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frozen bottom bracket

Started by Dan Daniel · · Last activity · 17 posts · 946 views

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Cycling Equipment
Published
19 January 2005
Last activity
21 January 2005
Original author
Dan Daniel
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17
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  1. I was given an old Bridgestone XO-5 frame that I'd like to build into
    a beater. The bottom bracket is frozen in place, meaning the cups, not
    the axle.

    The right cup came out- typical English BB threading, clockwise to
    remove. Unlike every other Shimano cartridge BB I've seen, this BB
    seems to have the main body/cup setup threaded from the left side.

    I'm not even certain if it is a Shimano BB. No markings visible. The
    right cup looks like typical newish Shimano plastic stuff.

    I guess my best bet is to find a bolt long enough to clamp the BB tool
    into the splines and crank the whole bike around it in a bench vice?
    Anyone know the threading of the standard crank bolt? Is it commonly
    available in a hardware store? Any other suggestions? (the BB is shot
    so no need to preserve it). Thanks.

  2. Dan Daniel said:

    I was given an old Bridgestone XO-5 frame that I'd like to build into
    a beater. The bottom bracket is frozen in place, meaning the cups, not
    the axle.

    The right cup came out- typical English BB threading, clockwise to
    remove. Unlike every other Shimano cartridge BB I've seen, this BB
    seems to have the main body/cup setup threaded from the left side.

    I'm not even certain if it is a Shimano BB. No markings visible. The
    right cup looks like typical newish Shimano plastic stuff.

    I guess my best bet is to find a bolt long enough to clamp the BB tool
    into the splines and crank the whole bike around it in a bench vice?

    The TACX tool is great for this sort of thing:

    http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools/bottombracket.html and scroll down
    a bit.

    Quoted message said:

    Anyone know the threading of the standard crank bolt?

    8 x 1 mm.

    Quoted message said:

    Is it commonly available in a hardware store?

    Not all hardware stores in the U.S. speak Metric, but the good ones do.

    Sheldon "Ungggggggghh!" Brown
    +--------------------------------------------------+
    | If you find yourself standing to accelerate, |
    | on level ground, it is a sign that your gear |
    | is too high, or that your saddle is too low. |
    | See: http://sheldonbrown.com/standing.html |
    +--------------------------------------------------+
    Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
    Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
    http://harriscyclery.com
    Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
    http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

  3. Sheldon Brown said:
    Dan Daniel said:


    Anyone know the threading of the standard crank bolt?

    8 x 1 mm.

    Quoted message said:

    Is it commonly available in a hardware store?

    Not all hardware stores in the U.S. speak Metric, but the good ones


    do.

    I have never encountered an ordinary hardware store, no matter how well
    stocked, that carried metric fine thread fasteners. They will often
    have what they call "M8", which means 8mm X 1.25, the most common 8mm
    pitch.

    I once found some 10mm X 1.0 bolts in a Home Depot. I assume they had
    been ordered by mistake. It's a common bike axle thread that is also
    used on the derailleur mounting stud-- but I have never seen it used in
    any other machine.

    Auto parts stores are likely to have a few fasteners in the less-common
    metric sizes, and fastener supply houses might stock a few fasteners in
    other than the usual pitches. But your best bet for finding a metric
    8mm X 1.0 bolt is a bike shop.

    Chalo Colina

  4. On 19 Jan 2005 15:24:48 -0800, "Chalo" <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:
    Sheldon Brown said:
    Dan Daniel said:


    Anyone know the threading of the standard crank bolt?

    8 x 1 mm.

    Quoted message said:

    Is it commonly available in a hardware store?

    Not all hardware stores in the U.S. speak Metric, but the good ones


    do.

    I have never encountered an ordinary hardware store, no matter how well
    stocked, that carried metric fine thread fasteners. They will often
    have what they call "M8", which means 8mm X 1.25, the most common 8mm
    pitch.

    I once found some 10mm X 1.0 bolts in a Home Depot. I assume they had
    been ordered by mistake. It's a common bike axle thread that is also
    used on the derailleur mounting stud-- but I have never seen it used in
    any other machine.

    Auto parts stores are likely to have a few fasteners in the less-common
    metric sizes, and fastener supply houses might stock a few fasteners in
    other than the usual pitches. But your best bet for finding a metric
    8mm X 1.0 bolt is a bike shop.

    Chalo Colina

    You're certainly right about the fine thread thing in my local metric
    hardware store. 8 x 1.25 is it, not 8 x 1.

    The nice thing is that for my purposes- holding a Shimano bottom
    bracket tool in place- the coarse threads grab enough. If it didn't,
    in this case I would probably just crank down on the bolt and let it
    cut a bit of thread itself since the bottom bracket itself is
    completely shot and of no use, a nice example of 'old and in the way.'

  5. Dan Daniel said:


    Chalo said:


    But your best bet for finding a metric
    8mm X 1.0 bolt is a bike shop.

    You're certainly right about the fine thread thing in my local metric
    hardware store. 8 x 1.25 is it, not 8 x 1.

    The nice thing is that for my purposes- holding a Shimano bottom
    bracket tool in place- the coarse threads grab enough.

    For a bolt of sufficient length to do that job, even a bike shop will
    not be of any use.

    If the spindle is drilled all the way through, you can probably use a
    long 1/4" bolt with a fender washer to hold the tool, and a normal
    washer and nut on the other end of the spindle.

    Chalo Colina

  6. "Chalo" <[email hidden]> wrote in
    news:[email hidden]:

    Quoted message said:

    Auto parts stores are likely to have a few fasteners in the
    less-common metric sizes, and fastener supply houses might stock a
    few fasteners in other than the usual pitches. But your best bet
    for finding a metric 8mm X 1.0 bolt is a bike shop.

    I buy all my ss metric bolts as a yachting supply store.

  7. On 19 Jan 2005 15:24:48 -0800, "Chalo" <[email hidden]> may

    have said:
    Sheldon Brown said:

    Not all hardware stores in the U.S. speak Metric, but the good ones


    do.

    I have never encountered an ordinary hardware store, no matter how well
    stocked, that carried metric fine thread fasteners. They will often
    have what they call "M8", which means 8mm X 1.25, the most common 8mm
    pitch.

    The Lowe's near me has 8x1.0 bolts in a handful of lengths. I was as
    surprised as you would have been.

    Quoted message said:

    I once found some 10mm X 1.0 bolts in a Home Depot. I assume they had
    been ordered by mistake. It's a common bike axle thread that is also
    used on the derailleur mounting stud-- but I have never seen it used in
    any other machine.

    Actually, I've seen 10x1.0 bolts at both Home Depot and Lowe's for a
    while now, with no good reason apparent. The majority of 10mm "fine
    thread" fasteners that I've encountered are 10x1.25, which is less
    commonly stocked by the hardware stores.

    Quoted message said:

    Auto parts stores are likely to have a few fasteners in the less-common
    metric sizes, and fastener supply houses might stock a few fasteners in
    other than the usual pitches. But your best bet for finding a metric
    8mm X 1.0 bolt is a bike shop.

    This may have regional validity, but I'd check whatever's closest
    first just in case.

    --
    My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
    Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
    Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

  8. On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 15:58:20 -0800, Dan Daniel

    may have said:

    The nice thing is that for my purposes- holding a Shimano bottom
    bracket tool in place- the coarse threads grab enough. If it didn't,
    in this case I would probably just crank down on the bolt and let it
    cut a bit of thread itself since the bottom bracket itself is
    completely shot and of no use, a nice example of 'old and in the way.'

    If that's an acceptable tactic, then use a 5/16" fine-thread US bolt;
    it's closer to 8x1.0 than an 8x1.25 would be.

    --
    My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
    Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
    Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

  9. Dan Daniel said:

    I was given an old Bridgestone XO-5 frame that I'd like to build into
    a beater. The bottom bracket is frozen in place, meaning the cups,


    not

    Quoted message said:

    the axle.

    The right cup came out- typical English BB threading, clockwise to
    remove. Unlike every other Shimano cartridge BB I've seen, this BB
    seems to have the main body/cup setup threaded from the left side.

    I'm not even certain if it is a Shimano BB. No markings visible. The
    right cup looks like typical newish Shimano plastic stuff.

    I guess my best bet is to find a bolt long enough to clamp the BB


    tool

    Quoted message said:

    into the splines and crank the whole bike around it in a bench vice?
    Anyone know the threading of the standard crank bolt? Is it commonly
    available in a hardware store? Any other suggestions? (the BB is shot
    so no need to preserve it). Thanks.

    I had no trouble finding 8x1.0 bolts in our local (very nice) hardware
    store. I got a couple of different lengths and a pile of washers to
    space them on the Park BB tool. If you have a vise with enough
    clearance, you could go that way, I find that a big pipe wrench works
    pretty well.

  10. On 20 Jan 2005 04:23:38 -0800, "Peter Cole" <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:


    I had no trouble finding 8x1.0 bolts in our local (very nice) hardware
    store. I got a couple of different lengths and a pile of washers to
    space them on the Park BB tool.

    A long bolt, washer(s), and one nut will do it. Run the nut up the
    bolt, washer below. Insert into BB tool and start threads into axle.
    Then run the nut down. If you're worried about it coming loose (not an
    issue for me in this case), run two nuts up the bolt, tighten the
    bottom one, and use the second as a lock nut. I've found this both
    easier and more stable than stacks of washers for jigs like this, as
    long as the extra length of bolt isn't a problem

  11. Peter Cole said:

    I had no trouble finding 8x1.0 bolts in our local (very nice) hardware
    store. I got a couple of different lengths and a pile of washers to
    space them on the Park BB tool. If you have a vise with enough
    clearance, you could go that way, I find that a big pipe wrench works
    pretty well.

    You and I are in a highly privileged minority, both of us living within
    a mile of Swartz Hardware.

    That place is a treasure house, and, alas, is hardly representative of
    the general run of U.S. hardware stores.

    Sheldon "LHS" Brown
    +----------------------------------------+
    | Promote the institution of marriage: |
    | Make it available to all adults! |
    +----------------------------------------+
    Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
    Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
    http://harriscyclery.com
    Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
    http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

  12. Sheldon Brown said:
    Peter Cole said:

    I had no trouble finding 8x1.0 bolts in our local (very nice) hardware
    store. I got a couple of different lengths and a pile of washers to
    space them on the Park BB tool. If you have a vise with enough
    clearance, you could go that way, I find that a big pipe wrench works
    pretty well.

    You and I are in a highly privileged minority, both of us living within
    a mile of Swartz Hardware.

    That place is a treasure house, and, alas, is hardly representative of
    the general run of U.S. hardware stores.

    Sheldon "LHS" Brown
    +----------------------------------------+
    | Promote the institution of marriage: |
    | Make it available to all adults! |
    +----------------------------------------+
    Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
    Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
    http://harriscyclery.com
    Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
    http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

    Dear Sheldon,

    Those not near your fine local hardware store can find all
    sorts of metric hardware at most Japanese motorcycle
    shops--Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki dealers have lots
    of the little mm stuff and are more used to itty-bitty parts
    requests than car dealers.

    Of course, it would mean visiting an alien kind of
    two-wheeled store, but it could be interesting.

    Carl Fogel

  13. There is a couple things you can try. If you know someone that has a
    machinists vise then mount the frame. You can also try using ammonia to
    see if this will loosen the frame. Bicycle research makes a tool for
    removing frozen bb's. If all else fails you can try freezing the bb
    with liguid nitrogen or freon.

    Dan Daniel said:

    I was given an old Bridgestone XO-5 frame that I'd like to build into
    a beater. The bottom bracket is frozen in place, meaning the cups,


    not

    Quoted message said:

    the axle.

    The right cup came out- typical English BB threading, clockwise to
    remove. Unlike every other Shimano cartridge BB I've seen, this BB
    seems to have the main body/cup setup threaded from the left side.

    I'm not even certain if it is a Shimano BB. No markings visible. The
    right cup looks like typical newish Shimano plastic stuff.

    I guess my best bet is to find a bolt long enough to clamp the BB


    tool

    Quoted message said:

    into the splines and crank the whole bike around it in a bench vice?
    Anyone know the threading of the standard crank bolt? Is it commonly
    available in a hardware store? Any other suggestions? (the BB is shot
    so no need to preserve it). Thanks.

  14. Sheldon Brown said:
    Peter Cole said:

    I had no trouble finding 8x1.0 bolts in our local (very nice)


    hardware

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    store. I got a couple of different lengths and a pile of washers to
    space them on the Park BB tool. If you have a vise with enough
    clearance, you could go that way, I find that a big pipe wrench


    works

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    pretty well.

    You and I are in a highly privileged minority, both of us living


    within

    Quoted message said:

    a mile of Swartz Hardware.

    That place is a treasure house, and, alas, is hardly representative


    of

    Quoted message said:

    the general run of U.S. hardware stores.

    Sheldon "LHS" Brown
    +----------------------------------------+
    | Promote the institution of marriage: |
    | Make it available to all adults! |
    +----------------------------------------+
    Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
    Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
    http://harriscyclery.com
    Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
    http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

    Another great hardware store with a huge selection including metric
    fastners is Dale's Hardware in Fremont, Calif.
    Hope this might help someone, John

  15. I had a BB like that a few years ago. I ended up
    using a Dremel tool with a cutoff tool. I cut four notches to the
    threads without harming them. Then crushed the BB cup with Vicegrips and
    pulled the BB out of the shell. The notches look like a cross.

  16. Werehatrack said:


    If that's an acceptable tactic, then use a 5/16" fine-thread US bolt;
    it's closer to 8x1.0 than an 8x1.25 would be.


    --
    It's a metric 7.94 X 1.06 thread, to be precise.

    Chalo Colina

  17. Quoted message said:

    On 20 Jan 2005 04:23:38 -0800, "Peter Cole" <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:

    I had no trouble finding 8x1.0 bolts in our local (very nice) hardware
    store. I got a couple of different lengths and a pile of washers to
    space them on the Park BB tool.

    Dan Daniel said:

    A long bolt, washer(s), and one nut will do it. Run the nut up the
    bolt, washer below. Insert into BB tool and start threads into axle.
    Then run the nut down. If you're worried about it coming loose (not an
    issue for me in this case), run two nuts up the bolt, tighten the
    bottom one, and use the second as a lock nut. I've found this both
    easier and more stable than stacks of washers for jigs like this, as
    long as the extra length of bolt isn't a problem

    Or buy/borrow the Tacx BB tool. It's a clearly superior
    design - bolts directly to the spindle

    --
    Andrew Muzi
    www.yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971

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