Removing headset, chain, cranks, bottom bracket

25 July 2013



Stem: 
Removed headset locknut (standard size), and sprayed some WD40 down. Then gave the bolt-head a gentle/firm tap with a steel hammer… and it dropped right down, and popped out. 
 
 

Stem lifted out

The washer between lockring and top race became stuck at this position and was possibly cross threaded. I unthreaded it with large plyers, and was able to unscrew the rase below it, so the threads are probably OK.

Washer, perhaps slightly cross-threaded.

 Most but not all the bearings, top and bottom, fell on the floor. There was very little grease in there.

Headset bearings

Headset bearing size (5/32)

Headset assembly order

Pitting in top section of bottom race.

 Sheldon Brown says;
The threaded parts of a French headset are non-standard, but the press-in parts are conventional. If you have a worn-out headset, it is most likely the lower races that are damaged. If you have trouble finding a French headset, you can replace the bottom races with ones from a standard headset, and keep the old parts on top.

The section pressed into the head-tube looks like thick metal, and does not appear to be in bad condition. I don't think I would be able to replace it with anything similar. I will try to save it, and may not even remove it for fear of damaging it. I have not evaluated the bottom section on the fork.

I cleaned up the bottom race on the fork and it does have some bad pitting. The headtube is much better, but not perfect

Pedals.
My pedal wrenches would not fit, they are all too wide. Used cheap spindoctor cone wrenches, and discovered that 15mm was too small, needed 16mm. DS came off easy. NDS took a small application of WD40 and then came off with a little effort.

Chain:
found a master link and tried to compress it with my park took, wouldn't budge. Searched Barnetts manual and found this; 

From Barnetts Manual

 Sure enough, there was a plate there and I was able to remove it following these directions.

Cranks

Drive side crank

Got to use my lovely BikeSmithDesign cotter press. To remove the cotter prin, the threaded part on the tool, presses on the threaded part of t he pin, and pushes the head of the pin back out the crank-arm.  

BikeSmithDesign cotter pin press

Chain-ring crank *looks* like it is one piece

when I turn it over, there is a lock ring there which is too large for any of my tools to remove.

 

Bottom Bracket

stamped in bottom bracket
54 (size I suppose)
HG (don't know what this is)

The non drive side of the bottom bracket has a lock ring that was only "finger loose" I removed it by hand….. You can see a grease injection port on the BB. The way the spindle spun, I don't think this BB has seen grease for a very long time.

 

Non drive side lockring removed

BB NDS came off very easy with this 1 1/8 wrench.

Bottom Bracket bearings are 1/4 inch

My new french thread BB cups appear to fit. I didn't want to screw it in too far as the thread got a bit tight and I didn't want to strip anything. Need to measure.

This is the size that fits on the drive side  of the bottom bracket. For my Var bottom bracket  fixed cup tool. apparently this size is for "Maillard"