My trusty old bike (according to a piece of paper found in either the seat tube or the Head Tube,
built summer '91, but acquired by me much later) recently became not so trusty, and it was
determined that there was no more point in repairing it, certainly not without repainting. So, I've
stripped all the gear off the frame, then the two difficult bits come: Headset & bottom bracket.
When I removed the adjustable cone from the fork, the fork crown cone & the top cup fell off their
respective frame & fork fittings, en the bottom cup came out with very minor manual force. Is this
normal? (I know it's *not* normal that several of the balls in both of the bearings were sliced in
half, literally..)
It looks like a fairly standard headset, much like the ones used on the other bikes I've used &
serviced, english-style threespeeds (though, actually, made in the Netherlands). The cups and cones
all appear to be made of copper, strangely enough, with the possible exception of the actual contact
point with the balls. The frame is a lugless welded (or otherwise joined) steel one.
Is there any point in doing the frame up again with new parts, with regards to the headset thing, or
is this a sign of a severe miss in quality control resulting in play in the headset bearings
resulting in them wearing themselves and the frame enough to be that loose?
And another thing: the bottom bracket says it's made by [censored]. This is presumably some kind of
cartridge bearing BB? If I decide to repaint, I'll need to remove that and replace it, or at least
the bearings (it's definitely got pitted bearing surfaces, by the feel of things). The outside of
the BB appears to be formed by two identical plastic covers, which both claim it's standard BSA
thread, and which appear to need a lockring wrench.
Thanks,
Jasper