seized bottom bracket cup

[pmwoodward]

Hi, I have recently bought a Gary Fisher Mt Tam. Alum frame... The BB spindle does not spin freely and the Adjusting cup is seized... Electrolosis is probably to blame... Penetrating oil, heating and other means of persuation have failed for me... Can someone recommend a good shop for this VERY stubborn BB cup? Or is there someone on this forum who is confident that they can remove it? I am willing to pay either way...

thanks, Paul

Papa Wheelies Bike Shop, Portsmouth, NH
Ask For Steve...
No Guarantees.....I have had excellent success in the past...
I'm there mon,tues,wed,sat
10-6pm
603-427-2060
Here is a link for the map to the shop
http://backbaybicycles.com/site/map.cfm?ID=3

[Tim]

If you have a bench vise, you can do the job as well as the shop can. Clamp the remover in the vise, then stick the whole bike on top and use it as a lever. You may want to have a helper press the bike down onto the remover as well.
If it won't come out that way, it probably won't come out without ruining the frame anyway. Don't know where you're located, but I'd be happy to help if you stop by my house (Berlin MA).


Tim

[knucklebuste]

Be careful with the cup remover tool. Also, make sure your turning it the proper direction to loosen it. I think the drive side cup is L-loose R-tight and the non-drive-side is R-Loose L-tight or something like that. Spark would be able to tell ya. Be careful with the removal tool. Ya strip ya cup, ya screwed.
Remedy
A. Make sure you know which direction loosens it
B. Have someone hold the tool firmly against the cup
C. Get a breaker bar like 2-3' on the cup removal tool for leverage. It will come loose.

Knuck

[pmwoodward]

thanks for all the advice... I am turning it the correct direction... I am using only a propane burner... MAP gas would definately get hotter... The cup is removed with a 'pin spanner'... I have the Park tool but, it is going to need a whole lot more torque to get off than the pin spanner tool can give... I have gound the edges on the 2 opposite sides and tried the vise trick, but being alone, it popped out...

Tim, I work in Maynard... Berlin is not far... Do you have MAP gas? I'd be happy to pay you for your help...

Steve, Portsmouth is a bit of a hike for me, but worth the trip if all else fails for me...

Paul

[bike187]

i know you said you have tried penetrating oil but i would like to mention PV blaster. you can get it at lappens. it work awesome. i too had a stuck bb cup once and it worked.
repeatively spray pv blaster at the cup while the bike is on it's side and tap it with something metal to help vibrate it into it. let that sit, then turn the bike on teh other side and try to get the inside of bb cup. then get the park bb tool, and a socket wrench, as well a a leverage pipe to slip over teh wrench. make sure you press the tool in straight and keep pressure on it to keep it.

once you get the cup out, make sure to take it to a good shop and get the bb threads retapped.

this is all assuming you have a metal bb cup. if you have one of those cheapos plastic bb cups, you could try precisely sawing through it with a fine tooth hacksaw. be very careful and go super slow. once you get signifigantly through, try to snap the cup with a flathead screwdriver. this could work with a metal cup as well if you're super careful not to cut teh bb shell. if might actually work better if you make multiple cups so the cup can collapse on itself a bit more easily.

if you do bring it to a shop, try to bring it to a gary fisher dealer. maybe they could pull some strings and possible get you hooked up a free/discount frame due to improper bb machining or something.

when you put in the new bb, after you've tapped the threads, make sure you thread thread it in correctly and put plenty of grease on it.always back thread it a few turns then hand turn it forward several threads by hand to make sure it sets up thread to thread correctly

good luck

[C.P.]

Older Aluminum Frame/steel BB - sounds like electrolysis has set in. It's been a while since I've tried this method, since all my but my oldest bike(s) have cartridge style BB,s.
I hope you'll be replacing that old adjustable cup BB.
You mention "spin freely" - does it turn at all?
Before you read any further, this method requires that it at least turn - read on if so.

First a few caviats before you attempt this method.
-You've got to have a park style adjustable pin spanner
-you've already removed the lockring from the adjustable cup.
-you don't care if this BB goes in the trash, or you possibly destroy the pin spanner.
-You have the old cranks and the remaining parts from the BB and can install them.

First - reinstall the BB axle, bearings and fixed cup. they don't have to be perfect or adjusted enough to ride with, just enough that the BB axle will turn.
Next - lay the pin spanner on the adjustable cup (no lockring)
Then - re-install the crank arm over the pin spanner so that it holds the pin spanner in place. Try to align the pin spanner with the crank arm so they are parallel. Tighten the crank arm so the pin spanner is snug.
Now - secure the bike frame and wrap your paws around crank arm/pin spanner and torque away. If you have the option of putting a 4' pipe over the crankarm/pin spanner - the extra torque will benefit. You can re-try your heat and penetrating oil methods at this point too.

If you cant get crank arm to seat with pin spanner on, or you fear damage to the crank arm, a pile of large thick washers tightening the pin spanner down using the crankarm bolt/nut (depending on type of BB), and a long pipe over the spanner will work if you fear you'll be destoying your cranks.

C.P.

I live in North Easton MA if you want to bring it by...

[pmwoodward]

thanks again for the advice. I think I will try the PV blaster and MAP gas torch. I had previously tried only a propane torch.

C.P. I could not quite follow your instructions to reinstall the BB axle, bearings and fixed cup. The cup not coming of is keeping me from getting them out in the first place. The Park pin spanner is useless at this point. I am going to need to apply about 100X the force that the tool can handle.

Obviously electrolysis at work here. I think at this point, if the PV blaster and the MAP torch cannot get it off, it is time to bring it to a shop.

thanks again, Paul