BB installation....how?

[al brown]

I finally got my BB out after a bit of whacking, swearing and lt lots of WD40. I think it was the original bearings and the bike is an 87 so it was really filthy. I reckon I should be able to source the bearings locally, but what is the best(read safest) way to put it all back together. Should I use a low strength loctite retaining compound or does the design mean that bearings can be press fit without any need for a retaining compound?



thanks

al

[Zook]

Pretty sure you just need to press them in. I made homemade tool with some steel plates, a piece of thick all-thread and bolts to press 'em in or you could maybe use a real tool like a bmx American bottom bracket press or a headset press.

-Z

[mainlyfats]

I've done it a couple of times with a piece of wood and a hammer. Put the frame on the floor on an old blanket. Put the c-clip on the bearing, knock it gently into place so that it holds itself in, then put a thin piece of wood over the bearing a whack it a few times until it looks good. Turn frame over. Repeat.

[MikeyNYC]

Originally Posted by 10thAnniversaryFat

I've done it a couple of times with a piece of wood and a hammer. Put the frame on the floor on an old blanket. Put the c-clip on the bearing, knock it gently into place so that it holds itself in, then put a thin piece of wood over the bearing a whack it a few times until it looks good. Turn frame over. Repeat.

I've done it that way too, but you can easily smash your thumb or mess up your paint that way...if you don't have proper tools then there's an easier way...I just take the frame and the bearings to the local bike shop and give them money, they take it all to the back and it comes up a few minutes later all nice and smoothly installed!

It's lazy, but since I harldy ever buy parts at the good old LBS, I make good on it by having pro service done on things like Bottom Brackets and head sets, which are not my favorite things to install.

Michael-NYC

[al brown]

Thanks for the ideas. I had pretty well sold myself on the wood N hammer method. As for the LBS....well I don't think there would be one in Melbourne that would know who chris chance is...and used to work at one!!

Thanks fellas

al

[Zook]

I'm telling you a home made bearing press is the way to go. It'll get you a clean, undamaged, even and aligned bearings.

http://www.mindspring.com/~d.g1/headset.html

-Z

[laffeaux]

Several other bike brands have used press-in bearings - Ritchey, Fisher, and Klein to name a few.

A LBS that was a long time Klein dealer had the tool to press in Klein BBs, and they were able to install one in a Ritchey for me with no problems.

[MikeyNYC]

Originally Posted by laffeaux

Several other bike brands have used press-in bearings - Ritchey, Fisher, and Klein to name a few.

A LBS that was a long time Klein dealer had the tool to press in Klein BBs, and they were able to install one in a Ritchey for me with no problems.

-Come to think of it, the LBS that I went to used to be a Fat City Cycles "dealer" here in NYC and the mechanic was a guy in his late 30's-early 40's so maybe he knew exactly what he was looking at?

Michael-NYC