Hello bike mechanics - where can I find replacement cups for this vintage 70s raliegh
 

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...0&d=1295195648

I have managed to get this out, now I just want clean cups asap.....

There should still be replacements out there. Check with older shops that sold enough of these to still have a few NOS versions on the shelf. Two shops I'd check first on-line are yellowjersey.org and Harris Cycle. If they can't supply them, it's yard sale time. Look for the cheapest, but still basically OK Raleigh made (Raleigh, Rudge, Dunelt, Philips, Robin Hood, Royal Scot, etc.) Three speed and buy it for the parts.

or perhaps? via http://www.sjscycles.co.uk

wow GRAND BOIS 20 pound for cups!!!!

That is a lot.... I thought maximum of 3 pound!!

No way I can just slam these cross threded cups on???

Is there something wrong with the original cups? As long as they're not egregiously pitted or scored I'd opt for reusing them.

These are decades old. Unless there are more recently produced ones from India or China expect to pay "collector" pricing. That's why I suggested buying a junker for the parts.

I have the original cups, only one screws on easily, the other only gets about 'a tiny bit in' and then it just jams.... won't screw anymore....

I have tried to bath it in wd but won't go**********

It helps to have the proper tool for those cups:

http://bikesmithdesign.com/BBTool/BBT1.jpg

http://bikesmithdesign.com/BBTool/index.html

This tool is to extract??? Or I guess it's also for putting on..... It's totally not screwing on even after a bath in WD-40..

And I can't buy just 2 for about 20 pound!!

Could I just hammer this thing on??? I'm guessing not as the bearings need to be taken into consideration..

Good guess. In a pinch you can use a beefy adjustable crescent wrench, carefully.

The cup is harder than the frame, so if there are damaged threads somewhere, chances are it's on the frame.

Remember that drive side cups are reverse-threaded. Grease threads thoroughly and try again, being careful not to cross-thread. If it still goes in so tight that you think you might be breaking something, have a bike shop take a crack at it. If the shop elects to clean up the treads with a tap, it will cost more, but it will get the job done.

You cannot thread a 24tpi cup into a 26tpi bottom bracket. Even if you had a monster wrench and 3 monsters to turn it, the cup will totally bind up after a number of turns. ( and possibly not come back out)

You also need to consider how Raleigh made the bottom bracket. Some time in the late sixties they stropped tapping the shell itself, and instead used a strip with the thread form, which was coiled and spot riveted into the shell. You can recognize these by either the fine seam line on the inside, or the 3 spot weld marks around each side of the BB shell. if you over touque these threads you'll end up breaking the welds and ripping out the strip. (been there, done that).

You're best bet is to scavenge cups from a relic (and there are plenty to be found). But there is another way to cheat the system.

Thread a 24tpi cup in as far as it'll go without jamming too tight. Count the number of turns that can be engaged (usually 3-5). Then grind all the inner threads off the cup leaving only as many as can be engaged. On the left cup, you have to allow for for the lockring, so it'll be the thickness of the lockring, plus 3-5 threads. If you count carefully, and grind only to the root of the thread you'll end up with well supported cups which will work for years, and be serviceable when they need to be re greased.

It will take some patience, and a bit of skill, but should be well within your capabilities.