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

[MrJacques]

8 minutes ago, droo said:

"A DIY solution" is a very broad spectrum, I haven't seen what you're capable of... no offence meant, but I've seen some questionable work in my time.

But yes, getting it in straight is the most important bit. And the easiest thing to break in the process is the sleeve between the two cups, which will go out of alignment if a mouse farts in the next room.

This is one of those jobs that I'd say either get the tool or get the LBS to do it for you. Unless you have a carpenter's bench vise, which is about the only non-standard tool I can think of with big enough parallel jaws to get the job done.

Thanks. I'll need to think about whether I'm going to try to install a new one myself.

After getting the RH one out I managed to get the left one out using a pvc pipe which was just the right size for the job. It might be stuck in the pipe now 😅



Is there a significant difference between the MT500 and MT800 / SMBB7141 ones? Is it worth the extra cost? I might not have much of a choice as the lbs doesn't have the cheaper one. And I'm not 100% sure which the correct one is.

[MORNE]

When i still chose to mess about with Press Fit BB’s….I used these:

essentially turns a press fit shell into a threaded one by expanding that sleeve as you crank it down in there. Worked well enough and never had creaks. Lasted well too and are fully serviceable. 

But yea, these days if a frame is not BSA i don't even consider it as an option when im shopping. 

On a different but related home spanner note, i finally got me a set of press, extractor tools and drifts to do my pivot bearings myself. Once a shops does it more than twice it becomes close to what these bad boys cost. So decided to take the plunge. Also, tools are nice. 

I also did my first 50h suspension services this december. It was annoyingly simple, cant believe it took me this long to try it myself haha.  Same with dropper services. But I enjoy working on my stuff and don't have 2 left hands either.  I acknowledge not everyone has the time or patients though. 

Im virtually now emancipated from bikeshops - except for bleeding fork dampers or doing full services on rear shocks. That I’ll leave to the guys with the speciality tools and knowhow (for now😅)

[MrJacques]

Similar to this one. A bit expensive, but probably worth it depending on how long a BB lasts and how often it needs to be replaced.

@MORNE  What brand / model are the pivot tools?

[MORNE]

2 hours ago, MrJacques said:

Similar to this one. A bit expensive, but probably worth it depending on how long a BB lasts and how often it needs to be replaced.

@MORNE  What brand / model are the pivot tools?

Brought them in from the UK. They make bike model specific ‘sets’ so you don't end up buying a set with 400 drifts you don't really need. The set for my bike is for 4 bearing sizes and i included extra drifts (you can buy them loose) for wheel/hub bearings. All the ones i need on my current bike. Thought it was a good way to buy what i need now and then eventually just ad extra drifts as needed. 

https://www.bearingprotools.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqEKZ_8xkO8tQjZ1MBer4XAamgiYWLzLcFT1-F64lSr-iwij71E

[love2fly]

5 hours ago, MORNE said:

When i still chose to mess about with Press Fit BB’s….I used these:

essentially turns a press fit shell into a threaded one by expanding that sleeve as you crank it down in there. Worked well enough and never had creaks. Lasted well too and are fully serviceable. 

But yea, these days if a frame is not BSA i don't even consider it as an option when im shopping. 

On a different but related home spanner note, i finally got me a set of press, extractor tools and drifts to do my pivot bearings myself. Once a shops does it more than twice it becomes close to what these bad boys cost. So decided to take the plunge. Also, tools are nice. 

I also did my first 50h suspension services this december. It was annoyingly simple, cant believe it took me this long to try it myself haha.  Same with dropper services. But I enjoy working on my stuff and don't have 2 left hands either.  I acknowledge not everyone has the time or patients though. 

Im virtually now emancipated from bikeshops - except for bleeding fork dampers or doing full services on rear shocks. That I’ll leave to the guys with the speciality tools and knowhow (for now😅)

I converted my Cannondale Supersix Evo to the Wheels Manufacturing thread together similar to the above.

The issue I encountered I'd that they use thin o rings where the ends fit into the frame and then the cream is back.

I replace them but also adds very thin o ring where the flat part faces against the frame.

That gives me 6 months of silence....

[MORNE]

2 hours ago, love2fly said:

I converted my Cannondale Supersix Evo to the Wheels Manufacturing thread together similar to the above.

The issue I encountered I'd that they use thin o rings where the ends fit into the frame and then the cream is back.

I replace them but also adds very thin o ring where the flat part faces against the frame.

That gives me 6 months of silence....

Death to press fit BB’s!!! 

[love2fly]

7 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Death to press fit BB’s!!! 

Many will say that a PF BB properly installed is good but I'm not sure....

[NotSoBigBen]

I have varied success with PF BB's in a few of my bikes ....

Specialized Tarmac .... Fitted, done over 11000k's and been quiet, not a problem, still going strong! Very occasionally (twice I think) serviced the bearings but that's about it

Look 675 .... That BB noise (almost from new) initially drove me to drink! Due to some Di2 issues I had to remove and replace it a few times which also didn't help. I have taken to putting 3 spots of Epoxy on each side when fitting and that has solved it for me 😎 , now at just over 5500k's - it's my 'race' bike so also clearly not ridden as much 

A small detail but these are both BB30 ... I just use those 'reducer' adapters to run standard Shimano cranks

Specialized Epic S-Works .... During the initial build Grumpy ( @GrahamW ) at the The Workshop advised to use a Wheels Mfg BB adapter so I could run my Shimano crank using the appropriate threaded external cups ... Bloody good advice, over the years I changed to a SRAM crank and it only needed a change to the drive side bearing! I had done over 6000k's on it when just recently I bought an S-Works BB30 carbon crank off a friend ... Removed the Wheels Mfg Adapter and fitted PF cups. Up to now it has been good touch 🪵, probably only done about 300k's since then. Again a 'race' bike so doesn't get used that much. I however will keep that adapter close by just in case

My 2 workhorse training Trek Superflys ( 1 aluminium and 1 carbon) both have PF BB's that have worked flawlessly and quieter than a church mouse! With 6000 and 5000k's on them respectively ... On these I just service the bearings, meaning I remove the seal and push in some extra fresh grease now and then

Just thought I'd share my PF BB experience ... In general I'd say pretty good but when it's been an issue like with the Look it can make a man 'so kwaad ek borsvoed sommer 'n krokodil'!

 

[MORNE]

4 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

I have varied success with PF BB's in a few of my bikes ....

Specialized Tarmac .... Fitted, done over 11000k's and been quiet, not a problem, still going strong! Very occasionally (twice I think) serviced the bearings but that's about it

Look 675 .... That BB noise (almost from new) initially drove me to drink! Due to some Di2 issues I had to remove and replace it a few times which also didn't help. I have taken to putting 3 spots of Epoxy on each side when fitting and that has solved it for me 😎 , now at just over 5500k's - it's my 'race' bike so also clearly not ridden as much 

A small detail but these are both BB30 ... I just use those 'reducer' adapters to run standard Shimano cranks

Specialized Epic S-Works .... During the initial build Grumpy ( @GrahamW ) at the The Workshop advised to use a Wheels Mfg BB adapter so I could run my Shimano crank using the appropriate threaded external cups ... Bloody good advice, over the years I changed to a SRAM crank and it only needed a change to the drive side bearing! I had done over 6000k's on it when just recently I bought an S-Works BB30 carbon crank off a friend ... Removed the Wheels Mfg Adapter and fitted PF cups. Up to now it has been good touch 🪵, probably only done about 300k's since then. Again a 'race' bike so doesn't get used that much. I however will keep that adapter close by just in case

My 2 workhorse training Trek Superflys ( 1 aluminium and 1 carbon) both have PF BB's that have worked flawlessly and quieter than a church mouse! With 6000 and 5000k's on them respectively ... On these I just service the bearings, meaning I remove the seal and push in some extra fresh grease now and then

Just thought I'd share my PF BB experience ... In general I'd say pretty good but when it's been an issue like with the Look it can make a man 'so kwaad ek borsvoed sommer 'n krokodil'!

 

Im sure someone will correct me but I was under the impression that the whole epoxy PF BB thing was a common spez (carbon frame) practise - there was even mos that thread a few years ago about the guy and the spez shop and his cracked BB due to workshop error. 
 

As already mentioned, i also never had issues with the bike i had that used a PF42 standard with shimano reducing cups.
 

Also, i only use Wheels Mfg bb’s these days. I have them on all my bikes. They are worth their weight in gold. The dub one on my enduro bike has ~7000km on it and it spins as smooth and free as the day i put it in. Their seals are just amazing. 

 

[NotSoBigBen]

4 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Im sure someone will correct me but I was under the impression that the whole epoxy PF BB thing was a common spez (carbon frame) practise - there was even mos that thread a few years ago about the guy and the spez shop and his cracked BB due to workshop error. 
 

As already mentioned, i also never had issues with the bike i had that used a PF42 standard with shimano reducing cups.
 

Also, i only use Wheels Mfg bb’s these days. I have them on all my bikes. They are worth their weight in gold. The dub one on my enduro bike has ~7000km on it and it spins as smooth and free as the day i put it in. Their seals are just amazing. 

 

I do recall that ... in my case both the Specialized's have been fine *searches desperately for wood nearby to touch*

[MrJacques]

On 1/21/2025 at 12:21 PM, droo said:

"A DIY solution" is a very broad spectrum, I haven't seen what you're capable of... no offence meant, but I've seen some questionable work in my time.

But yes, getting it in straight is the most important bit. And the easiest thing to break in the process is the sleeve between the two cups, which will go out of alignment if a mouse farts in the next room.

This is one of those jobs that I'd say either get the tool or get the LBS to do it for you. Unless you have a carpenter's bench vise, which is about the only non-standard tool I can think of with big enough parallel jaws to get the job done.

You weren't kidding about the sleeve! After pressing in both sides I saw it went in skew. Thankfully it didn't break (although I would have had the old one as a spare), and I was able to tap the right side of the BB out without any noticeable damage to the bearing. Managed to get it in straight on the 2nd try and the cranks turn smoothly

Edited January 30, 2025 by MrJacques

[Eugene]

I learned this weekend that if you install a new derailleur hanger, you should also check your high low settings. 

Changed into the largest cog whilst on the road and derailleur whacked straight into the spokes and broke at least one. 

I was so angry with myself for not checking. Replacing a spoke is beyond my expertise as a home mechanic

[MrJacques]

11 hours ago, Eugene said:

I learned this weekend that if you install a new derailleur hanger, you should also check your high low settings. 

Changed into the largest cog whilst on the road and derailleur whacked straight into the spokes and broke at least one. 

I was so angry with myself for not checking. Replacing a spoke is beyond my expertise as a home mechanic

I would not have thought about checking the limits when replacing a hanger. I assume the old one was skew / broke and may have thrown out the settings? Or maybe the new one installed differently? I think at least one of the limit screws presses against the hanger.

[Dexter-morgan]

Well, here is my bit of embarrassing experience. I had to install a new bottom bracket om my Trek Top Fuel and ended up Cross threading the Drive side, when it became a bit difficult to screw in I thought it was the blue-thread lock that was on it, it was only as mission to remove, clean the threads properly and get it in 100% straight, after some choice words I managed to get both sides in properly.

[MrJacques]

3 hours ago, Dexter-morgan said:

Well, here is my bit of embarrassing experience. I had to install a new bottom bracket om my Trek Top Fuel and ended up Cross threading the Drive side, when it became a bit difficult to screw in I thought it was the blue-thread lock that was on it, it was only as mission to remove, clean the threads properly and get it in 100% straight, after some choice words I managed to get both sides in properly.

Pressfit solves this

[NotSoBigBen]

13 minutes ago, MrJacques said:

Pressfit solves this

And then adds squeaking and creaking some say 🤪