Swapping Cranks and BB?
05-28-08 | 02:10 PM
#1
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Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others
Swapping Cranks and BB?
I have an older (1981) Davidson custom frame with a Cinelli BB shell that has an old Zeus crank. I also have a newish (2005) Chorus crank and BB that was mounted in a Kuota carbon frame that I crashed. When I replaced the crashed frame I had them install an FSA compact crank in it, so the Chorus crank is now a spare. I'd like to put the new crank in the old frame. The old crank is pitted but still seems to function just fine, but I like the 53/39 over the 52/42. When did they switch to 53/39 as a standard anyway?
Is this an easy enough thing to do? Will I have thread problems? I don't know what the threads on either frame are, but I'm assuming Italian. Will I need special tools (probably)? Is installing a crank an easy job? Do they use the same spindle and could I just swap the crank and not the BB? And from an aesthetic standpoint, should I do this?
Is this an easy enough thing to do? Will I have thread problems? I don't know what the threads on either frame are, but I'm assuming Italian. Will I need special tools (probably)? Is installing a crank an easy job? Do they use the same spindle and could I just swap the crank and not the BB? And from an aesthetic standpoint, should I do this?
05-28-08 | 03:03 PM
#2
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Joined: Jul 2007
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I have an older (1981) Davidson custom frame with a Cinelli BB shell that has an old Zeus crank. I also have a newish (2005) Chorus crank and BB that was mounted in a Kuota carbon frame that I crashed. When I replaced the crashed frame I had them install an FSA compact crank in it, so the Chorus crank is now a spare. I'd like to put the new crank in the old frame. The old crank is pitted but still seems to function just fine, but I like the 53/39 over the 52/42. When did they switch to 53/39 as a standard anyway?
Is this an easy enough thing to do? Will I have thread problems? I don't know what the threads on either frame are, but I'm assuming Italian. Will I need special tools (probably)? Is installing a crank an easy job? Do they use the same spindle and could I just swap the crank and not the BB? And from an aesthetic standpoint, should I do this?
Is this an easy enough thing to do? Will I have thread problems? I don't know what the threads on either frame are, but I'm assuming Italian. Will I need special tools (probably)? Is installing a crank an easy job? Do they use the same spindle and could I just swap the crank and not the BB? And from an aesthetic standpoint, should I do this?
You will need a 16mm(probably, could be 15mm) thin-wall socket, a crank puller, a hook spanner, a pin tool, and a 36mm wrench to remove the stuff from the Davidson. 2005 Chorus is a bit modern for me, but I think you'll need a Campy cartridge BB tool and whatever wrench fits the crankarm fixing bolts. I can guarantee that the Zeus spindle is too long for the 2005 Chorus crankarms.
The 39t inner rings became popular in the late 80s/early 90s, about when 8S drivetrains became widely available. If you just want the gearing, try to look for a 39t ring for your Zeus. Zeus can take down to 36t IIRC.
05-28-08 | 08:27 PM
#3
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From: Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others
So if one BB is English and the other Italian I am out of luck? It isn't that great a loss, I just thought I could keep it going a lot longer this way without spending too much money. I wonder if Kuota's website has a spec on that.
05-29-08 | 11:39 AM
#4
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Easy test--if your campy BB has the thread in the same direction on both cups or is marked 36 X 24, it's Italian. If there is a left thread cup and a right thread cup, it's English. It would be marked 1.37 X 24
