and old paint.