need help with single speed conversion

just thought i'd summarize my questions in prep for some advice from
the experts:

am i on the right track?
should i just overhaul the BB and use existing (probably stock?) with
new (or the same) bearings?
if the 7-spd wheel is a freewheel, is it much harder/or same to use
this wheel vs the 6-spd wheel in terms of chainline, spacing, dishing?
how to i remove that single rear sprocket (shimano mx 30?) from the
other wheel? is it supposed to make a very audible racheting sound with
reverse? maybe it needs cleaning, or is shot, as it's quite silent on
reverse but can feel some clicking.
any other thoughts on the build appreciated.
aloha!

Quoted message said:

just thought i'd summarize my questions in prep for some advice from
the experts:

should i just overhaul the BB and use existing (probably stock?) with
new (or the same) bearings?

If whatever crank you're going to use is compatible with the existing
BB, try overhauling it and see what happens.

Quoted message said:

if the 7-spd wheel is a freewheel, is it much harder/or same to use
this wheel vs the 6-spd wheel in terms of chainline, spacing, dishing?

Probably the same - use whichever wheel is in better shape.

Quoted message said:

how to i remove that single rear sprocket (shimano mx 30?) from the
other wheel?

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=4&item=FR%2D6

Quoted message said:

is it supposed to make a very audible racheting sound with
reverse? maybe it needs cleaning, or is shot, as it's quite silent on
reverse but can feel some clicking.

They're quiet freewheels.

Read this page three or four times before you start:
http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

-Vee

thanks for the tips, Vee!! the FR 6 remover looks like the one to get
that sprocket off- gotta go buy one.
some new questions popped up for the schwinn traveler single-speed
conversion:

removed the 6-spd FW from the rim last night and cleaned the wheel,
looks good.
inspected the sprocket more closely- SF MX 30 18T
cleaned the crankset - 170mm older shimano 600. will go with the 42T
with short stack
bottom bracket issues: don't know much at all about BB stuff,
threading, etc. current BB in there, probably stock, looks like a 125mm
axle. however, it's obviously loose and in bad shape- the fixed cup
side is not flush with the frame, but sticks out about 1-2mm, and the
axle sticks out more on that side than the other side- will have to
probably take it to LBS to overhaul/inspect frame, and hope the frame
is ok.
so i have this old nice Cilo frame (columbus tubing handmade in switz)
with a nice headset and BB- the BB says 36x 24 T via KE and axle
measures around 117mm. 6 notch lockring and 6 holes in adj cup. smooth
as silk. since i may have to get the current BB overhauled/removed,
would this nicer, lighter, smoother BB work for my conversion and
possibly require less spacing issues/dishing amount/issues? didn't
measure the BB shells of the bikes to see if they were the same.... and
i don't know about threading issues, etc.
and if the crankset would work on the frame. (the crankset was from
this bike).

after those issues are dealt with, may need some tips on respacing,
dishing stuff.

thanks!! post or email any help would be great-

removed the entire BB out of the schwinn traveler, the fixed cup was
loose and was reverse threaded (clockwise to remove). the BB i'm hoping
to put in there is a nice cro-mo axle shimano from a shimano 600
columbus cilo road bike, probably 80s vintage. looks like the BB is the
right size, just hoping it's also reverse threaded on the fixed cup?
the BB says 36 x 24 T via KE, and has 70=W=119 shimano D-5LL KE cro mo
on the axle, has a 6 notch lockring and 6 holes in adj cup. anyone
know?

i tried to loosen it with my somewhat flimsy bench vise, didn't work.
saw sheldon brown's website has a homemade fixed cup remover on his BB
tools section. as all his info is usually great i'm hoping this is too,
just wondering if anyone's done that before i goto the hardware store
and get the stuff and the extension for my socket wrench. or, i could
goto my LBS and have them do it, but i'd rather do it myself.

also, any hints on respacing the rear axle and redishing the rear wheel
for single speed and chainline? i've never done it..... but read that
some have done it quite easily.

thanks! james

Quoted message said:

removed the entire BB out of the schwinn traveler, the fixed cup was
loose and was reverse threaded (clockwise to remove). the BB i'm hoping
to put in there is a nice cro-mo axle shimano from a shimano 600
columbus cilo road bike, probably 80s vintage. looks like the BB is the
right size, just hoping it's also reverse threaded on the fixed cup?
the BB says 36 x 24 T via KE, and has 70=W=119 shimano D-5LL KE cro mo
on the axle, has a 6 notch lockring and 6 holes in adj cup. anyone
know?

Your Shimano 600 BB is Italian thread. Italian BB cups are bigger in
diameter, and the fixed cup is not reverse-threaded, so it's completely
incompatible with your Schwinn. If you want to use the 600 crank,
you'll need to find a non-Italian BB with a very similar width spindle.

Quoted message said:

i tried to loosen it with my somewhat flimsy bench vise, didn't work.
saw sheldon brown's website has a homemade fixed cup remover on his BB
tools section. as all his info is usually great i'm hoping this is too,
just wondering if anyone's done that before i goto the hardware store
and get the stuff and the extension for my socket wrench. or, i could
goto my LBS and have them do it, but i'd rather do it myself.

A bike shop will make short work of it. Otherwise, you can buy the
tools yourself, but you're probably better off leaving the Italian BB
in the Italian bike and buying a cartridge BB for the Schwinn.

Quoted message said:

also, any hints on respacing the rear axle and redishing the rear wheel
for single speed and chainline? i've never done it..... but read that
some have done it quite easily.

Moving the spacers around lets you adjust your chainline. It will be
hard to figure out your chainline until you get a BB and crank on the
bike. Once you've got the spacing right, you center the rim between
the axle locknuts (dish). Sheldon explains how that's done on his
wheel building page.

-Vee