3outof5
Active Member
- Location
- Chester, UK
My road bike had been making a noise when doing the downward stroke on the left pedal. Started a couple of weeks ago and gradually got worse. I can only describe it as a "dull cracking" sort of noise. I thought I could see excess play when rocking the crank arm so I decided to call into the LBS and ask advice.
The bloke advised "it probably just needs the BB taking out, cleaning/regreasing then putting back in, that usually cures it". Fair enough, but, as I thought I could do it myself for reasonable cost I went ahead and bought a replacement BB, a BB wrench and some grease.
The bike is Tiagra 4600 throughout but as they're so cheap (£16) I bought the Ultegra 6700 one instead. Last night I proceeded to take everything apart, but I could not believe how difficult it was to unscrew the existing BB. I tried the left hand shell first and more or less gouged my way through all the indents around the shell, it would not budge a millimetre. Admittedly it was a cheap wrench and I guess it was flexing slightly but nevertheless. So I decided to give up on that one and moved onto the right-hand one, which was also very tight, but, putting my full weight standing on the handle of the wrench, it started to undo.
Moved back to the other one and kept at it, but it was too tight and the indents were now completley goosed. Hmm. Time to bring out "the pacifier", a tool of last resort I've had in my box for years, from when I used to work on classic cars. It's got sharp toothed jaws and one of those handles that tighten the more pressure you put down on it. Locked it in place and stood on the handle and it finally started to shift.
Upon getting both out at last, one of the bearings was indeed as rough as old boots and dirty grease was leaking out of the edge of the bearing.
Question is, A: are they usually this tight and B: should I have expected the original one to last a bit longer? Bike is about 10 months old and hasn't done huge mileage and mostly in dry weather (I am a bit heavy though at 14 stone).
The bloke advised "it probably just needs the BB taking out, cleaning/regreasing then putting back in, that usually cures it". Fair enough, but, as I thought I could do it myself for reasonable cost I went ahead and bought a replacement BB, a BB wrench and some grease.
The bike is Tiagra 4600 throughout but as they're so cheap (£16) I bought the Ultegra 6700 one instead. Last night I proceeded to take everything apart, but I could not believe how difficult it was to unscrew the existing BB. I tried the left hand shell first and more or less gouged my way through all the indents around the shell, it would not budge a millimetre. Admittedly it was a cheap wrench and I guess it was flexing slightly but nevertheless. So I decided to give up on that one and moved onto the right-hand one, which was also very tight, but, putting my full weight standing on the handle of the wrench, it started to undo.
Moved back to the other one and kept at it, but it was too tight and the indents were now completley goosed. Hmm. Time to bring out "the pacifier", a tool of last resort I've had in my box for years, from when I used to work on classic cars. It's got sharp toothed jaws and one of those handles that tighten the more pressure you put down on it. Locked it in place and stood on the handle and it finally started to shift.
Upon getting both out at last, one of the bearings was indeed as rough as old boots and dirty grease was leaking out of the edge of the bearing.
Question is, A: are they usually this tight and B: should I have expected the original one to last a bit longer? Bike is about 10 months old and hasn't done huge mileage and mostly in dry weather (I am a bit heavy though at 14 stone).
However I did use Park Tools bike grease so should help a bit next time. Oh and I reckon I've only done around 1000-1500 miles on this bike.
