Topic: Crunchy bottom bracket

[Rockhopper]

Howdy - I recently bought a used Stumpjumper. It's in good shape except for one thing. The bottom bracket is a little crunchy. When the cranks spin, I can feel it catching slightly. It's not smooth. Does that mean it's time for a new bottom bracket or can this be fixed? If it can be fixed, is it something I can do or is it best left to my LBS? If it helps, it's an SRAM PF30 OS press in bearing, sealed cartridge. Thanks

[Alan]

Are you spinning it with the chain off the chainrings? 

[Rockhopper]

Yes. I'm spinning it with the chain off.

[dcluley]

You could try just replacing the cartridge bearings and repacking with grease, but if that's not the issue, you just wasted some cash.  I would just take it to lbs and ask them if it's new bearings or the whole shell that's a problem. Bearings are easy, PF shell is a pain in the ass if you don't have the right tools and know what your doing.

[Alan]

I would just get a new bb assembly.  Most of those aren't meant to be serviced but you can try. 

[bjdraw]

A new BB assembly isn't that expensive and a LBS will only charge you like $15 to swap it -- the tool costs more than that. If you shop it, you can get the whole thing fixed for less than $50 and without any aggravation.

[Rockhopper]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Much appreciated.

[AlwaysGoForward]

It is easy to remove the BB bearings with this tool from Amazon. In the long run - you can save much money with DIY for easy maintenance jobs. Take out the bearings, clean in chain cleaner solution, dry with compressed air.  Then, spin the bearings on your fingers...  feel ruff? replace...   feel smooth? pack in bearing grease and re-install. Keep those bearings running smooth and make them last forever - grease them often, especially after riding through water or in the rain.
Jeff White (Alafia Trail Boss)

[Alan]

$15 for install sounds cheap now, but it will add up to more than the cost of the tool over time. I used a homemade press to install mine and I am 99% sure you can carefully drive them out from behind with a hammer and screwdriver. If it has plastic cups like the Shimano press fit garbage then this will likely destroy the cups but that isn't a big deal if you are slapping in a new assembly.

[ProEdgeBiker]

Howdy - I recently bought a used Stumpjumper. It's in good shape except for one thing. The bottom bracket is a little crunchy. When the cranks spin, I can feel it catching slightly. It's not smooth. Does that mean it's time for a new bottom bracket or can this be fixed? If it can be fixed, is it something I can do or is it best left to my LBS? If it helps, it's an SRAM PF30 OS press in bearing, sealed cartridge. Thanks

Just a thought but have you tried removing the crank arms to make sure there isn't grit stuck in between them and the BB?

[bjdraw]

$15 for install sounds cheap now, but it will add up to more than the cost of the tool over time.

I'm a DIY kind of guy as well. And actually love to accumulate tools -- have a full sized rolling toolbox just to house them. But the number of different types of bottom bracket available, that each require a different tool, is ridiculous.

http://www.parktool.com/category/bottom-bracket

Generally I'd much rather spend $36 on a tool then to pay someone $15 to do it, but in this case the odds that I'll only use the tool once (by the time I need to do it again, I'll need a different tool) is too high. I don't see how it'll be cheaper in the long run.

I just had a new GXP BB put on my older HT and the old BB used a different tool then the new one. It would've cost me way more than $15 in tools, one of which I know I would've only used once.

[Alan]

Good point, but keep in mind depending on how you ride, the conditions you ride in, and the quality of the bb you may be servicing/changing that BB pretty often. 

With the press fit frames I think the same tool applies for most bb brands since you don't need a specific pattern wrench to thread the cups in/out like you do on the threaded frames. 

You could also consider making your own tool.  My press is a piece of threaded rod, two nuts, and some huge washers that set me back probably less than $5.  I've seen/heard of folks removing the press fit bb using the same or similar tool you use to remove headset cups.  That is an easy/cheap DIY tool that can be made from copper pipe.  You could probably get away with a screwdriver too.