#1
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BB on steel frames
I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of
removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. |
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#2
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BB on steel frames
PJay wrote: I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. Grease or antisieze into the BB shell, onto the threads and inside the BB cups on a cart bearing...Can't use too much. Drill a hole, no big deal. We do it all the time on any frame that doesn't have a hole to let H2O escape. |
#3
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BB on steel frames
"Qui si parla Campagnolo" wrote in message ups.com... PJay wrote: I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. Grease or antisieze into the BB shell, onto the threads and inside the BB cups on a cart bearing...Can't use too much. Drill a hole, no big deal. We do it all the time on any frame that doesn't have a hole to let H2O escape. actually, no. use anti seize with moderation on your threads, as too much will help cause your bb to unscrew while riding.( as many people wonder about using locite to fix their bb) you should only need to use antiseize when you have different materials in contact for bb and shell ( to prevent galvanic corrosion ) also for your frame you can spray Pam inside the tubes to cover the insides of the tubes BEFORE you take it out for the 1st time and for drilling, don't. you will let more water in. your frame already has the necessary holes Laz |
#4
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BB on steel frames
Laz Wrote: "Qui si parla Campagnolo" wrote in message ups.com... PJay wrote: I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. Grease or antisieze into the BB shell, onto the threads and inside the BB cups on a cart bearing...Can't use too much. Drill a hole, no big deal. We do it all the time on any frame that doesn't have a hole to let H2O escape. actually, no. use anti seize with moderation on your threads, as too much will help cause your bb to unscrew while riding.( as many people wonder about using locite to fix their bb) you should only need to use antiseize when you have different materials in contact for bb and shell ( to prevent galvanic corrosion ) also for your frame you can spray Pam inside the tubes to cover the insides of the tubes BEFORE you take it out for the 1st time and for drilling, don't. you will let more water in. your frame already has the necessary holes Laz My experience after many years with a few steel and aluminum bikes has been: Regarding drain holes in the bb, when I ride in the rain water gets into the bbshell. I don't know how, but it gets there. With no drain hole, some stays down there. With drain holes the water does not remain in there. So, for as long as I can recall, I drill the BB shells of my and my wife's bikes (one or two 1/4 inch holes) and the bbs stay happy. I bought an expensive, custom made steel frame recently and it came with the bb predrilled. The builder said he drills every one he makes. Good builder. I use lots of grease or teflon thread tape on the bb shell threads. The lube does not encourage unscrewing...at least with the English threaded bbs on my bikes. Grease allows me to tighten the parts smoothly to high enough torque so they do not unscrew. Grease is good. Too much is just messy, but otherwise not bad. Steve -- Steve Shapiro |
#5
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BB on steel frames
PJay wrote:
I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. Drill a 4mm hole. If you want options, tap it M5 so you can plug it with a bolt and just drain the water off periodically (knowing none can get in that way). Thorn do this on their frames. Or just leave it, as any water that gets in will just run out again. On cheaper frames most water gets in via the blowholes in the chainstays (which slope towards the BB) or via a poorly reamed and undergreased seat tube. Anti-seize on either male or female thread will do. PTFE tape also works and can be better if your threads are a little loose. |
#6
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BB on steel frames
On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:05:36 -0500, "Laz" wrote:
actually, no. use anti seize with moderation on your threads, as too much will help cause your bb to unscrew while riding. Bull, BB threads tend to fasten themselves when riding. Well, unless you have an Italian frame. Jasper |
#7
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BB on steel frames
Zog The Undeniable wrote:
PJay wrote: I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. Drill a 4mm hole. If you want options, tap it M5 so you can plug it with a bolt and just drain the water off periodically (knowing none can get in that way). Thorn do this on their frames. Or just leave it, as any water that gets in will just run out again. On cheaper frames most water gets in via the blowholes in the chainstays (which slope towards the BB) or via a poorly reamed and undergreased seat tube. Good point. My TCR has open-ended dropouts (basically a 8mm hole) that feed into chainstays, all the way to the bottom bracket. In other words, I can see the center of my bottom bracket from outside the bike. -- Phil, Squid-in-Training |
#8
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BB on steel frames
On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:05:36 -0500, Laz wrote:
actually, no. use anti seize with moderation on your threads, as too much will help cause your bb to unscrew while riding.( as many people wonder about using locite to fix their bb) you should only need to use antiseize when you have different materials in contact for bb and shell ( to prevent galvanic corrosion ) No. Anti-seize does _not_ cause your bottom-bracket to unscrew. Silly notion. also for your frame you can spray Pam inside the tubes to cover the insides of the tubes BEFORE you take it out for the 1st time Pam? Are you planning to bake a cake inside your frame? You don't need any sort of spray on the inside. Take a look at my (or anyone's) 35-year-old frame to see how little rust builds up inside. and for drilling, don't. you will let more water in. your frame already has the necessary holes The holes you apparently are referring to are to allow hot air to escape while welding/brazing. -- David L. Johnson __o | Become MicroSoft-free forever. Ask me how. _`\(,_ | (_)/ (_) | |
#9
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BB on steel frames
"Laz" wrote in message ... "Qui si parla Campagnolo" wrote in message ups.com... PJay wrote: I have a steel framed (mountain bike) and am getting into the habit of removing the BB every so often to clean up and re-grease the threads to avoid it seizing. Whilst applying copper grease to the threads of the BB shell I have also smeared a layer of copper grease around the inside of the shell itself for protection. I was wondering whether this is ok or should I just leave the metal bare? I know that it is often recommended that you drill a small (5mmish) hole in the bottom of the BB shell to allow water to drain but as I'm pretty new to maintenance I really don't feel comfortable taking a drill to my frame. I can always remove the seatpost and perhaps store the bike upside down after a wet ride. I was just wondering whether copper greasing the inside of the shell is a good idea or not. Grease or antisieze into the BB shell, onto the threads and inside the BB cups on a cart bearing...Can't use too much. Drill a hole, no big deal. We do it all the time on any frame that doesn't have a hole to let H2O escape. actually, no. use anti seize with moderation on your threads, as too much will help cause your bb to unscrew while riding.( as many people wonder about using locite to fix their bb) you should only need to use antiseize when you have different materials in contact for bb and shell ( to prevent galvanic corrosion ) also for your frame you can spray Pam inside the tubes to cover the insides of the tubes BEFORE you take it out for the 1st time and for drilling, don't. you will let more water in. your frame already has the necessary holes Laz Spring for a can of Frame Saver and forget the cooking oil spray...unless you're concerned about edibility, of course. BTW, in my universe, gravity causes water to fall out of the hole in the BB shell, not enter it (net, of course). Cal |
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