Threadless bottom bracket

[simon1]

I would be interested in any opinions here on using a threadless bottom bracket in an old steel Raleigh frame. I have a late 1980s bike, it does me just fine but the threads inside the bb shell are very worn, to the point that the right hand cup popped out and at an angle. I managed to saw it into sections and remove it OK without damaging the threads any more.

Are these threadless bbs any good? Do they hold in tight enough? I picked one up but the right hand side is too big for my bb shell, and the left hand side is too small, the person who gave it me suggested I file the threads away on the RHS to make it fit but this sounds dubious to me. Surely my bodged enlarging of the shell is going to be a lot less snug a fit than if the new bb had been manufactured the right size in the first place?

The right (chain) side of the threadless bb I got is 35mm dia but the left side (the screw-on sleeve) is 33.8mm - my BB is about 34.5mm internal dia

Are there any types particularly recommended? Any to avoid? Or any sensible alternatives? Are these threadless bbs just a stupid idea all round?

Thanks!

[Brucey]

.... Are these threadless bbs just a stupid idea all round?...

arguably, yes.... they certainly are not your only option.

If you are going to get a threadless unit this one may fit more easily;

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/prestine-threadless-68mm-sealed-bearing-bottom-bracket-for-frames-with-damaged-threads-prod16505/

but there are only two lengths available at present. The same vendor sells other threadless units too

If you want to try something different then you could try one of these;

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/neco-bottom-bracket-68-mm-shell-with-shimano-splined-aluminium-cups-english-thread-prod35040/

but where you bond the RH cup into the frame with epoxy resin. When the BB wears out (which will not take long if you don't use a load more grease in the unit than they are supplied with), you can knock the bearings out leaving the RH cup in situ, and renew the whole assembly apart from the RH cup. If you ever want to remove the RH cup it will come out (at cost of the paint finish) if you use a good tool and a little heat.

cheers

[simon1]

If you want to try something different then you could try one of these;

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/neco-bottom-bracket-68-mm-shell-with-shimano-splined-aluminium-cups-english-thread-prod35040/

but where you bond the RH cup into the frame with epoxy resin. When the BB wears out (which will not take long if you don't use a load more grease in the unit than they are supplied with), you can knock the bearings out leaving the RH cup in situ, and renew the whole assembly apart from the RH cup. If you ever want to remove the RH cup it will come out (at cost of the paint finish) if you use a good tool and a little heat.

cheers

Thanks Brucey, that looks interesting, I presume "English thread" is what the old Raleigh cups are? So this item is threaded, but the threads will be a bit loose so pack them with epoxy to make it tight? Just want to get clear in my head as I dont want to order a whole string of not-quite-right bbs....

PS this makes me all the more think that the advice to dremel out the bb shell to make this oversized one fit is dubious...?

[Brucey]

Thanks Brucey, that looks interesting, I presume "English thread" is what the old Raleigh cups are? So this item is threaded, but the threads will be a bit loose so pack them with epoxy to make it tight? Just want to get clear in my head as I dont want to order a whole string of not-quite-right bbs....

late 80s raleighs should have a 68mm wide shell with 24tpi threading. If your BB is wider and the threading is 26tpi then it is a whole different problem.
But yes, using expoy to take up the slack in the threads is pretty much the idea. I've ridden many thousands of miles on BBs (and headsets) held in this way.

PS this makes me all the more think that the advice to dremel out the bb shell to make this oversized one fit is dubious...?

well that is definitely a one-way street....

BTW there are lots of other options which involve doing 'a proper repair' on the BB shell, but they are all more costly and time consuming than the epoxy route.

cheers

[bikepacker]

I have been using an Acor Threadless BB on my winter bike for the last 4 years and never had a problem. It has probably done around 7500 miles in that time.

[blackbike]

I've had a threadless bottom bracket on one of my bikes for a couple of years now. It has never come loose.

As they work I can't see how anyone can argue they are a stupid idea.

[fastpedaller]

I had a Mavic one on an old bike and it worked very well for several years - never came loose......... In fact the aluminium alloy it was made of reacted nicely with the steel bottom bracket and it was almost impossible to remove

[simon1]

Thanks all. Still not acted yet (no time to get online or on the bike!) but cranking up to it...

[gaz]

Mavic BB, the work of the devil IMO but you might find one on ebay.

[simon1]

Just received the neco "english thread" from SJS, fitted it without epoxy (looks like the thread was less worn than I feared). Seems perfect at the moment! Thanks for the recommendation!

[andrew_s]

I had a Mavic one on an old bike and it worked very well for several years - never came loose......... In fact the aluminium alloy it was made of reacted nicely with the steel bottom bracket and it was almost impossible to remove

Mine did that too, but was so stuck I had to destroy it to get it out (the bearings were completely dead, so I didn't have a lot of choice).
The problem was that the body was only fractionally smaller than the BB shell, and there were a couple of drips of braze on the bottom of the BB shell to make contact and get a circuit going.
If I wanted to used the same bike, I think I'd use a VO Grand Cru BB from Freshtripe, which expands into the shell as you tighten it, and which should stay solid better than those that just clamp across the width of the shell.

[gbnz]

Well I fitted an Acor Threadless Bottom Bracket £17.99 + delivery charges in Mid March this year. It invariably worked loose, so bought an additional BB Tool to ensure it was tightened as far as possible. It invariably worked loose, so bought some loctite. Having given it a full week to cure had a 60 mile trial ride today, the squeaks and squeals presumably as some part of the Threadless BB work against something have been impossible to bear.

£30.00-£40.00 out of pocket, 4-5 wasted sessions removing the BB, cleaning it, loctiting it and the bikes still impossible to ride for pleasure with that racket.

Given the frames not worth a BB repair, it'll be down to Wilkinsons to buy some Expoxy Resin tomorrow. I'd previously used Expoxy Resin to "glue" a standard shimano BB in and ridden it without an issue for miles, which I'll be doing tomorrow prior to chucking the frame out in a year or two when the BB wears out.

[ChrisButch]

I think I'd use a VO Grand Cru BB from Freshtripe, which expands into the shell as you tighten it, and which should stay solid better than those that just clamp across the width of the shell.

I'd second that recommendation. The locking device is clever but simple. I fitted one of these and had no problems with loosening or noise, and the bearings seem to be of good quality. It's more expensive than the Acor unit, but worth it.

[drossall]

I had a Mavic one on an old bike and it worked very well for several years - never came loose......... In fact the aluminium alloy it was made of reacted nicely with the steel bottom bracket and it was almost impossible to remove

+1. I was using it on fixed, which is usually regarded as meaning more stress on the BB (though maybe not when I'm the one pedalling). Fortunately, by the time that it wore out and I found that it was irretrievably rusted in, the frame was pretty much scrap owing to rust elsewhere.

I've still got, unused, the replacement threadless BB I bought before I realised that I wasn't going to be able to fit it.

[fastpedaller]

I had a Mavic one on an old bike and it worked very well for several years - never came loose......... In fact the aluminium alloy it was made of reacted nicely with the steel bottom bracket and it was almost impossible to remove

+1. I was using it on fixed, which is usually regarded as meaning more stress on the BB (though maybe not when I'm the one pedalling). Fortunately, by the time that it wore out and I found that it was irretrievably rusted in, the frame was pretty much scrap owing to rust elsewhere.

I've still got, unused, the replacement threadless BB I bought before I realised that I wasn't going to be able to fit it.

Strangely enough the same happened to me! (the unused spare) - I got a got price for it on the 'bay