replacing cartridge BB bearings

[Bodhbh]

The bearings on one side of my Gusset EXT24 HT2 BB have seized up. These are replacable and after contacting the manufacturer, I find I need '6805' cartridge bearings.

This is the first time I've had to replace cartridge bearings. There's alsorts available from 1-2quid to 15quid or more. Are they much of a muchness and I just get the cheapest, or?.....

 

[Citius]

I wouldn't bother with the hassle, especially when Tiagra HT2 BBs cost just over a tenner..

 

[martint235]

I wouldn't bother with the hassle, especially when Tiagra HT2 BBs cost just over a tenner..

Wot he said ^^^. Chain Reaction are actually showing an Ultegra HT2 BB for £12.

 

[gbb]

Ive done FSA BB4000s before, the problem is getting the old ones out and new ones in, its not always very easy, you need to fabricate something to extract the old ones and pull the new ones in. The good side is you have the opportunity to fit GOOD bearings..FSAs originals were poor quality.
I assume theyre outboard bearings.
As said, TBH for most people its not really worth bothering with...i just like a challenge.

 

[Cubist]

I wouldn't bother with the hassle, especially when Tiagra HT2 BBs cost just over a tenner..

Tiagra won't fit. EXT 24 Gusset is an MTB standard. deore or SLX/XT would do it though. Gusset tend to be coloured anodised, so perhaps he wants to keep it bling?

Easy enough to fit, but you'll need some tools or a ghetto press (threaded bar, washers and a socket that matches the diameter of the outer bearing casing, ) A word of warning: remove the top hat seals very carefully, they break!

Before you bother changing the bearings altogether, have you considered removing the seals from the bearings with a pick, then flushing the old grease out and re packing the bearings with new grease? Sometimes that's all it needs.
If you do decide on swapping the bearings, you can spend more on so called waterproof seals and ceramic or SS bearings but it's as easy to buy cheap, and pack them with a decent waterproof marine grease before you fit them.

 

[Citius]

Tiagra won't fit. EXT 24 Gusset is an MTB standard. deore or SLX/XT would do it though. Gusset tend to be coloured anodised, so perhaps he wants to keep it bling?

Tiagra will fit, as will any other HT2 BB with a 24mm axle. Gussett isn't a 'standard' - it's just a bling HT2 compatible BB.

 

[Cubist]

Tiagra will fit, as will any other HT2 BB with a 24mm axle. Gussett isn't a 'standard' - it's just a bling HT2 compatible BB.

Shimano MTB chainsets have a 50mm chainline, road bikes are 45 mm. They are not cross compatible without spacers and all sorts of bodges. Better to go for the one designed to fit the setup surely?

The Gusset EXT24 is a MTB standard HT2 outboard bearing. I have one. It's on my mountain bike with a Deore XT crankset.

 

[Citius]

They are not cross compatible without spacers and all sorts of bodges

Just spacers. Not 'all sorts of bodges'..

The Gusset EXT24 is a MTB standard HT2 outboard bearing

So it's not a standard in its own right then, which is what you implied earlier. It's just a bling, aftermarket HT2 BB, nothing more.

 

[Cubist]

Ok, so it might sort of fit. However, a road BB has an inner sleeve constructed to fit the gap between the shells of 68mm. An MTB BB has a sleeve to fit the gap of 73mm, which is achieved in a 73 BB housing by fitting the cups with a spacer on the drive side, or on a 68mm shell using two further spacers. If the OP is using a MTB and is already suffering water ingress issues (potentially) then why recommend a Road BB with a short sleeve, when for the same money he can get a BB that is designed to do the job? What's more, the bearing fit surfaces on a MTB crank/axle are slightly different, with narrower inner race faces on the MTB. Are you absolutely sure they will line up without causing expensive play and wear?

Argue with me if you want to, but I wouldn't fit a road BB to a MTB when the MTB equivalent is just as cheap! Why bodge or make suggestions just to make a point?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/s?q=deore+bb&cat=direct
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/s?q=tiagra+bb&cat=direct
Tiagra a quid more:

 

[Bodhbh]

I wouldn't bother with the hassle, especially when Tiagra HT2 BBs cost just over a tenner..

Well I bought it on the basis the bearings are replaceble, so I'll at least have to give it a punt once. But yeah, I might find it's more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Bodhbh]

Shimano MTB chainsets have a 50mm chainline, road bikes are 45 mm. They are not cross compatible without spacers and all sorts of bodges. Better to go for the one designed to fit the setup surely?

The Gusset EXT24 is a MTB standard HT2 outboard bearing. I have one. It's on my mountain bike with a Deore XT crankset.

I'm roughly aware of the issues. I think the cups of the road BBs are 1mm wider. As it happens I had a spare Tiagra BB kicking about and I'm using it in the short term to keep the bike on the road (with 1mm less spacer). It's running without the internal sleeve as well, so it may not live very long.

 

[mjr]

it's as easy to buy cheap, and pack them with a decent waterproof marine grease before you fit them.

That reminds me... is marine grease just lithium grease, or is there more to it than that?

 

[Cubist]

That reminds me... is marine grease just lithium grease, or is there more to it than that?

not necessarily. Stuff like boat trailer hub grease is what I use, Lucas heavy duty. It's green and a bit soapy to look at.

 

[Bodhbh]

I'll order some cheap bearings and have a play. Cheers all the for advice, if it's too much faff it'll be the first and last time I bother.

Was just trying to do the right thing, make do and mend and all...

 

[raleighnut]

The snag with sealed/sleeved BBs is that once water does get in (and it will) it doesn't dry out again for ages, just hangs around in there causing corrosion.