Campy BB removal. Left right or pull?
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Yeah we can see from the photo, that cup has English threads, which means left-hand thread on the fixed cup. Turn Clockwise (when standing to the Right of the bike) to loosen.
French or Italian threads would be right-hand thread there, so you'd turn CCW to loosen. Swiss (rare) is like French but with a left-hand thread like English. Campy did make some in Swiss but so rare you can forget I mentioned it...
French or Italian threads would be right-hand thread there, so you'd turn CCW to loosen. Swiss (rare) is like French but with a left-hand thread like English. Campy did make some in Swiss but so rare you can forget I mentioned it...

#3
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This is a campagnolo “brev?” Bb. This is my first time dealing with anything Italian on a bike. I see why people admire campagnolo. Answer me: which way to remove the bottom bracket? A) left B) right or C) straight with a puller?

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When I am unscrewing the fixed cup (drive side), in install a large bolt and nut through the bottom bracket holes. That set-up, loosely snugged up (finger tight) coupled with a big washer, both to help prevent the wrench of choice from slipping off of the bb narrow flats. Set up like this, I have only one time failed to break the fixed cup free and with not cosmetic damage...

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If you are considering such a thing and don't have experience with this you should stop right here and get some good hands on help that can be hard to come by these days.
These cups are regularly very tight or seized and can be very difficult to get off. You need good tools, proper skill and a very solid plan to keep from damaging or hurting something including yourself.
This can very much be not for the faint of heart.

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The threading is decided by the frame maker. There are at least 5 or 6 different threadings a frame manu might have used, and Campy made cups to fit four of them. Luckily Campy tells you what thread this cup has — in this case English (not Italian). That's what the 1"370 x 24 t.p.i. is telling you. The numbers are different for French and Italian thread.
randyjawa gave a good way to apply enough force without the wrench slipping. Go to the hardware store and get a big enough nut bolt and washer to do exactly as he showed you. Oh and a big enough wrench too if you don't have one.
Campy made two kinds of wrenches to do this, a pro-shop version (very expensive) and a consumer-grade one that's still expensive and not good enough to use on its own. So even if your wrench says Campag on it, you'll still probably need the nut-bolt-washer like randyjawa showed you.
Sometimes you even need to put a big pipe on the wrench for more leverage, and be very careful not to ruin the frame in the process. Lots of newbs have cried tears of pain from doing this wrong.
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Hobbiano made a great suggestion. If the Bb is staying on the frame (reused), then no need to take off the fixed cup (no swearing at me @merziac ). A bit of ingenuity and that can be cleaned while on frame.
If taking off, and stubborn, @Mad Honk said he got a mongo 36mm wrench that is 18 inches, bolts the thing on like Randy showed above...lots of leverage.
I have done the Randy method with an enclosed Park tool and it cracked when I used a helper for leverage.
If taking off, and stubborn, @Mad Honk said he got a mongo 36mm wrench that is 18 inches, bolts the thing on like Randy showed above...lots of leverage.
I have done the Randy method with an enclosed Park tool and it cracked when I used a helper for leverage.
Last edited by jdawginsc; 07-18-22 at 09:08 PM.
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Hobbiano made a great suggestion. If the Bb is staying on the frame (reused), then no need to take off the fixed cup (no swearing at me @merziac ). A bit of ingenuity and that can be cleaned while on frame.
If taking off, and stubborn, @Mad Honk said he got a mongo 36mm wrench that is 18 inches, bolts the thing on like Randy showed above...lots of leverage.
I have done the Randy method with an enclosed Park tool and it cracked when I used a helper for leverage.
If taking off, and stubborn, @Mad Honk said he got a mongo 36mm wrench that is 18 inches, bolts the thing on like Randy showed above...lots of leverage.
I have done the Randy method with an enclosed Park tool and it cracked when I used a helper for leverage.

You know I strongly feel that short cutting this is a disservice to a new wrench and the future potential owners of the BB in question.
We know it can be an absolute azz whoopin process, once you've conquered it then you have the experience to bypass this critical IMO task but I don't, ever.

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Also, if you are performing routine maintenance on the bottom bracket, strongly consider just leaving the fixed cup in place and cleaning out the old grease by reaching through the other side, It is very easy to mark up even a steel cup like this one, in spite of all precautions, and if you're just going to be putting it in again, why bother pulling it out? As it is, you know it is unlikely to loosen up, since it has been in there for decades. If the spindle isn't pitted, the cup isn't, either. Just leave it be. If you are replacing the crank with a more modern one, shame on you.
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Also, if you are performing routine maintenance on the bottom bracket, strongly consider just leaving the fixed cup in place and cleaning out the old grease by reaching through the other side, It is very easy to mark up even a steel cup like this one, in spite of all precautions, and if you're just going to be putting it in again, why bother pulling it out? As it is, you know it is unlikely to loosen up, since it has been in there for decades. If the spindle isn't pitted, the cup isn't, either. Just leave it be. If you are replacing the crank with a more modern one, shame on you.
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Only swearing under my breath
, not that it matters but you know I don't care how you or Hobbi do it, you guys know better and can dig yourselves out if need be.
You know I strongly feel that short cutting this is a disservice to a new wrench and the future potential owners of the BB in question.
We know it can be an absolute azz whoopin process, once you've conquered it then you have the experience to bypass this critical IMO task but I don't, ever.

You know I strongly feel that short cutting this is a disservice to a new wrench and the future potential owners of the BB in question.
We know it can be an absolute azz whoopin process, once you've conquered it then you have the experience to bypass this critical IMO task but I don't, ever.

Joking aside, it is a labor of love to remove the stuck fixed cup from an overtorqued neglected ungreased bottom bracket...
I give them the 20 minute rule effort. If after connecting everything properly, I weigh the minutes over 20 (that’s about how long to remove slightly stubborn BBs) with the likely ER visit.
There is something to be said for conquering the stubbornly affixed fixed cup; however, sometimes a fixed cup is a fixed cup.
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I know! That’s why I tagged you!
Joking aside, it is a labor of love to remove the stuck fixed cup from an overtorqued neglected ungreased bottom bracket...
I give them the 20 minute rule effort. If after connecting everything properly, I weigh the minutes over 20 (that’s about how long to remove slightly stubborn BBs) with the likely ER visit.
There is something to be said for conquering the stubbornly affixed fixed cup; however, sometimes a fixed cup is a fixed cup.
Joking aside, it is a labor of love to remove the stuck fixed cup from an overtorqued neglected ungreased bottom bracket...
I give them the 20 minute rule effort. If after connecting everything properly, I weigh the minutes over 20 (that’s about how long to remove slightly stubborn BBs) with the likely ER visit.
There is something to be said for conquering the stubbornly affixed fixed cup; however, sometimes a fixed cup is a fixed cup.

It never takes 20 minutes if the setup is right, it does however take a 4 foot cheater pipe from time to time, the key is to go in with that ready, overpower to overdeliver from the jump and lean way in from the start so no resistance derails the process.

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I always lay the frame (or bike ) down on its side on a rug or tarp for fixed cup removal. This is of course after the other side has been removed. Both knees bracing the frame . My stand isn't solid enough for the task. I have had to tap the wrench with a brass hammer , but I can get them out without too much drama.
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Do you have all the other parts (spindle, adjustable cup, lockring, crank arms)? Campagnolo bottom brackets of that era are a bit of a mess, with different parts needed depending on Nuovo Record, plain Record, pre- or post-CPSC modifications etc.
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There are shop-quality tools that can remove even the most stubborn fixed cups without damaging anything, e.g. the Campagnolo #793/A, the VAR #30, the Hozan C-358. If you run into a particularly stubborn fixed cup, find a shop with one of these tools:
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I still like it, but had I to do it again, I probably would have paid a bit more for the VAR.
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Awesome! All is well that ends well.
I take them out about half the time. Either with a standard fixed cup wrench clamped in place and hit with a dead blow hammer, or clamp the fixed cup in a vice and turn the frame. Works for me.
I take them out about half the time. Either with a standard fixed cup wrench clamped in place and hit with a dead blow hammer, or clamp the fixed cup in a vice and turn the frame. Works for me.
Last edited by Hobbiano; 07-19-22 at 04:20 PM.
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