Hi,
Pretty new to working on bikes altogether, but I recently picked up a Raleigh super course (anniversary badges so I believe. It's a '69). I took it down to the frame, and ordered news bearings for the bottom bracket. I put a fair amount of grease on them and reinstalled the spindle and bracket caps and when I turn the spindle it feels a little 'grabby'. The best way I could describe it would be as if the bearings had SLIGHTLY flattened sides. Not anything crazy, but it definitely doesn't spin silky smooth. When I put the cranks on and spin it from the pedals, it's much less noticeable. Being that I don't know what is normal, I'm trying to get an idea if this is right or not? Thanks a lot for any guidance here!

I assume you checked for damage on the spindle and cups before re-assembling?

If all the parts are in reasonable condition, it could be that the BB shell needs facing to ensure that the faces are parallel. If they're slightly off, a "tight spot" is created.

Thanks for the reply. I checked the races and they looked smooth to the touch. I'm wondering if I'm doing something stupid here, as the headset seems to be exhibiting the same type of issue when I move the fork left and right. These (bottom bracket caps and headset nuts) should be snugged down pretty tight, correct?

If you have the bearings in retainers, you may have the retainers oriented in the wrong flipped position. Retainers often at first look wrong when they are in the right way.

Setting a traditonal ball and cup bottom bracket is a matter of feel. Basically, you want just enough preload of the bearings so that there is no detectable play when you try to move the arms laterally. Most mechanics will adjust using 1/8 turn increments. If there's no play, back off progressively by 1/8 turn until there is play , then tighten 1/8 turn. If there is play, tighten in 1/8 turn increments, until there is no play. Once you get to this point, you may want to fine tune by doing smaller increments of turn. Make sure when you so this, that you tighten the locknut, as will reduce the preload.

One way to test whether the shell is properly faced, is to check the lateral play at different crank orientations. For instance, if the shell is not faced properly, you may get play with the crankarm at 3 o'clock but none at 6 o'clock.

No, don't think that's it, as the retainers are pressed in to the headset tube and I didn't remove them.

Ahh! I think I have these things way too tight then! The caps seemed to be on there really snug when I took them off, so I figured they should be on tight when I put them back on. So basically, I want them right to the point where there is no play, and I'm done.

Sounds like it. Back the adjustable cup off about 1/8 of a turn and see how it spins. Repeat this until it spins freely. If there's no play at that point, you're golden.

He's referring to the ball retainers, not the cups. The ball retainers have a specific orientation; if installed backwards, the bearing won't turn smoothly.

Will do. Thanks a lot for the help guys! If this doesn't do it, I'll report back.

You want the cups to be as loose as possible while still not allowing any side-to-side play. Tighten just enough to eliminate that play. Any tighter will give you rough movement, and you'll wear everything out prematurely. The fact that you don't notice the roughness at the pedals just means you have more leverage which merely shields you from the bad news.

Since there's no stoopid questions OP, you do understand the concept of backing off the cups into the lockrings? As noted, it's touchy-feely

Yeah, I believe I understand. Basically, I don't want the bearings to be pinched between the cups and the race on the shaft. In order to achieve the correct tension, I just back the cups in to the shaft right up to the point at which there's no lateral play. The outside notched ring nut keeps the cup from backing out. I do wonder why there's not a nut on both cups though?

The other cup - the fixed cup - so named because it retains a fixed/non-adjustable position, gets torqued down when screwed in.

One side is the adjustable cup, and the other is designed to be non-adjustable. If they were both adjustable you could end up with the spindle center line off-center. That would throw off your chain line.

Edit: What he said.

Ahhh, I get it! Doh. That makes total sense.