C&C BB - no tool workarounds?

[maximus meridius]

I'm reviving a bike with a cup and cone bottom bracket. It looks like a cheap C&C bottom bracket. Only 9 balls in caged bearings. In fact the balls started to fall out. Presumably due to there being bugger all grease on them.

I've watched the "hi, Calvin Jones from Park tool company" video. Which is excellent. I'm just not sure about that moustache, mate.

When I took the drive side crank off I found the fixed cup wasn't even tight. It was only just loose, so hopefully when I do tighten it that will get rid of the slight play I could feel.

I haven't got access to any of the proper tools at the moment, but I'd like to get this serviced. I have got an adjustable spanner that will open wide enough to get the fixed cup back on, and in my mind I think I can manage some way of holding it in place while I tighten the fixed cup. "Some way" involving sockets, washers and the crank bolt, or something. We'll see.

I was going to do the service from the backside - leaving the adjustable cup in place. Hopefully the lockring is tight enough. With care I should be able to service the bearings on that side without taking the adjustable cup out. But it would be nice to actually remove that cup and put anti-seize, or at least some grease, on the threads.

Are there bodges for the adjustable side, if I haven't got the tools? I've got a pipe wrench which I could maybe use for the lock ring? I've got a fairly wide selection of other "general purpose" tools.

This doesn't have to be a superb job. The bike will do next to no miles. Mainly I'd like to get plenty of grease in there, and the thing sealed up so I don't have to open it again. I can get at the right tools later to make any final adjustment.

Thanks.

[TheBomber]

It’s quite normal to leave the fixed cup in place when servicing - just reach through the BB shell to clean out and apply new grease. Obviously leaving the adjustable one in place could work the same, but how will you reset the pre load?

There usually are work arounds for removing lock ring and adjustable cup - probably involving hammer and screwdriver. Can you post a picture of what you have there to illicit some more useful responses?

[Jdsk]

Sheldon Brown's tool tips:
https://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html
including the vice.

Jonathan

[maximus meridius]

It’s quite normal to leave the fixed cup in place when servicing - just reach through the BB shell to clean out and apply new grease. Obviously leaving the adjustable one in place could work the same, but how will you reset the pre load?

I can't, I'm counting on it having been set when the bike was built. Given that the fixed cup was loose, I probably can't count on that. I'm sort of hoping that as I tighten the fixed cup back on, I'll monitor the play on the axle, which will magically just disappear on the final tighten. But as I said, in a while I can visit my local bike co-op to make any final adjustments.

There usually are work arounds for removing lock ring and adjustable cup - probably involving hammer and screwdriver. Can you post a picture of what you have there to illicit some more useful responses?

Maybe. I've actually got to put the thing back together to get the NDS crank off. Though if it's going to bring the police round the house I'd better not.

Thanks.

[simonineaston]

Personally, I think Calvin should consider carefully the possibility of running in '24... I don't know anything about his politics but I bet he could do a better job than anyone else I've see having a go!

[531colin]

Loosen the lockring by tapping it round with an old screwdriver and a small hammer.....normal, right hand thread.
Remove adjusting cup, normal right hand thread....using a nail and a hammer or whatever tool fits if its stiff in the shell.
Clean, grease, etc......replace with loose balls, as many as will fit then take one out. Quarter inch balls.
Fit the fixed cup silly tight.
set bearing preload just like any other, then nip up the lockring .
Its easiest with a pin spanner (or whatever fits) holding the cup, tighten lockring with a "C" spanner
But as penniless schoolboys, we used to hold the adjusting cup with a nail and tighten the lockring at first with a screwdriver by hand then tapping with a hammer. Takes a couple of tries to get it perfect, because the cup may move with the lockring....conversely, tightening the lockring may reduce the preload if the cup is a bit slack in the bracket shell thread.

[maximus meridius]

Loosen the lockring by tapping it round with an old screwdriver and a small hammer.....normal, right hand thread.
Remove adjusting cup, normal right hand thread....using a nail and a hammer or whatever tool fits if its stiff in the shell.
Clean, grease, etc......replace with loose balls, as many as will fit then take one out. Quarter inch balls.
Fit the fixed cup silly tight.
set bearing preload just like any other, then nip up the lockring .
Its easiest with a pin spanner (or whatever fits) holding the cup, tighten lockring with a "C" spanner
But as penniless schoolboys, we used to hold the adjusting cup with a nail and tighten the lockring at first with a screwdriver by hand then tapping with a hammer. Takes a couple of tries to get it perfect, because the cup may move with the lockring....conversely, tightening the lockring may reduce the preload if the cup is a bit slack in the bracket shell thread.

Great, thanks.

I've got 500 grade 10 quarter inch balls that I bought to do the rear axle - same size, yes?

I'll have a look in my vast array of tools. There might be some obscure thing in my DIY plumbing box (for instance) that does the job.

As I say, this bike won't be doing high mileage, at all. I'd be amazed if it even gets up to 300 miles a year. And also won't be getting wet very much, if at all. So the main thing is to make the BB better than the manufacturer left it, plenty of grease and/or antiseize, then forget about it. I'll be well under the sod before the BB needs any attention.

[maximus meridius]

Job done, thanks for the advice folks.

Copaslip on the threads, lots of grease on the bearings, 11 loose balls instead of the 9 caged ones that were there. Well, I say "caged". One side they all just fell out, so not that well caged.

Hi-Calvin-Jones-from-Park-Tool-Company-here recommends 30 Nm for the fixed cup. I was using a wide adjustable spanner, which amazingly didn't slip off. So I couldn't use a torque wrench. But it felt a bit like 30 Nm. Which is the amount of force you need to apply before you worry that if it does slip off you might cause yourself injury.

I used a combination of screwdrivers and mallet to do the adjustable side. Got it ever-so-slightly-loose, then turned the adjustable cup one British Standard smidgen. At which point the play disappeared. Then did the final tightening of the lock ring. I couldn't really hold the cup, so just used the old mark 1 eyeball to see if it moved.

I'm fairly sure (or hope) that none of the balls fell off the adjustable cup as I was putting it over the axle.

The good thing about this bottom bracket is it's so cheap that as well as not having any seals (do they, usually?) there isn't even the protective sleeve thingumajig. But there is a hole in the bottom bracket. So if I'm bothered, every so often I can turn the bike upside down, take the bolt out of said hole, and squirt more grease in. It might end up being one of those eternal C&C bottom brackets that people sometimes talk about.

[Philip Benstead]

I'm reviving a bike with a cup and cone bottom bracket. It looks like a cheap C&C bottom bracket. Only 9 balls in caged bearings. In fact the balls started to fall out. Presumably due to there being bugger all grease on them.

I've watched the "hi, Calvin Jones from Park tool company" video. Which is excellent. I'm just not sure about that moustache, mate.

When I took the drive side crank off I found the fixed cup wasn't even tight. It was only just loose, so hopefully when I do tighten it that will get rid of the slight play I could feel.

I haven't got access to any of the proper tools at the moment, but I'd like to get this serviced. I have got an adjustable spanner that will open wide enough to get the fixed cup back on, and in my mind I think I can manage some way of holding it in place while I tighten the fixed cup. "Some way" involving sockets, washers and the crank bolt, or something. We'll see.

I was going to do the service from the backside - leaving the adjustable cup in place. Hopefully the lockring is tight enough. With care I should be able to service the bearings on that side without taking the adjustable cup out. But it would be nice to actually remove that cup and put anti-seize, or at least some grease, on the threads.

Are there bodges for the adjustable side, if I haven't got the tools? I've got a pipe wrench which I could maybe use for the lock ring? I've got a fairly wide selection of other "general purpose" tools.

This doesn't have to be a superb job. The bike will do next to no miles. Mainly I'd like to get plenty of grease in there, and the thing sealed up so I don't have to open it again. I can get at the right tools later to make any final adjustment.

Thanks.

I have got one these for £30 a little while ago it does the job.
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Unior-Bottom-B ... W0QAvD_BwE