riverdrifter

Yes, some of the parts look almost new. Like the brake hangers. The seller wasn't exaggerating when he said no rust.

Here is the rear hub all cleaned up and repacked. I didn't take the sprockets off the freewheel. I just sprayed it out thoroughly with WD40, spun it until everything was clean, then dripped some light oil in.

It's working perfect, although it did before also. The wheel does spin longer now, and interestingly the freewheel is silent now.

riverdrifter

I wrapped a couple rubber bands around the lock ring and gently used channel locks to remove it. It came off super easy.

bikemig 

That's a good looking job; nothing beats riding a bike you've fixed up right.

riverdrifter

Thanks! I had to order a headset wrench, so I'll do that next as soon as it arrives. After that I'll tackle the BB, I'll probably need some guidance for that. What tools will I need for that job?

bikemig 

You'll need one of these to pull the arms off:

https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Com...%2C166&sr=8-16

You should be able to use a metric socket set to pull of the crank bolts (likely a 14 mm).

You'll need a lockring spanner:

https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-109917-HCW-5-Spanner/dp/B000C17KRI/ref=pd_cp_200_4?pd_rd_w=fbEqn&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=PS4Z9V1WGQXPPQXB2XAA&pd_rd_r=eb2acce8-a495-46f9-aea3-e7f46772a0c6&pd_rd_wg=VQ2PP&pd_rd_i=B000C17KRI&psc=1&refRID=PS4Z9V1WGQXPPQXB2XAA

And a pin spanner:

https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-SPA-1-Hanger-Spanner/dp/B001B6RJXI/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=biycycle+adjustable+cup+tool&qid=1564168313&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spell

This is one area where you want a bit of preload. Once you rebuild it with grade 25 ball bearings (run 'em loose so you can fit 11 on a side 1/4 inch), you want to adjust this a little on the tight side.

riverdrifter

Thanks! Do you know of any good tutorials for that style BB? I watched one by RJ the Bike Guy on a 1984 Schwinn LeTour, that's probably pretty close?

bikemig 

Yeah as long as it's a tutorial on a cup and cone bottom bracket, you're good to go.

RJ the bike guy is prolific; he has a lot of different BB tutorials!

By the way, don't do what he did which was to use a cheap retainer with 9 ball bearings. If you have a retainer, you can replace it with 11 1/4 loose ball bearings and use grade 25 ball bearings like these,

https://www.amazon.com/Grade-25-Bearings-Bottle-150/dp/B000AO9K3O/ref=pd_bxgy_3/132-9638974-5994400?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000AO9K3O&pd_rd_r=c54e8982-de2f-447e-8243-6a149915606b&pd_rd_w=DxCrb&pd_rd_wg=W5jgX&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=73D6TK3QBP5SD8Q6N1KF&psc=1&refRID=73D6TK3QBP5SD8Q6N1KF

You'll need 1/4 inch for the BB and rear wheel; 3/16 is usu. the right size for the front wheel. This tool is useful for measuring ball bearings and other stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Spo...g-goods&sr=1-1

A decent set of calipers is useful as well.

Here's one for cup and cone BB:

Hobbiano 

You may want to get a long handled pedal wrench, if you don't already have one. It's a good idea to overhaul the pedals too. The left side pedal has left hand thread. Pedals are often skipped when doing maintenance (I'm guilty). Removing the plastic cap requires some care. Grease the pedal spindle threads into the crank arm when reinstalling, Also, grease the stem and seatpost, clean and grease the threads and the inside of the bottom bracket when putting it back together. You don't really need to remove the fixed cup (left hand thread).

jrozzelle

The Maillaid helicomatic lockring remover is also a spoke wrench AND a bottle opener. You have to get one. It's the coolest dealio. So French. I'd post a picture it mine and pics of my recently acquired 1983 Trek 720 but I'm not allowed yet.

jrozzelle

Andrew at Yellow Jersey sold me mine for ~$20.

madpogue 

The NON-DRIVE side pedal is reverse thread.

The BB probably already has retained bearings, and unless they're damaged, repacking them should suffice. If you have to replace them, the more-loose-bearings option is always there.

I think Andy charged me $15 for the Helicomatic tool, but that was a local pick-up, and we were getting two other bikes worked on.

Isn't it amazing how those Helicomatic dork discs clean up? Seems like every other one from that era is, by now, yellowed, clouded, brittled and cracking, or scratched up. We have a couple of HelicomaTreks, and the dork discs look new enough that I actually put them back on.

Cycle Tourist

Oh man. So glad you did that. The bicycle gods thank you.

Hobbiano 

Thank you for that correction! I guess I'm not as sharp as I think I am at times. I fixed it in my post.

riverdrifter

I got a couple of new tools today! I'll tear that headset down tomorrow and find out what's going on.

riverdrifter

Considering the condition of the grease in the headset (bad) surprisingly the races and bearings are in great shape. The bearings are pretty sticky from the old grease, but I think they will clean up okay. I was surprised to see Tange 4D Made In Japan stamped on the fork. I didn't realize the 620 came with Tange forks.

RVS

sweet i love the old one

riverdrifter

bikemig 

The bike has reynolds 531 CS tubing which is Reynolds 531 main tubes and Reynolds chrome moly fork and rear triangle. I dunno maybe Tange made the fork for Reynolds or maybe this was substituted at the factory. In any case, it's good stuff.

You're going to want to run loose ball bearings for the lower race at least.

Hobbiano 

It's roller bearings.

bikemig 

Yeah it came stock with a stronglight B 10 headset. Roller bearings are great and the headsets are virtually indestructible. It's not a bad idea to replace them from time to time but the OP likely does not need to do that at this point. There is someone on this forum who has been selling them.

riverdrifter

I'm having some problems getting the headset dialed back in. It all cleaned up great, but I can't get the play out of it. When I get it so there is no play, it's super tight, too tight.

riverdrifter

Ah, I may have assembled it incorrectly. I just read a post about how there is a large and a small bearing race, and the size distinction is not obvious. I thought they all were the same. Tear down time again.

Just got it done, and yep, that was it. I had one set of races reversed. It's perfect now.

Hobbiano 

Good to know.

riverdrifter

I read somewhere, maybe vintage-trek, that Tange supplied the forks and rear triangles for the 83-85 500 and 600 series, while the 700 series was all made in house.

dmark 

My 86 400 Elance has 531db main tubes with Tange fork and rear triangle. I believe only the 700 series was entirely built by Trek at that time.