Shimano Santé BB Question
 

Hello, a quick question regarding a Shimano Santé BB.
I bought a Motobecane Champion with a Santé group all was good, bar the Bottom bracket worked loose after a few rides. I´ve taken the BB apart and inside was a mess. Bike has only done a few 1000 kms but its been standing for years so was full of rust and oil gunk. The Stronglight sleeve is still good (I think), one of the ball bearing retainers has perished but I´m wondering if the spindle or adjustable cup needs replacing. The races? aren´t entirely smooth (see pics) what do you guys think. Is it also worth replacing the ball bearing retainer and ball bearings.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Maybe it's the pics but they don't look smooth to me. If it's a later Champion with English threads, I'd be replacin them with a cartridge unit.

Edit: Are you sure that's Sante BB? Ithought they had rubber, wiper style seals on the cups?

It really depends how clean and smooth you can get the races. Ball bearings are pretty cheap.

Haven´t got the fixed cup off yet but I think it´s British thread. BC 137 is stamped on the outside of the adjustable cup and its late 80´s 1990. Robbie how would you clean the races?

It has Santé printed on the spindle so I´m fairly sure it´s Santé ! It has the rubber seals on the cups but obviously the aint perfect

It is called a "fixed cup" for a reason. If your intent is simply to clean all the parts, add new bearings and reassemble leave the fixed cup in.

I believe Robbie is using 'clean' to refer to how smooth and shiny the bearing races are on the spindle and cup.

I clean most of my parts with lots of SimpleGreen. If you want to polish the races you might be able to use some lapping compound but then you have to clean all that gunk out too.

I am with TY-Mar though I thought these had a rubber seal on the cups. The spindle say shimano? If not replace witht he correct length shimano cartridge style.

That spindle looks pretty pitted to me...

AH OK you posted while I was digging through old books looking for Sante specs. I would still consider a cartridge replacement esp if this a commuter

Oh you are turning the correct way on the fixed cup right? that should be a Lefty Tighty, Righty Loosey.

Bike is no commuter, it´s too nice for that I´ll post some pics tomorrow. Was hoping to keep it original, it´s still got the original bar tape on it although I did stick some conti 4000s on!
Strange because I´m sure the last owner hardly used it and the spindle does seem to me to be pitted

Even if it hasn't seen much use, it doesn't take long to destroy spindle races if the cups were loose.

Spindle is toast IMHO. Lack of maintenance can ruin rotating parts, despite light use. Example, you rode it a few times yourself without checking those parts first. Pretty safe to assume former owner did the same thing.

I would much rather buy a bike with high mileage that has been ridden regularly, than one with very low miles but has been sitting, neglected, for years/decades.

I would not put additional time into cleaning cups.

I have yet to have gotten a 20+ year old bike where the bottom bracket and wheel hubs did not require service. While you probably did not damage them, occasional use with neglect of any maintenance by the PO most likely did.


If you have not taken apart the HS or wheel hubs, I would give both high priority.

Water intrusion can turn grease into mud. I've seen it a lot.

A new cartridge Shimano UN26 BB costs all of $10 on line. Include with other items from a supplier like Jensen USA, and if you order at least $50, shipping is free. Once installed, its hard to see that the bb is not the original, without a very close inspection.

Same here. Finding a compatible cartridge bottom bracket shouldn't be difficult.

I didn't look at the pics, still haven't. I save BB's if all the races are smooth, or can be made that way with my soft wire brush or 0000 steel wool. A few small pits don't bother me as much as the "ring around the collar" does. If I can't get all 4 races clean and smooth, I ditch it. Heck I think Bike Buys had a UN26 for $12.36 the other day. Won't spin like a pristine OEM BB, but hardly worth working for a couple of hours on one.

Thanks for all the replies, I´ll strip and service the hubs and headset over the weekend. Will look at a replacement cartridge, UN26s go for under €10 here and UN55s for €18 so if I go cartridge I´d go for the 55 (bike was a steal so I don´t mind spending some cash on it). Í thought there might have been more love for the old school BBs although I understand price and availability comes into it.

Dumb Arse question number 2. As the spindle length is 108mm, which of a 107 or 110mm cartridge would be best?

Does your Sante spindle have an offset? If it is symetrical I think I would go for the 110 it is only 1mm extra on each side and will prevent worries about the chainwheel or arm contacting the stays.

Not offset so i´ll go with the 110, thanks again