Bottom bracket adjustment blues...
 

While refurbing a vintage Diamond Back Sorrento for a flip I disassembled the caged bearing BB. cleaned and greased and then reassembled it. All was good until final adjustment. I did my standard "tighten till firm then back off a 1/4 turn" method and when checking for feel I find the BB grabby and somewhat "tight".
I had to loosen the cup another 1/2 turn to get a decent feel. I don't like a bracket that loose and usually don't have a problem but this one seems to be on the edge of too loose to get the right feel. I did inspect the races,bearings and axle and saw no issues but still amd wondering.

Any chance you put the bearing cages in backwards causing the cage to rub where it shouldn't?

Well I thought maybe so and checked but no the open faces are to the cups like they should be, I got the bike as a rebuilder sand never actually rode it. When I first checked the BB there was play big time on the axis. I'm wondering if maybe some trash is still in the cages.

Dump the cages and run them bearings nekid.
See what that gets you.
Fresh bearens never hurt either.

You did everything wrong. Toss the cages and put 11 new 1/4" balls in each side and adjust it properly so it's free but there's no play.

That's the way I've decided on this one. I've had very little problem with cages but I believe this particular bike had issues to start so I will replace the bearing and yes ditch the cages.

+2 :thumb:

Naked balls solve a plethora of problems.

"Give your balls some air." -- (the late) Colin Fletcher, backpacker extraordinaire.