Is my frame toast?

[maryluke]

I was pretty pumped today, the UPS truck dropped off a NOS Eddy Merckx SC today. I took it to my LBS and had them put in the Phil Wood bottom bracket. I got the stainless steel cups because I did not want the alloy cups seizing in the scandium frame. The owner of the bike shop kept saying the cups were going in tighter than he wanted . The drive side cup seized on him and he was unable to move it. He used some silicone and was finally able to get it out, but the threads were flattened. The threads are pretty flat and when you rub your finger over them, there is a noticeable height difference in the flattened threads and the good threads. Can this bottom bracket be re-tapped and salvaged? I am worried that there is not enough bottom bracket material left in the shell to tap out. The shell looks very thin wwhere it is stripped, almost paper thin. I know of a shop 2 hours away that has an italian threaded tap and was wondering if it was worth the drive . Thanks in advance for your help

[Grant McLean]

can you post a photo of the threads?

-g

[maryluke]

I will post some pictures tommorrow. I am just worried because the drive side shell is paper thin, almost to the frame material

[David Kirk]

I assume it's tapped italian at this point eh?

I'd run some taps through it and see how it looks.

Dave

[maryluke]

David, It is italian threaded, I just read an article from Zinn saying that if it was English threaded, you could tap it out with an italian thread, but since it is already italian , you may be out of luck

[jimcav]

even if a good portion are now thin threads with just a few decent threads it will hold. a quality BB like phil wood can last a long time, worst case you seat it on the weak threads with something with more bond than lock tite.
I know guys in the navy machine shop who could drill it out and make an english threaded sleeve to go into it, although we would not be allowed to use the tools for such a purpose.
good luck
jim

[SoCalSteve]

even if a good portion are now thin threads with just a few decent threads it will hold. a quality BB like phil wood can last a long time, worst case you seat it on the weak threads with something with more bond than lock tite.
I know guys in the navy machine shop who could drill it out and make an english threaded sleeve to go into it, although we would not be allowed to use the tools for such a purpose.good luck
jim

Thank you for the great laugh! Really...

Just sayin'

Steve

[J.Greene]

Mavic made some BB's that did not use the threads. I have one and the tool that preps the BB. That is an option for an older frame me thinks.

JG

[handsomerob]

Mavic made some BB's that did not use the threads. I have one and the tool that preps the BB. That is an option for an older frame me thinks.

JG

I have one in my Davidson. It is very smooth and feels just as solid as a "normal" bottom bracket.

BTW, What is that tool called? I have heard that they are pretty scarce nowadays.

[J.Greene]

I have one in my Davidson. It is very smooth and feels just as solid as a "normal" bottom bracket.

BTW, What is that tool called? I have heard that they are pretty scarce nowadays.

a chamfer tool. It's a BB facer that cuts a chamfer into the bb.

JG

[regularguy412]

a chamfer tool. It's a BB facer that cuts a chamfer into the bb.

JG

Is the race/bearing then pressed in? What happens when it needs to be replaced/ serviced? Last question: Are these BBs still available?

The whole thing sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Mike in AR

[TMB]

Is the race/bearing then pressed in? What happens when it needs to be replaced/ serviced? Last question: Are these BBs still available?

The whole thing sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Mike in AR
Check loosescrews.com for the chamfered bb's, I saw some somewhere recently and I think it was there.

To the OP an SC is italian threaded as you confirmed, you should be able to chase the threads with a steel drive side cup, then install your Phil cups with teflon tape on the threads ( use the pink tape if you can as it is thicker and will hold tighter).

If you don't have a steel cup check loosescrews.com for one and if that doesn't work let me know and I will lend you one ( I will need it back because I still use them!)

[handsomerob]

Is the race/bearing then pressed in? What happens when it needs to be replaced/ serviced? Last question: Are these BBs still available?

The whole thing sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Mike in AR

http://www.bikepro.com/products/bottom_brackets/mavic.html

The "Lock Rings" on either side are beveled (as you match with the BB shell).

The BB itself when installed doesn't even touch the threading of the shell.


BTW... I would think/hope that the LBS didn't completely trash the shell and a retapping should work just fine... fingers crossed.

BTW2... the BB is VERY easily adjusted left/right depending on how much you screw the ring in on either side... this is helpful in getting a perfect chainline on a SS/Fixed.

[Too Tall]

Yeah let's see a good pic.
PS - your mechanic is an idiot.

[mister]

so how many threads are messed up? can you have the shop owner chase the threads to the correct italian size adn then see if the phil bb cups fit better...if just a few threads are flattened i doubt it's much to worry about as long as someone can get the bb to accept the phil cups.

[chrisroph]

why didn't it fit right in the first place?

i've never been very impressed with eddy's qc but i like the way the bikes ride.

chase and carefully reinstall. unless something is really effed, it ought to work.

[DarrenCT]

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3184/eggsontoastns4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Kervin]

Sorry to hear what happened. ITL threaded BB on an alloy frame doesn't leave much room for error. To make it rideable, you could try any of tricks above. I think the Mavic BB is the best long term answer. Back in my shop days, if we made that type of error on someones new frame, we would buy them another one.

[TMB]

why didn't it fit right in the first place?

.

My guess is the ham-handed nitwit in the shop cross threaded and came up with an excuse to try and cover.

[mister]

My guess is the ham-handed nitwit in the shop cross threaded and came up with an excuse to try and cover.

yeah. wonder if both cups fit tight.
did the shop guy try both sides?

oh well, anyway. get someone that knows what they are doing to chase your BB threads, you'll probably be ok.

[john segal]

You might want to try this Stronglight BB. Frame doesn't need to chamfered.
118mm axle might be too long for your crank, though.

http://www.melpintoimports.com/bottombrackets/stronglightbb.html

Stronglight*700T Titanium Bottom Bracket
36 x 24 IT
118mm axle length
This is a great replacement cartridge bottom bracket*- for BBs with good threads or bad (they made the Mavic BB - however, the shell does not have to be chamfered like the Mavic).
Made in France.
$169.99