Servicing/Rebuilding pedals, bottom brackets, hubs

[fliphkd778]

I bought some used pedals the other day, and they are a little stiff. They are supposedly serviceable, but I can't get the bodies off the spindles...While I was on the subject, I thought about re-greasing all my rotating bits. The bottom bracket does not look fun, anyone have any tips?

 

[MANUCHAO]

I never serviced pedals before..so can't help you on that..
BB... I would buy one or replace it all together.. they not that expensive..
If they got any side to side play.. they are shot and not worth rebuilding,,,,,, IMO
Unless it is an specialty item then yeah I would try to rebuild it..
Good luck..

 

[2mbb]

what kind of pedals are they? have you checked the vendors website? If it's a cartridge bottom bracket, I don't think they are serviceable. If it's races and bearings, you take it apart, clean the surfaces and bearings, check for pits or grooves, re-grease and reinstall. Same with headset and axle bearings.

It might help to know what the make/vintage of the parts are.

 

[Fast Eddy]

It might help to know what the make/vintage of the parts are.

Yea. Pics or desc if you want help. One of the pedals has reverse threads. I forget which one, probably the drive-side one.

 

[spressomon]

Yea. Pics or desc if you want help. One of the pedals has reverse threads. I forget which one, probably the drive-side one.

Left pedal to crank = left hand threads

 

[Fast Eddy]

Left pedal to crank = left hand threads

Where it screws into the cranks. Where the spindle screws into the pedal is what I was talking about. I believe it's opposite.

 

[fliphkd778]

I got 'em figured out and inspected. They were some wtb "momentum" pedals. Races looked new. It was impossible to set the preload on the bearings though. I tightened down the races and then backed off a quarter turn. The race locknut that followed seemed to bind them up when tightened down to the spec'd 60in-lbs. I simply set the races and then snugged up the locknut as tight as possible without feeling any reaction. This was hardly finger tight; for safety I used locktite as well.

The bottom bracket is next; the bike is an old Peugeot Bordeaux. It has nervar cranks which I understand are ISO taper bottom brackets. Not sure what that means, but just thought it might help. What sort of grease are you guys running inside?

 

[2mbb]

remove the caps on the crank arms and there will be a bolt. Once the bolt and washer is removed, you will need a crank arm removal tool to pull the arms off the bottom bracket. On the bottom bracket there is a fixed side (generally the right side) and an adjustable side. I would recommend not removing the fixed side, but just the adjustable side. Make sure you note which way the bottom bracket spindle goes in the bottom bracket. Often the spindle is not symmetric. The adjustable side will have a lock ring that is removed, then the adjustable cup is removed. The lock ring and adjustable cup should be right hand thread. the thread of the fixed cup varies depending on country of origin. Remove the bearings and clean off old grease.

Add new grease to the inside of the fixed cup and push the bearings in place (I push them through the hole on the fixed cup). Slide the spindle into the fixed cup and rotate to seat/position the bearings. grease the inside of the adjustable cup, stick the bearings into the grease, then thread in the adjustable cup, adjust the pre-load, then tighten the lock ring.

Right now I'm using a Pedro's grease, but I think someone gave me the tube. I like to use an aerosol can of brake cleaner for cleaning the bearings and cups. I put the bearings in a 35mm film can (remember when camera's used something called film?) but any small container will do. I squirt in a ounce of brake cleaner, close the top and shake. I fish the bearings out with a magnetic pick up tool.

 

[Ozdunc]

That looks like an old FAG bottom bracket. From memory they are 'fit and forget' non servicable BBs. But I've got to say its probably about 20 years since I last fitted one.
They were never very good quality but if you can get access to the bearings just try packing them full of grease and putting back together. You'll need a special FAG tool to remove the BB though as the BB cups are plastic and will tear out trying to use a plumbers wrench or similar.

 

[Dougal]

Pedals usually have a lockwasher between the cone-nut and the locking nut. This washer has a flat which rides on the flat in the pedal axle to stop the locknut from turning the cone. Sound like this might be missing in yours.