Italian Threaded Bottom Bracket—reverse sealed BB orientation?
04-18-23, 04:32 PM
#1
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Italian Threaded Bottom Bracket—reverse sealed BB orientation?
Hello,
I have a frame that takes an Italian BB. The sealed BB that came with the bike was to short for the crank I want to use. I bought a new sealed BB that is the correct length but on inspecting the spindle I see it is long on the non-drive side and short on the drive side. Crank still won't fit.
The sealed BB has one loose "cup" for traditionally the non drive side. Given all shell threading is identical, can I flip the BB and use the one loose "cup" on the drive side then getting the extra spindle length on the drive side?
Any ideas why the BB would be short on drive side and long on no-drive side? Campy bottom bracket...
Thanks,
Gary
I have a frame that takes an Italian BB. The sealed BB that came with the bike was to short for the crank I want to use. I bought a new sealed BB that is the correct length but on inspecting the spindle I see it is long on the non-drive side and short on the drive side. Crank still won't fit.
The sealed BB has one loose "cup" for traditionally the non drive side. Given all shell threading is identical, can I flip the BB and use the one loose "cup" on the drive side then getting the extra spindle length on the drive side?
Any ideas why the BB would be short on drive side and long on no-drive side? Campy bottom bracket...
Thanks,
Gary
04-18-23, 04:38 PM
#2
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...I think that the internal construction details of your new sealed unit dictate whether you can get away with this.
I know that Phil Wood BB's have a specified orientation, and if you reverse install them, the spindle pushes out of the bearings as you ride, eventually.
No idea at all why the spindle on yours is oriented backward from what you require. Have you considered using drive side spacers on the installation ?
...I think that the internal construction details of your new sealed unit dictate whether you can get away with this.
I know that Phil Wood BB's have a specified orientation, and if you reverse install them, the spindle pushes out of the bearings as you ride, eventually.
No idea at all why the spindle on yours is oriented backward from what you require. Have you considered using drive side spacers on the installation ?
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04-18-23, 04:50 PM
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one possible reason for a short drive side might be that cartridge is intended for use with a single plateau drive train
mentioned as possibility only...
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one possible reason for a short drive side might be that cartridge is intended for use with a single plateau drive train
mentioned as possibility only...
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04-18-23, 05:08 PM
#4
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Did exactly that with an $8 Chorus cartridge BB with a longer NDS spindle a year or two ago. (Perhaps that's why it was so inexpensive?) Installed it on an early 70s Maserati MT-1, (maybe a Fiorelli, maybe some other builder; doesn't matter, great bike). Absolutely no issues after many many miles, and being ridden very hard when loaned to a visiting young Nephew from Seattle who is a hill of a strong rider.
It may be there are no procession forces at play, or minimal at most, as the cups don't seat the bearings. Something to consider with Italian threaded BBs?
It may be there are no procession forces at play, or minimal at most, as the cups don't seat the bearings. Something to consider with Italian threaded BBs?
Last edited by machinist42; 04-18-23 at 05:15 PM.
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04-18-23, 06:56 PM
#5
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Did exactly that with an $8 Chorus cartridge BB with a longer NDS spindle a year or two ago. (Perhaps that's why it was so inexpensive?) Installed it on an early 70s Maserati MT-1, (maybe a Fiorelli, maybe some other builder; doesn't matter, great bike). Absolutely no issues after many many miles, and being ridden very hard when loaned to a visiting young Nephew from Seattle who is a hill of a strong rider.
It may be there are no procession forces at play, or minimal at most, as the cups don't seat the bearings. Something to consider with Italian threaded BBs?
It may be there are no procession forces at play, or minimal at most, as the cups don't seat the bearings. Something to consider with Italian threaded BBs?
Did you grease the threads on install? Or blue loc-tite?
I think I read the procession forces are greatly reduced on a sealed BB.
Thanks! I will install tomorrow. Backwards.
Gary
04-18-23, 07:02 PM
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Slippy
(Edit: And yours is a Cartridge BB? Not all Cartridge Units are Sealed, and not all Sealed Units are Cartridges. They are often conflated.)
Last edited by machinist42; 04-18-23 at 07:07 PM.
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04-18-23, 07:23 PM
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A thought on why the Italian BB would show a little too much spindle to the NDS and too little to the DS. Bet the BB is sized for a 70 mm BB shell. So the DS would sit a mm in on a 68 mm shell. And 3mm out on the NDS.
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04-18-23, 07:45 PM
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04-18-23, 08:45 PM
#9
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All The News...
A loose ball Suntour Sealed Bottom Bracket:
(Says so right on the cup.)
And a Suntour Cartridge BB, which really isn't "sealed" (though it kind of is once the cups are in place with the proper O-rings and race shield(s).)
From this thread here on BF,
It is perhaps nitpicky, but words matter and accuracy is important?
(Says so right on the cup.)
And a Suntour Cartridge BB, which really isn't "sealed" (though it kind of is once the cups are in place with the proper O-rings and race shield(s).)
From this thread here on BF,
It is perhaps nitpicky, but words matter and accuracy is important?
04-19-23, 02:34 PM
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Maybe OT, but some '90s Shimano Italian thread cartridge BBs were meant to be installed from the NDS. If you installed them like a "normal" cartridge BB, they could jam due to a internal nut thightening.
