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SERVICING THE BOTTOM BRACKET
  Servicing
the bottom bracket is primarily an exercise in cleaning and inspecting
prior to reinstalling. If cleaning and inspecting reveals damage
that cannot be repaired, the bottom bracket replacement becomes the
flavour of the day. A prepared bottom bracket, be it cleaned up or
replaced, will look nice and shiny when ready to be lubricated and
installed. There will be no debris left to contaminate rolling
elements. There will be no pitted surfaces to hamper the smooth
rolling action of bearings on cup surfaces. There will be no rust.
The bottom bracket assembly and
cavity
will likely be pretty dirty when first removed. Debris will be
mixed with grease forming a gooey mess - if you are lucky. It is
also possible that the grease will have dried up over the years.
In fact, the grease can become so dry that it looses both its ability to
lubricate as well as protect the bearings and bearing surfaces from the
formation of rust. If rust has
formed, be prepared to purchase a new bottom bracket assembly.
Rust contaminated or pitted surfaces have no place in a
 bearing
assembly. If there is no rust and the grease has dried out, a
coating of varnish might present itself. The varnish is hard to
remove and I have a couple of different methods for cleaning delicate
bearings and surfaces.
 I
rarely use any kind of solvent when working on my bicycles. I
prefer to dry clean as much as I can with a rag, or soft wire brush or
even a piece of aluminum foil. I do not like to suck solvent
fumes into my body, nor do I like to use products that contaminate the
environment. I fall miserably short of my environmental goals, but
I do try. And, there really are very few tasks associated with
Street Restoring a vintage bicycle that demand the use of solvents for
cleaning purposes.
  I
have also fabricated a great little tool that has proved to be
incredibly useful for doing bearing work. This small tool is made
from a piece of scrap aluminum. It has a blunt bend on one end
and is rounded off at the other. The tool can be used to scrape
bearing cup surfaces and apply lubricant when the time comes. It
is also a useful tool to have access to when building wheel hubs is that
task of the day. I recommend making up such a handy tool for your
own restoration work.
Once the bottom bracket is cleaned,
inspected and approved for use, it is time to install it. This
process is, basically, reversing the removal procedure. The only
real change to the situation is the need to "set" the proper clearance
in the bottom bracket.
NEXT -
INSTALLING THE BOTTOM BRACKET |
