BB cable guide removal...

[tbushnel]

I have a steel frame with braze-on BB cable guides. They seem to cause way too much friction and they are too small in diameter (tubes) to allow much more than the cable to go through. I was going to dremel them off, drill and tap a hole for a modern "plastic" cable guide (with of course some mismatching touch-up paint).

Any reason I shouldn't do this, or anyone have another idea? The friction really has been disturbing the zen of friction shifting for me. :crap:

Ted.

[cpg]

Before doing that it would be worth just drilling the holes slightly larger to accomodate a plastic cable liner to fit through. This will greatly reduce the friction and will eliminate the need to paint. Good luck. It's an easy fix.

Curt

[Bob Ross]

Before doing that it would be worth just drilling the holes slightly larger to accomodate a plastic cable liner to fit through. This will greatly reduce the friction and will eliminate the need to paint.


Are these "plastic cable liners" the ones found inside shifter cable housings, or are you referring to some off-the-shelf part specifically designed to do exactly what's being described in this thread?

[cpg]

I believe they're off the shelf parts but they are the same thing as you described. It's the plastic liner inside shifter cables.

Curt

[Too Tall]

Sounds like you have a welded "noodle"? Can you take a pic? I had a similar setup on my Clark Kent and partially solved it by removing the non bearing side of the "noodle" where possible to allow me to pass some grit + cable thru to basically polish it out some...worked nice. Before you hack it up let's see what you got.

[tbushnel]

or short lengths of small diameter metal tubes brazed (I guess) to the BB. I will snap a pick tonight.
thanks,
ted.

[tbushnel]

Well my memory if failing somewhat. The first pic is of my Panasonic BB which is what I was thinking of when I first posted. The second is of my Tanaka BB which is the bike I really want to improve the shifting on. These tubes may actually be amenable to reaming/polishing.
Ted.

[thejen12]

Can you file off the tops of the cable guides so they are not fully enclosed? Then they would be more like grooves than tunnels. Just wondering if that would help your situation.

Jenn

[cpg]

Clean it up. Try the plastic cable liners like I mentioned earlier. Most likely will take care of the problem. If the liners won't fit then sand the ID of the tubes to remove the paint. Then see if the liners will fit. Try it in that order before filing willy nilly. That way the paint stays intact at least mostly. This is generally an easy fix.

Curt

[mosca]

The photo of the Tanaka looks like the ends of the tubes may have been crushed slightly from an impact? Hard to tell for sure, but maybe that's causing the extra friction.

Also, the "noodle" from a v-brake has a very thin plastic liner that could be perfect for this situation. Check it out.

[samcat]

Clean the surrounding areas, too.

Then apply beeswax to the areas around the guides, front and rear, and to the cables. The stuff is slick and it won't attract muck, or let crud stick to the waxed areas.

Repeat a couple of times a year, or PRN if you're riding 'cross.

Should solve the problem.

PH

[musgravecycles]

What Curt said. I keep Nokon teflon liner around just for this purpose. Any LBS can pick it up from QBP.

[Too Tall]

Nothing like a good pic. thanks :) That'll will clean up nice.

[Louis]

WWJD ? (What would Jack do?)

Sell it.