Help taking bike apart

[Quattro Pete]

Recently, my bike started making occasional grind/crack noises that I feel through the pedals. I'm guessing some sand/dirt got into the assembly (or whatever that shaft part is called, located between the pedal arm and the front sprockets). So, I wanted to open it up and clean it/grease it.

I took out the main lugbolt out of each pedal arm, but I can't get these pedal arms off. What exactly do I need to do to open this thing up? I see a small ring between the pedal arm and the assembly tube - do I unscrew that? Looks like I need some special tool for that.

Thanks.

 

[huffmuds9320]

You mean some sand or dirt got into the bottom bracket right? I find there are usually two types of bottom brackets. Most of them have a sealed cartridge and those you can't really service them them. The other kind of bottom bracket assembly is a spindle with two ball bearing cages on each side, those can be cleaned and re-greased. To remove the pedal arms you need a crank removal tool. And to remove the bottom bracket you need a bottom bracket removal socket. You can try to spray wd-40 on the spindle to try to flush out the debris. Most likely its sand and dirt that on the area where the spindle is.

 

[mahansm]

With the bolt out of the crankarm, look in the end. If you see a square end on the shaft, it's tapered and you need a crank puller. Park Tools makes a good one or you can have a bike shop pull the arms.

If you see an irregular shape it's a splined crank and it should pull right off.

Please note that sometimes creaking noises originate between the crankarm and bottom bracket spindle. Lightly greasing the tapers on the spindle and reassembling may cure the problem.

After you get the crankarms off you have to remove the bearing cups. If you only have a lockring (it will have notches around the perimeter) then you probably have caged balls and can dissassemble, clean, replace the balls, lube, and reassemble.
However, getting the balls to stay in place during assembly and then properly setting the clearance is not a task for the novice.
In addition, you may find damage to the spindle and/or the cups.

You need special tools to remove the adjusting cup (lockring wrench, pin spanner) and the fixed cup (special wrench). The adjusting cup on the right side of the bike uses left hand threads. If you have to remove the pedals from the crankarms you will need a pedal wrench and the left pedal is a left hand thread.

Sealed bearing bottom brackets are available for a reasonable price from Bike Nashbar or Performance Bicycle and are an easy replacement. They may also use a special externally splined wrench for reassembly.

The picture isn't really big enough to see the setup you have and tell what's in there.

 

[chad8]

you said caged balls.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: mahansm
The picture isn't really big enough to see the setup you have and tell what's in there.

Thanks. Did you click on it?

 

[Pablo]

As mentioned: Crank Puller

 

[Quattro Pete]

Thanks all. Got it opened up. Found a rock the size of a half a ball bearing ball. Not sure how it got there. Bearings are shot... will put in new ones tomorrow.

BTW, bike shop sold me white lithium grease for the bearings. How much of it am I supposed to use? Cover the bearings in it completely?

 

[huffmuds9320]

Wow thats a big piece of rock. For bearings I use the Park Tool Polylube 1000. Almost all bike shops carry this grease, not very expensive ~$6 for a tube. I put enough grease to cover up the ball bearings. Also put a light coat of grease on the threads of the bearing cup to help prevent it from rusting and easier removal next time.

 

[oilboy123]

This should help you get it back together. Just scroll over the bottom bracket with the curser.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/