View Full Version : Bottom bracket repair replace options
marciero
01-12-2019, 07:40 AM
Am paying the price for decision to wait until after tour to replace rear BB on our tandem. I have one sitting at home and so would have been a 15 minute job. The rear was smooth but a little dry...
On day 2 of our tour the wheels and bottom brackets were totally submerged during several flooded road stream crossings on dirt roads. Then on the following day, yesterday, we started hearing groaning under load. Pretty sure it's the bb. This is a standard older FSA isis. A local bike shop has one with a 118 spindle. Am pretty sure ours is 108. So this would mean adjusting the fd outward 5mm, pretty sure I can adjust it out far enough, though with suboptimal chainline.
Other options include replacing the spindle. These are press fit, and something a bike shop could do with a vice correct? Similarly, replace just the bearings.
A last option is to just spray some lube in there if the the bearings feel smooth with no grinding. If there is sand in there I should be able to feel it. I dont have a tool to replace in the field so spray lube existing and just bringing the new BB is less viable.
Thoughts?
Spaghetti Legs
01-12-2019, 07:56 AM
It sounds like you’re still on your tour. I think, in your shoes, and lacking the right replacement option, I would try a temporary overhaul. On some cartridge bearings, the seal can be removed. I would remove the BB, maybe spray some WD40 and chase it with grease/oil lube to hopefully get some more miles out of it. Maybe then call ahead to the next stop, see what the LBS has there.
I think I would choose that or the new, too long BB over a shop of unknown skill trying to piece together a new BB from your old spindle.
oldpotatoe
01-12-2019, 08:08 AM
Am paying the price for decision to wait until after tour to replace rear BB on our tandem. I have one sitting at home and so would have been a 15 minute job. The rear was smooth but a little dry...
On day 2 of our tour the wheels and bottom brackets were totally submerged during several flooded road stream crossings on dirt roads. Then on the following day, yesterday, we started hearing groaning under load. Pretty sure it's the bb. This is a standard older FSA isis. A local bike shop has one with a 118 spindle. Am pretty sure ours is 108. So this would mean adjusting the fd outward 5mm, pretty sure I can adjust it out far enough, though with suboptimal chainline.
Other options include replacing the spindle. These are press fit, and something a bike shop could do with a vice correct? Similarly, replace just the bearings.
A last option is to just spray some lube in there if the the bearings feel smooth with no grinding. If there is sand in there I should be able to feel it. I dont have a tool to replace in the field so spray lube existing and just bringing the new BB is less viable.
Thoughts?
Yes they could if they had the bearings..Don't know the number but they are not proprietary. 'Most' bike shops don't have a stock of various cart bearings, good ones do but...
GregL
01-12-2019, 08:24 AM
I'd be leery of changing out the spindle/bearings in a sealed ISIS bottom bracket. They really aren't designed for user/LBS maintenance. I call ahead to a reputable LBS at your next stop and have the correct bottom bracket waiting to install. You could try to pull back the seals on the current unit and inject some grease to keep you moving until the correct replacement unit is available.
Greg
marciero
01-12-2019, 07:52 PM
Update:
So I removed the cranks and tried some spray lube that our Warm Showers host had on hand. Again, the bearings felt the same-free-spinning with no apparent roughness. Our host, an engineer, deemed them "good". Our plan was for day ride locally (Fredericksburg TX) so we checked it out on the first hill. Still getting the noise. At this point I was not as certain it was BB. But for peace of mind, and at girlfriend's behest, decided to go the shop in town that had the bb, Hill Country Bicyles, to replace the BB. The owner, Lisa, pretty much let me have at it with all the tools, rags, grease, etc. that I needed-really over-the-top accommodating. It was a nice day so I could work outside.
So it was one of these 68-73-75 Truvativ units with spacers. As I mentioned, it was 118 spindle whereas ours was 108 with 68 shell. I put both spacers on the NDS so as to minimize the correction with the FD. I eyeballed the FD adjustment and when we took it for a test, it only needed one minor adjust and was shifting perfectly. Gotta love DA 9sp triple! Unfortunately though, girlfriend thought it felt "all wrong". Not sure if it was the bigger Q, the unevenness, or both. I thought she would get used to it but, not wanting to risk knee injury, decided to try to even out the spacers with one on each side. But then of course the derailer could not shift out of the small ring. So put it back to original. Evened up the Q spacing somewhat with pedal washers to space out her right foot.
So now having removed and re-installed the cranks four times and the BB three times, we got to go for a very nice ride. Unfortunately, noise still there! I am thinking it may be timing chain and/or rings. It's much subdued with all the lube and grease we've been using everywhere. So I am fine until we get home and start replacing drive train and other parts.
I did come up with a description of the noise. It sounds like a loose heat shield on a catalytic converter. It does on the power stroke on both sides.
On the plus side, it was really nice connecting with the owner. She and her husband/co-owner have a very interesting story about how they came to own a bike shop in Kerrville, then recently Fredericksburg. When she said she was from Marblehead Mass I mentioned Tyler Hamilton, and it turns out she used to baby sit him.
Special shout out to Weisan Pal, with whom we connected briefly on day 1, for checking up on us during our travels!
When those cartridge BBs go, sometimes they groan in lower gears (high chain tension), but otherwise feel smooth. I ended up DNFing a mixed terrain 600k this year, as the BB went from almost fine to unbearable over the course of a day.
I replaced it the following day, kicking myself for not doing it before the ride. I had removed the cranks, checked the BB for smoothness and declared it all good. Now it's all smooth with a new BB. I disassembled the old one; it felt fine until I degreased the bearings and then I could feel the grinding.
bart998
01-12-2019, 09:59 PM
Don't forget, if your crank was submerged so were your pedals. Check those bearings.
marciero
01-13-2019, 07:57 AM
...or the captain bb! I did try to troubleshoot and eliminate that though.
Sue, Weisan, me
oldpotatoe
01-13-2019, 08:23 AM
the wheels and bottom brackets were totally submerged during several flooded road stream crossings on dirt roads. Then on the following day, yesterday, we started hearing groaning under load. Pretty sure it's the bb.
After doing all you did..I'll bet it's the rear wheel..what wheel/hub is it?
charliedid
01-13-2019, 08:25 AM
After doing all you did..I'll bet it's the rear wheel..what wheel/hub is it?
Beat me to it...
Someone else also mentioned pedals.
marciero
01-13-2019, 08:54 AM
After doing all you did..I'll bet it's the rear wheel..what wheel/hub is it?
Is a Comotion branded Hugi/DT swiss. I'll bet it's original 2005 too. Would be nice not to have to replace that.
palincss
01-13-2019, 01:16 PM
Is a Comotion branded Hugi/DT swiss. I'll bet it's original 2005 too. Would be nice not to have to replace that.
Have you attempted to service the hub?
marciero
01-14-2019, 09:55 AM
Have you attempted to service the hub?
Have not. The problem is much subdued, and now thinking it may be saddle or some kind of frame/seatpost-type thing after all. The greater concern this point is onset of knee pain from wider and possibly eneven Q, though I have mitigated the unevenness somewhat.
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