Caged bottom bracket bearings

[Chris S]

I've heard that if you replace caged bottom bracket bearings with uncaged ones you should put as many in the cup as you can then remove one. Is this always true? If the cup is full and there is still a little space between the bearings then is there any harm in leaving them this way?

 

[fossyant]

TBH, I wouldn't bother, and unless it's a super rare BB, then just stick in a replacement.

 

[rogerzilla]

The better BBs take 11 in a cage and 11 is also the number of loose ones you should put in each side, so use of the cage is personal preference.

Cheaper BBs may use fewer balls in each cage to save money, in which case 11 loose bearings would be better.

 

[Chris S]

If anybody is still interested I replaced 9 caged bearings with 11 loose ones. It was the only way that I could get rid of the freeplay in the bottom bracket. It pedals like a new bike now.

 

[rogerzilla]

That'll be cheapskate manufacturing! Dura-Ace cages take the full 11 balls.

 

[Ajax Bay]

If the cup is full and there is still a little space between the bearings then is there any harm in leaving them this way?

Yes. If using loose bearings, leave enough space for between one and two bearings. This allows the bearings to operate with[edited]out interference. There is no benefit in having more bearings, for the sake of it.

I replaced 9 caged bearings with 11 loose ones. It was the only way that I could get rid of the freeplay in the bottom bracket.

Provided you have the correct number of bearings (see above (this number may be 11)) then 'get[ting] rid of freeplay' will be best achieved by finding the optimum pre-compression (and thus bb performance) in the normal iterative way.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes. If using loose bearings, leave enough space for between one and two bearings. This allows the bearings to operate with interference. There is no benefit in having more bearings, for the sake of it.

Should that be withOUT interference?

(If not, I don't understand!)

 

[Ajax Bay]

Sorry. Typo. Thank you. Edited.

 

[Chris S]

That'll be cheapskate manufacturing! Dura-Ace cages take the full 11 balls.

I prefer free bearings now. There's no cage to break and chew up the spindle.

 

[rogerzilla]

It does eliminate that particular failure mode, yes!