Campagnolo Ultra crank, bearing?

[bobvelo]

Good day, I wanted to ask as to common practice. Used campy Ultra torque, crankset. Do we ALWAYS replace bearings or spin, check, toss a coin? Best;

[Black Dog]

If it spins smoothly then clean it, grease it, and ride it.

[torelli]

Get in the habit of taking crankset off every so often to check. The non drive side bearing tends to go first. For me the bearings last around 5K miles or so.

[bobvelo]

Ok, will do thanks for the help!

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

If it spins smoothly then clean it, grease it, and ride it.

If a cult I think you oil it??

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by robt57

If a cult I think you oil it??

Use grease...great barrier between inside and out. Although races, cups/cones of bearings are hardened(still steel), getting crud between very hard ceramic ball and steel cup/cone can still kill it.

[flying]

Originally Posted by torelli

For me the bearings last around 5K miles or so.

Wow 5k miles that seems very short

[Viewer]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Use grease...great barrier between inside and out. Although races, cups/cones of bearings are hardened(still steel), getting crud between very hard ceramic ball and steel cup/cone can still kill it.

It's pointless. All grease does to a CULT bearing is trap muck. There aren't any true seals on the CULT bearings so gunk is going to find a way in. The beauty of the CULT bearings is the super hard races and cones. Any muck is going to get ground up and out of the way in short order.

All I have ever done with CULT crank bearings to clean them is fire in degreaser, hose them out, dry them and add a few drops of gearbox oil. Multiple cranksets and tens of thousands of miles later and they remain as new.

The cronitect based bearings (CULT included) are designed to run unlubricated in saline and slurry environments. They are essentially unkillable.

All my UT cranks get a CULT bearing upgrade for that reason.

[Viewer]

Originally Posted by Viewer

The cronitect based bearings (CULT included) are designed to run unlubricated in saline and slurry environments. They are essentially unkillable.

It is also why I always install CULT bearings into my hubs. Salty winter roads and dry, dusty summer gravel roads have zero effect on them.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Viewer

It's pointless. All grease does to a CULT bearing is trap muck. There aren't any true seals on the CULT bearings so gunk is going to find a way in. The beauty of the CULT bearings is the super hard races and cones. Any muck is going to get ground up and out of the way in short order.

All I have ever done with CULT crank bearings to clean them is fire in degreaser, hose them out, dry them and add a few drops of gearbox oil. Multiple cranksets and tens of thousands of miles later and they remain as new.

The cronitect based bearings (CULT included) are designed to run unlubricated in saline and slurry environments. They are essentially unkillable.

All my UT cranks get a CULT bearing upgrade for that reason.

Disagree and grease is a wonderful 'seal..as you mentioned, the 'seals' of UT bearings aren't the best AND SR, have no seals in the cups at all.

Yes, very hard steel but not harder than ceramic balls. I have changed MANY Cult and USB bearings with steel ones after they go south in short order.

YMMV and all that..have seen LOTS of these BBs 'in the trenches' of my LBS.

It is also why I always install CULT bearings into my hubs. Salty winter roads and dry, dusty summer gravel roads have zero effect on them.

Do you change the cones and cups to CULT type? Glad it works for you but 'standard' hub cones and cups are not hardened steel.

[Viewer]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Do you change the cones and cups to CULT type? Glad it works for you but 'standard' hub cones and cups are not hardened steel.

Of course I change the cups and cones. I stated I installed CULT bearings, did I not? Don't treat people like idiots.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by Viewer

Of course I change the cups and cones. I stated I installed CULT bearings, did I not? Don't treat people like idiots.

easy there cowboy, it was just a question, and it's entirely conceivable to just replace the balls, and not the cups/cones if they are in good shape.

[Viewer]

That wouldn't be installing CULT bearings. What I wrote is unambiguous.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

easy there cowboy, it was just a question, and it's entirely conceivable to just replace the balls, and not the cups/cones if they are in good shape.

Yup

CULT/USB bearings and CULT 'kit'..

Just a question...

[duff_duffy]

Incorrect. I interpreted your response differently, so by definition you are wrong. Now go chill.

Originally Posted by Viewer

That wouldn't be installing CULT bearings. What I wrote is unambiguous.