onespeedbiker

Today was the second time I repacked some cartridge bearings with good results. The first time was the rear axle bearings on a Vuelta XRP wheelset and today it was the bearings in a set of ATAC pedals. What say you? Repack or replace?

DannoXYZ 

I do that occasionally. Especially if the bearing is difficult to remove and replace. Gently pry off the seal with a tiny flat screwdriver. Use an injector needle with a grease-gun to push grease in from the back side. When it starts oozing out the front, move needle to another spot and repeat. After the bearing's packed, pop the seal back on and wipe off excess grease.

onespeedbiker

I take it much farther than that. I remove the bearing, pry off both seals (usually with an exacto knife; the seals come off surprisingly easily and replace the same) and then flush with WD40 (my new favorite caramel (oil+moister) remover). Inspect that the bearing is still intact inside, re grease and re-assemble. It may sound easier to just replace the bearings, but in both cases I was in a hurry; SFSG

Hairy Hands

FSA has a video on cleaning and repacking ceramic bearings.. They soak the bearings in Simple Green to clean and then repack with a Ceramic infused grease.

Kimmo

Loose balls.

HillRider

Chris King headsets have cartridge bearings that are not user replacable but their owner's sheet gives explicit directions on how to remove the seals and relube them.

apollored

Am having lots of trouble with my BB and have had to strip it down and clean it every week.

There is usually lots of rusty coloured liquid in it and I have had to clean that out and repack with grease which worked fine for a while but ride in the rain at all and the knocking and rolling started up again.

My bike club mechanic said there was water getting in down the seatpost which he said was wrongly positioned as the hollow open end was under the saddle which had been repositioned recently so I dont know if the post was wrongly positioned then or had always been like that.#

Anyway he said a couple of bearings were worn and he replaced the lot and took out the cup which had housed them.

He then packed the whole hub with loads of grease and fitted the bearings in the grease to see if that would solve the problem.

I then took the bike on a 40 mile ride which included lots of puddles and mud and lo and behold its knocking like mad again after being nice and smooth.

I have booked it in with Halfords for a cartridge BB to be fitted but could there be any other reason for this problem?

Thanks

HillRider

What you are experiencing is highly unusual even with frequent rides in the rain. Somehow much more than the normal amount of water is getting into your bottom bracket. An open top seatpost will certainly let a lot of water into the frame so, if that's what you have, replace it immediately.

apollored

Yes will certainly check it out tomorrow at bike club.

My mech says it might be upside down dont know how that might have happened but hopefully if I get there early enough and he isnt busy then he can take it off and look at it.

Be no point getting a new BB if it will still get that wet

Airburst

What model is the bike? I assume you got it from Halfords, from the fact that they're willing to work on it, and I've seen some dreadful BBs on the lower-end Halfords bikes that occasionally turn up at the community bike shop I volunteer at.

apollored

Its an Apollo Revival which I've had for 11 years and its only in the last year that I've started having problems with it, squealing brakes, knocking BB etc.

Its probably starting to wear now or it might be that I am doing lots more intensive riding on it on muddy and wet trails which I didnt really do before, it was mainly on road riding before.

Where do you volunteer just out of interest?

Only my bike club is a community run bike shop as well

dddd

I recommend a Shimano UN5X cartridge bottom bracket as the very most economical long-term fix for this.

The cost of the bb shouldn't much exceed the cost of another short-lived rebuild, I find these bb's online for under $20(USD).

Water cannot enter from the seat tube into the cartridge, and the outside seals are quite good unless you blasted them with high-pressure water. Many lengths are available.

Good luck keeping the old wheels turning, a bottom bracket should not cause so much need for tinkering imo.

Reynolds 

I've cleaned and repacked many cartridge bearings, always got good results. Of course, check out races/balls/play.

Charles Ramsey

Alcoa puts bearings in a can of grease and puts the can in a vacuum chamber the air in the bearing is sucked out and the grease is sucked in no damage to the seals.

apollored

Thanks yes we did that, I had cleaned and checked the bearings and thought they were sound but when they were checked again, two were found to be worn so a whole new set were installed and packed loose in the grease to see if that made any difference.

It was sound for a while but there is knocking again.

Today the mechanic said the seals around the shell must not be tight enough and are letting water in.

apollored

Have had a Catridge BB fitted and what a difference.

Its back to being the nippy fast bike it was before.

Right now the chain and gears lol

fietsbob

I have a CK headset, they offer extra seals if the repack job
screws up the seal itself, getting it out.

3alarmer 

..................Athletic supporter.