johnggold

I have just been disassembling a 1949 Gents Humber bicycle, and everything was off the frame except thew bottom bracket. Te bicycle was a garage find, and had not been used for well over 35 years.

WD40 had no loosening effect, so as the frame was awfully hand painted and I am going to have it powder coated, I applied a bit of heat.
What looked like water dripped out, and it loosened enough to turn, then froze again. Usually, once loose it keeps loose.

When I looked closer, I realised that the water was in fact lead solder, which had solidified again. I have been restoring vintage bicycles for many years but this is a first. I assume that once I have cleaned all parts I will find the thread had been stripped and this was the solution. It also explains why the frame had to be hand painted as the previous paint would have been burnt.

Has anyone else come across this?


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Velo Mule

No, I had never seen or heard of this. This is bizarre to say the least. It is possible that only one cup is soldered. Since it is possible that only one side of the bottom bracket got stripped threads.

That would also mean that whoever did this would still have to get ball bearings and grease in there after soldering.

Too bad there are no Heli-coils for bottom brackets. Is this the drive side or non-drive side cup? Can you remove the other cup?

johnggold

I assume that you mean by non-drive side, the side opposite the drive chain, and which has a lock ring.

I applied heat to the drive side, and apart from not moving, which is usually the case, no leakage of solder. I too am puzzled by how the lubricant got in. I can only guess that the drive side was screwed on last, but then there would be no lockring to help adjustment.

Normally I would get the bottom bracket re-threaded just in case, and I have lots of spare parts, but Covid-19 means I cant go to my local contact, as I still have to be careful. This is the time when I think I should have bought my own tap!
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JohnDThompson 

There are other options. The shell could be reamed and tapped for Italian threads, and Italian cups used. Or, if you're willing to replace the crank and go cotterless, threadless cartridges could be used.

cudak888 

Or, since the bottom bracket and paint have already been torched, the OP could have the shell filled with brass and tapped to English threads.

-Kurt

aland2

threadless bb

johnggold

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I am wondering now if the solder was applied as a thread filler and then retapped not considering that I would apply heat 30 years on.

I need to keep it with cotter pins as the restore is intendefmd to be as original as possible. I like the Italian cup idea. I dont have any but I know a man who does.
I will post an update and photos.

Charles Wahl

Are no bike shops or constructors open in the Midlands? Many are pretty much open and doing brisk business in NYC, and have been throughout the contagion -- even through the current lockdown + curfew. Seems to me that you ought to be able to get some expert help with this.