The BB's Fixed Cup on the Tiara...

[Mac]

anyone know off hand if it's a normal thread or a reverse thread (on the drive side). Can't get it loose, so my choices are to take it to the local Shop and ask for help, or use Sheldon Brown's alternate tool:

http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

it's under fixed cup tools near the bottom of the page. I just don't wanna be trying to turn it the wrong direction.

 

[Doug Burton]

It's a standard low-cost reverse-thread English BB...

... and it's probably just stuck.

Use a heat gun and heat the BB shell warm enough where it's uncomfortable to touch. This will expand the shell enough to break the cups free.

These bikes are assembled in very warm factories (100 deg +); thus when the bike is in your hands in cooler temperatures the properly-torqued BB cups (steel) are well and truly stuck in the aluminum BB shell.

The Tiara BB will work in the conversion, but at the relatively low cost of, say, a Shimano UN-52 cartidge bottom bracket, I'd just pitch the original parts.

Good luck with your conversion.

Best,

Doug

 

[Charles.Plager]

A hair dryer would probably work as well

When I was changing the bottom bracket on my Sofrider, I used a hair dryer as I don't have a heat gun. It takes longer, but you're less likely to damage the paint by doing something stupid (which I'm prone to doing at least).

Given the low cost of new bottom brackets, I'd also seriously consider buying a new one as Doug suggested as well.

Cheers,
Charles

 

[Mac]

Thanks Folks

I was pretty dogged sure that it was reverse threads, just can't break it loose. I should have purchased the long handled wrench instead of the shorty. Not enough leverage I suppose.

Thanks again, Since the bike won't being going back together for at least a few days, maybe I'll go have a look at new BBs before the build up. I'll try the heat.

Mac

 

[Doug Burton]

Another approach

After thinking about it a bit, the Tiara BB is mounted to the swing arm, which is steel. Heating the BB shell will still work, but if you want, you can dismount the swing arm from the frame and lock the offside BB cup (should have two flats machined into it) into a vise. This lets you use the swing arm as a long wrench to get at the BB cup.

Cheers,

Doug

 

[Mac]

Yes, I read that on Sheldon's site....

but the only vise I have mounted is for wood working with no steel jaws to grab it with. I'm gonna try Sheldon's home brewed remover and see if that works and will heat the BB at the same time.

Thanks Doug

Oh Yeah, Happy Easter everyone!!

Mac

 

[Mac]

Heat and the home brewes BB cup remover

didn't work. Took it over to the LBS and they had trouble getting it off also, now I don't feel quite so bad. At least it's off. The frame is all prepped for primer and paint, but were having some rain for the next few days, so I gotta be patient.

Thanks for the help guys,
Mac