Alternative to FSA Bottom Bracket BB-4000

[yakheart]

I have a Pinacle Arkose 3 and at the end of last year the BB started to make a clunking noise once per revolution and I replaced it, solving the problem. Only a few hundred miles later, the new BB is doing the same same thing and I would like to replace it with a different and hopefully more long lasting model.

I don't think I am doing anything wrong to cause the problems, certainly not anything that I haven't done to any other bike I have had and I wasn't even cycling much over the bad weather this winter.

The BB is an FSA Megaexo BB-4000 and the problem is that I have read that I won't be able to do change to a different BB without changing the crank, because it is made for a 19mm spindle. Do know if that is true?

I am not much of a mechanic, so I'm not keen on taking the thing apart and replacing the bearings.

Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Billy

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

ANYTHING is better than FSA! They are useless.

 

[gbb]

Be aware Billy, the BB4000 is odd in the sense the black dust shields are a top hat shape and the crank doesnt actually run on the bearing itself, you have a plasic sleeve, the top hat part, running between crank and bearing. It could be you just need new top hat dust shields...they are available for a few quid each online.
IIRC I uses a stanley knife to get the seals out, slide the blade in and get as much purchase as possible, then lever them out. Not easy, not terribly hard, they have a lip inside that holds them in place, its using enough leverage to overcome that lip...withoit breaking the plastic seal.
I will see if i can find my OP regarding overhauling these BBs.

 

[gbb]

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/fsa-megaexo-omega-bb-bianchi-overhaul-pt-2.70132/#post-1295769

 

[yakheart]

OK. I still have the old ones that I replaced a few months ago so I can hack away at them and see what the top hats look like. Thanks.

If there isn't anything obvious I'll think about replacing the BBs and the cranks with Shimanos.