can you grease a sealed cartridge bottom bracket?
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can you grease a sealed cartridge bottom bracket?
yes, i know...they're cheap enough to replace. but, long story short, just want to see if i can salvage this old yet high quality one that i have. it doesn't feel rough, just a little dry. so, can it be done? i don't care about worthy of time, but if i can save $20-$30 why not?
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Ditto to last reply, Outboard Sealed BB like FSA Mexaexo or Shimano Hollowtech can be done, but the latter is more difficult. Shimano has writing saying Don't disassemble on their outboard cartridges.
If it's old school like Isis or Shimano Octalink, that's a whole different story, Probably can be done, but I have neve done it.
If it's old school like Isis or Shimano Octalink, that's a whole different story, Probably can be done, but I have neve done it.
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Have no idea what you’re looking at but most sealed bearings can be cleaned, greased & re-sealed in a pinch (or while waiting for new ones to arrive). Carefully use a pick to pry up the seal, being careful not to bend it. Clean & regrease, then pop the seal back into place. Done often on farm equipment where rpm and loads are much higher and time is critical. I’d always prefer to replace.
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Ditto to last reply, Outboard Sealed BB like FSA Mexaexo or Shimano Hollowtech can be done, but the latter is more difficult. Shimano has writing saying Don't disassemble on their outboard cartridges.
If it's old school like Isis or Shimano Octalink, that's a whole different story, Probably can be done, but I have neve done it.
If it's old school like Isis or Shimano Octalink, that's a whole different story, Probably can be done, but I have neve done it.
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Plastic seals are easily removed and usually replaceable after cleaning and lubing the bearing. Metal seals are removable but
not nondestructively so replacing is difficult, main option is to remove bearing from BB remove one seal clean and grease and
reinstall bearing with intact seal to exterior. I resurrected a couple of Phil Wood BB that froze up when the grease turned to
wax over a 25 yr storage by popping out the seals and regreasing.
not nondestructively so replacing is difficult, main option is to remove bearing from BB remove one seal clean and grease and
reinstall bearing with intact seal to exterior. I resurrected a couple of Phil Wood BB that froze up when the grease turned to
wax over a 25 yr storage by popping out the seals and regreasing.
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So the answer is that as long as you can get access to the cartridge seals you can flush and relube. But many cartridge bearinged BBs have that access somewhat blocked by the unit's construction.
My suggestion is to have the replacement on hand before trying to service the old BB, just in case... Andy
My suggestion is to have the replacement on hand before trying to service the old BB, just in case... Andy
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I believe RJ the Bike Guy has a youtube video on how to take apart and re-grease a '90s-era Shimano cartridge BB. At least one of the parts is reverse thread, IIRC.
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the drive side threads are reverse. i'll look that up on youtube. i've seen a lot of his videos. thanks!!
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madpogue i found the video. i see what you mean about reverse thread...that is the lock nut for the cone
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Park made a tool (BBT-8) for the lock and adjusting nut/cone for the earliest cartridge BBs (at the lower price points) they made. The tool is fairly uncommon and Shimano soon moved on from that BB design. I have one but no image to show. When I search for BBT-8 all I got were hits for more the modern BBT-18. Andy
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The BB-UN55 and some similar Shimano models are put together in such a way that there is no adjusting of the preload. All the magic is in the geometry of the bearing-contacting surfaces of the spindle and of the main body.
Someone has gone there and shared the story: Repacking a Shimano BB-UN55.
Someone has gone there and shared the story: Repacking a Shimano BB-UN55.
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Park made a tool (BBT-8) for the lock and adjusting nut/cone for the earliest cartridge BBs (at the lower price points) they made. The tool is fairly uncommon and Shimano soon moved on from that BB design. I have one but no image to show. When I search for BBT-8 all I got were hits for more the modern BBT-18. Andy
Park Tool BBT-6
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is there any chance in hades i could talk you into a picture or few of this tool? i can tell much by the drawn diagram in the shimano service link. i'm curious to make a tool, if possible. but, no big deal if you're not interested or just not possible. i don't have a camera or phone with which to do pictures myself. so, i'd understand whatever your case or inclination would be on it
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The BB-UN55 and some similar Shimano models are put together in such a way that there is no adjusting of the preload. All the magic is in the geometry of the bearing-contacting surfaces of the spindle and of the main body.
Someone has gone there and shared the story: Repacking a Shimano BB-UN55.
Someone has gone there and shared the story: Repacking a Shimano BB-UN55.
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is there any chance in hades i could talk you into a picture or few of this tool? i can tell much by the drawn diagram in the shimano service link. i'm curious to make a tool, if possible. but, no big deal if you're not interested or just not possible. i don't have a camera or phone with which to do pictures myself. so, i'd understand whatever your case or inclination would be on it
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Here's the tool. It will prove to be hard to dup as the sockets are so close to the same size and need to nestle with each other. Andy
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I serviced one of these, a number of years ago, on a cheap Gary Fisher mountain bike. There is a way of adjusting a cup 'n' cone bearing if you don't have the proper tools, that is a pain in the neck but can be done if you're patient, where you turn the cone in tiny incremental steps by pushing it with something, then tightening the locknut, and seeing if it feels right. Again, I wouldn't do it this way if I had access to the tools, but I would also not buy a tool set that cost more than a new modern BB.
It has lasted many years after that overhaul, though dedicated to winter service.
About the locknut, I would prefer plastic over aluminum, if threading into an aluminum shell, due to the likelihood of galling.
It has lasted many years after that overhaul, though dedicated to winter service.
About the locknut, I would prefer plastic over aluminum, if threading into an aluminum shell, due to the likelihood of galling.
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