Notchy Bottom Bracket

[Scilly Suffolk]

I've stripped down my Summer bike, with the just the (non-cartridge) BB to go: can't afford the tools just yet.

Now that I've removed the pedals and chain rings, leaving just the cranks on the BB, I've noticed that rather than spinning freely there is a distinct "ticking" to its movement: as you move the crank it clicks around, presumably, one ball bearing at a time.

What is the likely cause of this? My first thought was that the bearing are slightly too big; perhaps Metric were used instead of Imperial (the bike is early Nineties).

I'd like to be confident of what has happened here, as earlier this year the driveside bearings expired and were replaced by the LBS. Although they are good guys, with whom I have a good relationship, I haven't always been completely satisfied with their spanner work. With my bike being a good twenty years old I wonder if something hasn't been bodged: after their last work, I noticed the lockring was looking a little mangled...

 

[Alien8]

I guess the bearings are in a cage, which may have self-destructed. I've had this on an abused winter hack but if the bike has just seen light summer use then I guess it's less likely.

 

[Nantmor]

Unlikely to be wrong size balls. Even if they are the adjustment could probably be still made correctly, though I never tried it. Never had metric balls in the workshop. Probably overtightened. May be damaged cups. I would never replace caged bearings with the same. You can get more in without the cage.

 

[fossyant]

Worn out - buy a new one !

 

[tyred]

This isn't difficult to do yourself. Sheldon Brown wrote a good guide but basically, unscrew the lockring (a hammer and old flat screwdriver will work if you don't have a C spanner) and and remove the adjustable cup. Remove the bearings and clean everything with white spirits or similar. Check the cups and the spindle for wear or damage. You should be able to see the line on it where the bearing run but it shouldn't go through the case hardening. If it does, you need new cups/and or new spindle.

Rebuild with fresh grease and loose ball bearings as mentioned above. It will take 11 x 1/4" balls on each side (usually). Careful adjustment is required and bear in mind that when you tighten the lockring, the cup will tighten slightly as well.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes - it is worn out and needs fixing!

I let the BB in my Basso get far too worn and suffered clicks, clunking and wobbly cranks for several rides before sorting the problem out. Fixing it transformed my enjoyment of the bike! I didn't realise quite how much it had been annoying me until pedalling the bike was smooth, quiet and efficient again.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Thanks all!

I'm quite happy changing the BB (threadless BB on the shopping list), I was just curious as to what you thought the problem was bearing in mind that it had been to the LBS less than six months ago: do I have further cause for concern about the quality of their work?

I suppose I will just have to wait until I have the tools to solve the mystery...

Thanks again.

 

[fossyant]

I rejoiced the day cartridge BB's came out - so much less fiddly, fit and forget. I even got rid of the perfect Dura Ace traditional BB in my best bike and immediately replaced with a Dura Ace/XTR cartridge type - bye bye any servicing -

Doesn't take long for a traditional BB to get damaged - if you don't have a sealed sleve between the bearing races, and water in the frame will mush the grease, and bye bye BB in a short time.

 

[PpPete]

Given the (relatively) low cost of cartridge BBs I'm surprised the LBS didnt offer you one instead of replacing the balls in the old one.
I would have expected soemthing like:
Cartridge ... £20 part + £5 labour to fit
Loose ball .... £5 parts + £20 labour
And as Fossy says - Cartridge ones are far superior

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Given the (relatively) low cost of cartridge BBs I'm surprised the LBS didnt offer you one instead of replacing the balls in the old one.
I would have expected soemthing like:
Cartridge ... £20 part + £5 labour to fit
Loose ball .... £5 parts + £20 labour
And as Fossy says - Cartridge ones are far superior

Like I said I'm not entirely confident of their spanner work, especially with a bike of this age.

When it went in to have the bearings replaced, they also discovered that one side of the (English) shell had an Italian thread (presumably it had been stripped in the past).

Their suggestion for a replacement BB was to buy both English and Italian ones and use one Italian cup with the English BB; it was someone on here who told me about threadless BB...