Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic

[BaGearA]

41 minutes ago, MrJacques said:

Saw this gap while washing my bike. I recently swapped handlebars and check headset bearings. I'm wondering if I put everything back together correctly. I should take more photos before taking things apart. I took one of the cable routing, but not of this part.

It feels fine, turns freely and there's no knocking. I've also seen photos online of other bikes with the same gap. I'm probably going to take it apart again just to be sure.

You very likely have a cane creek crown race which has a very high stack.

 

I think its just holding your bearing a fair way up and that's creating this kind of gap you see there.

 

 

[MrJacques]

Just now, BaGearA said:

You very likely have a cane creek crown race which has a very high stack.

 

I think its just holding your bearing a fair way up and that's creating this kind of gap you see there.

 

 

It's a Suntour AION, not sure it would have a Cane Creek race, but maybe something similar. Thanks.

[ChrisF]

Question time .... hoping to learn from the collective experience on the Hub.

 

Busy with a strip down and rebuild of a MTB.

 

It was quickly noted this bike has done a couple of muddy rides, and have not been rebuilt since ....

 

Interesting to see the REAR WHEEL :

- LEFT side - bearing in good condition and the grease looking good.

- RIGHT side --- water ingress, sings of surface rust on the free body  bearings dirty, grease looking seriously degraded.

 

First time I saw such a discrepancy between left an right.

 

 

QUESTION - The BB was rough, so I opened it up ... water in the bottom of the BB  It is possible that this is from washing the bike before putting it on the bike stand.  Still, this would mean water can get in with each wash or wet ride ...

 

 

Your thoughts on drilling a drainage hole in the bottom of the BB ?

 

Yes, BB bearings also shot ....

 

 

 

The steering tube top bearing is shot, the bottom still looking good ....

 

 

 

PS - cup and cone bearings for the wheels, sealed bearings for the BB

Edited February 18 by ChrisF

[RobertWhitehead]

52 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

 

Your thoughts on drilling a drainage hole in the bottom of the BB:

yes, if it is your own bike and you want to extend the life of the components then definitely. 

PS: the water also enters from the seat post 

PPS: fun fact, there's a main stream manufacturer that up until as late as 2019 did not include a drainage hole on their 50-80k carbon models, the result: cracks around the pivots like clockwork. I've done quite a few of these suckers in the last year or so and I tell this to the new owner almost as a first point action when he / she takes ownership of their new steed. 

Edited February 18 by RobertWhitehead
Sommer

[ChrisF]

Baie dankie Robert

 

 

What size woul you recommend ?  3mm?

 

Right at the bottom, or slightly to the back ?

[RobertWhitehead]

41 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Baie dankie Robert

 

 

What size woul you recommend ?  3mm?

 

Right at the bottom, or slightly to the back ?

Plesier, my suggestion: right at the bottom and yes a 3 will suffice. Come to think of it wonder if a bigger hole would have a negative effect on the frame / BB. 

But I tend to remember the older entry level frames had that piece of plastic guide under the BB which used a 3-4mm screw to fasten. 

[madmarc]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

Baie dankie Robert

 

 

What size woul you recommend ?  3mm?

 

Right at the bottom, or slightly to the back ?

I drilled all my frames with a 4 mm hole must be ctr to make sure all the water drains properly - I also blow compressed air through the hole when i clean my bikes and when you install the BB give the internals a good coating of grease - I strip my BB every 6 months and clean it out. 

By the time people realize there is something wrong with their BB its too late4 and almost always because of moisture

[MrJacques]

A possible explanation for the right vs left. Maybe someone applied degreaser on the chain / cassette and that worked its way past the seals and into the bearings. Or they just did more thorough washings for that side.

I've also had a left / right bearing go bad while the other one was fine. I don't recall which side, but might have been in the freehub.

 

 

[Wyatt Earp]

On 5/23/2023 at 5:30 PM, MrJacques said:

 

The big lesson here, never trust the mechanic before, as in NEVER .

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Wyatt Earp said:

The big lesson here, never trust the mechanic before, as in NEVER .

 

That is entertaining and IMPRESSIVE 

[DJR]

16 hours ago, Wyatt Earp said:

The big lesson here, never trust the mechanic before, as in NEVER .

I'm impressed

[Alouette3]

@Droo, you up for the challenge?

[Wyatt Earp]

15 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

That is entertaining and IMPRESSIVE 

I haven’t been working on bikes that long.

But in 36 years I’ve had of doing so, I’ve learnt not to trust many.

[MrJacques]

Shimano chainring bolts use a T30 torx bolt and you need a decent amount of force to loosen them. Guessing it's the threadlock they used. You need strong properly fitting torx keys or you're likely to strip the torx keys and possibly damage the bolts.

Also not sure if the advice the LBS gave me about not needing spacers for the chainline is correct, but I'll see when I fit the cranks with the new chainring.

[splat]

2 hours ago, MrJacques said:

Shimano chainring bolts use a T30 torx bolt and you need a decent amount of force to loosen them. Guessing it's the threadlock they used. You need strong properly fitting torx keys or you're likely to strip the torx keys and possibly damage the bolts.

I had sparks fly when those bolts came loose.
Got a proper fright, I did!

[Ant in the NL]

Howzit, wanna change my 32t chainring to a 36t which is paired with a 11 - 50t cassette. Do I need to replace the current standard 1 x 12 chain as well? Need to order online as the LBS here can do the fitting but not the purchase of the parts. Mainly riding flat roads here on my 29er that I fitted hybrid tyres to so I figured the 36t would be a good upgrade. @RobertWhitehead