Bb30 installation to grease or not?

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Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Jamesh »

I about to install a bb30 crank (FSA energy - bearings already in)
Should I grease the surfaces or not.

I'm thinking not as you want an interference fit?

Perhaps freeze the crank?

Then wave washer / shims - which is best?

cheers James
Brucey
Posts: 44519
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Brucey »

it all depends on the fit of the bearings on the BB spindle. If the fit is snug/tight then it doesn't matter what you do really. However if the fit is a bit slack then you are better off using a bearing fitting compound, else things can go wrong.

IME the usual problem with BB30 is the way the bearings fit in the housing, rather than on the BB spindle, but either (or both) can happen.

FWIW initial fit is one thing, corrosion is quite another.

Either shims or a wave washer can work well, but if the fit is a bit slack a wave washer may not stop movement entirely (eg if you are in the habit of riding hard out of the saddle) and shims may well result in an uncontrolled preload on the bearings (0.1mm is a lot).

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Jamesh »

Thanks brucy

Just the information I was after.

I agree nothing or bearing compound is the way to go.

It's a very tight fit so I don't think I need anything.

Will get a kit of washers and shims.

Cheers James
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Jamesh »

Kit has I wavey washer and two shields

Does that sound about right?

Don't need two wavey washers?

If its s friction fit in the bearing do I even need a wavey washer?

Cheers James
Brucey
Posts: 44519
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Brucey »

one wave washer is sufficient.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Jamesh »

Thanks brucey :D :D :D
tim-b
Posts: 2091
Joined: 10 Oct 2009, 8:20am

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by tim-b »

Hi
If its s friction fit in the bearing do I even need a wavey washer?

Yes, it's to preload the bearing lightly. Shimano use a threaded system to achieve preload
Regards
tim-b
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Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Jamesh »

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Gattonero
Posts: 3730
Joined: 31 Jan 2016, 1:35pm
Location: London

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Gattonero »

Jamesh wrote:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://shop.fullspeedahead.com/en/files/index/download/id/1eb9da68a1a94aae2488993232d78261336/&ved=2ahUKEwjKsYvXn63lAhWjSxUIHcV4C28QFjAOegQIBhAC&usg=AOvVaw2YbpxI03CGncEqz8LnEDjL
Pretty helpful

Cheers James


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It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Gattonero
Posts: 3730
Joined: 31 Jan 2016, 1:35pm
Location: London

Re: Bb30 installation to grease or not?

Post by Gattonero »

Jamesh wrote:I about to install a bb30 crank (FSA energy - bearings already in)
Should I grease the surfaces or not.

I'm thinking not as you want an interference fit?

Perhaps freeze the crank?

Then wave washer / shims - which is best?

cheers James


Pretty much all the "off-the-shelf" bikes are built in a hurry with hardly any grease to protect key areas.
FSA cranks/bearings are doomed, their cranks seem to fit only their bearings (which are not cheap!) so my advice would be to carefully prise off the seals of each bearing and pump them with good quality waterproof grease.
Once you've done a "dry-fit" to see how many spacers (and wave-washer, if present) you need, then you will have to take it apart and put back together using as much grease as you can all around the bearings shields/crank axle/washers, and wipe off the excess.

What's never said, is that the large circumference of the bearings makes a large space for water/moisture to contaminate the bearings, so if you can prevent it by using grease as a short-term barrier it's a good practice. Just remember to regularly remove, clean and repack the whole assembly (it's easy to do and often requires only one large allen key)
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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