How to face a chromed BB shell?

[Gsinill]

I built up my Casati Ellisse with Campagnolo UT.
After a few hundred miles it developed some fairly annoying creaking/clicking sound in the BB area.
Re-greased, re-tightend everything which helped but didn't completely resolve the issue.
Next is facing the BB shell but unfortunately the whole frame is chromed and the facing tool doesn't even engage.

I am aware that there are many potential reasons that are not related to the BB (i.e. seat post).
But a) I am pretty certain it comes from the BB and b) facing is the next step I want to tackle to eliminate/narrow it down.

Any recommendations?

Thanks,
GS

[m_sasso]

Possible to cut the chromed face first with a closed-coated aluminum oxide or silicon carbide sandpaper?

[bikinchris]

Sacrifice a flat bastard file to cut the chrome (very lightly) and then face the BB. It will probably ruin the file.

[Ralph]

I would have bet you anything a recent creak was from BB. It was from rear skewer. Swap skewer out for a ride just to be sure.

[moobikes]

Are the crank bearings still good? The bearing balls are tiny and if they are kinda dry might creak under pressure.
Maybe a layer of teflon tape between the BB cups and the bearings?
Chainring bolts greased?
Seat post well greased?
Saddle clamp and bolts?

I read this on the CR list, which I think you are also on:

Chrome is really hard. If you going to face the BB, use a file or grinder to remove the chrome from the face of the shell and from a bit of the rounded/ body part of the shell, so that the cutting tool, as it faces the shell, will not start to peel off chrome from the top.

And when you are removing chrome from the face of the BB shell, cut inwards towards the cavity, also to prevent peeling.

[cachagua]

Phil.

[smontanaro]

I have a 1970 Atala Super Professional which is all chrome. When I got it, it was clear the shell had never been faced. How that happened, I'll never know. I hit it with a file around the edge (didn't file the face), then took it to my buddy Billy who faced it. As far as I know my file survived, as did his bb facing tool (older, rather well-used Campy I think).

As they say, YMMV.

Skip

[Slow Eddie]

Originally Posted by cachagua

Phil.

^This. Once you cut through the chrome the rust clock starts ticking away. Worse, the remaining chrome may do a very good job of hiding rust that may form underneath. If Phil Wood has the right taper and spindle length, those mounting rings won't care if your BB shell is square or not.

[smontanaro]

Originally Posted by Slow Eddie

^This. Once you cut through the chrome the rust clock starts ticking away. Worse, the remaining chrome may do a very good job of hiding rust that may form underneath. If Phil Wood has the right taper and spindle length, those mounting rings won't care if your BB shell is square or not.

Agreed. At the time with the Atala, I was trying to build it up with attention to originality (yes, I realize nobody but nit pickers will notice the bottom bracket isn't correct). For me, that meant Campy Record bottom bracket. Actually, given that the frame has Italian threads, I wonder if I could have gotten away with two adjustable cups, some blue Loctite, and less than Herculean strength on the lock rings...

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by Slow Eddie

^This. Once you cut through the chrome the rust clock starts ticking away. Worse, the remaining chrome may do a very good job of hiding rust that may form underneath. If Phil Wood has the right taper and spindle length, those mounting rings won't care if your BB shell is square or not.

Uhm, just out of curiosity: why would that be?
Facing the BB is a standard recommended process so what's the difference between taking off the paint exposing the steel vs. removing chrome?
Unless there is some chemical process that is particular to chrome and steel.

Not questioning, like I said, just curious...

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by Gsinill

Uhm, just out of curiosity: why would that be?
Facing the BB is a standard recommended process so what's the difference between taking off the paint exposing the steel vs. removing chrome?
Unless there is some chemical process that is particular to chrome and steel.

Not questioning, like I said, just curious...

That is actually a very good idea. The Phil BB doesn't have shoulders and fits all inside the shell, so the chrome can stay intact. Of course, the threads aren't chromed now, so the rust COULD start there.

Yep, just saw the UT. Nevermind.

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by cachagua

Phil.

For Campagnolo UT?

[Slow Eddie]

Originally Posted by Gsinill

For Campagnolo UT?

Missed that. Doh!

Anyway about the chrome thing, I have seen corrosion start on frames where the chrome plating has chipped or worn off, usually fork ends or dropouts, and the corrosion propagates along the metal under the chrome, resulting in pitting of the chrome, and eventual discovery of the extent of the corrosion once the frame was stripped to be refinished. It seemed as if the chrome hid the underlying corrosion until it started to pit, at which point it was too late to do anything about it because now you have a hard layer of chrome keeping you from getting to the underlying oxidation to clear it away.

I could be off-base about the chemistry/metallurgy of the process, but that been my observation of a few beat-up chromed frames over the years.

[chris7ed]

Every bb creak I've had ended up being something else. Check the rest of the bike.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by chris7ed

Every bb creak I've had ended up being something else. Check the rest of the bike.

Yup, I agree with this. I'd say try some teflon tape around the cup threads, lotsa grease and TIGHT BUT..'back in the day', when we saw a lot of Euro steel frames that were chromed..a few minutes with a dremel, to take the chrome off, then a normal facing tool...