Challenge: Who can remove a bottom bracket?

Just in case anyone finds it useful - here's what worked for me.

Totally stuck Miche BB - even Brixton cycles couldn't loosen it with a bench vice. No movement whatsoever.

So, I sprayed tons of Plusgas into the bottom of the frame (loads - you could hear it sloshing around inside). Left it overnight, tried to loosen non-drive side (with tool bolted onto axle). Result was I stripped all the teeth off the BB cup on that side.

I got annoyed and ignored it for a week - carried on riding the bike (including a 60 mile ride), still with loads of Plusgas in the bottom of the frame.

This weekend tried in a bench vice again - drive side (which still had teeth) came straight out with little trouble.

We then drilled two hole in the non-drive side cup, attached a lock-ring tool with a bit of pipe over the handle. This came straight out as well.

So in conclusion - Plusgas + time + lockring tool & drill are all good methods.

I returned the frame to its owner and the spindle has been destroyed through drilling and brut force...maybe a bad idea maybe not...either way, we are now stumped.

Round 2: Any thoughts appreciated. Additionally there is £50 reward for anybody who can remove it and not trash the remainder of the frame. No fix no fee :)

Thanks again.

Lots of penetrating oil. Let it soak, as per #27, and then see if you can somehow get a mole grip on it.

Won't work I think ... you either need to destroy it .. caustic soda will destory aluminum (there are horror stories of people losing whole motorbikes because they tried cleaning it to make it shiny with it and not having a motorbike when they have returned) ... it won't touch steel .. so it should just burn it out.

.. or get some proper torque on it .. i.e. basically saw into those cups and them get something in there and turn with sheer brute force... and use a king dick spanner.

I am pretty sure my father can pull those out with his bare fingers.

Mario might still be able to burn it out but you will lose some paint. You should have taken it to him whole.

Might work
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide

i.e. caustic soda ........... it won't destroy steel...

Mario might still be able to burn it out but you will lose some paint. You should have taken it to him whole.

Just use Caustic Soda ... FFS .. it will chemically destory the allloy .. leave the steel and paint alone and can be got from a hardware store.

Just use Caustic Soda ... FFS .. it will chemically destory the allloy .. leave the steel and paint alone and can be got from a hardware store.

what are you blabbing about? He uses a blow torch.

OH FFS.....

Caustic Soda displacaes the Aluminium it is a chemical reaction... so the actual alloy turns into liquid. It doesn't touch steel or paint ... learn to chemisty you fucking idiot.

Blow Torch is brute force... but don;t like read the link I gave everyone ... that would maybe require you making an effort to read something and comprehend it.

'learn to chemisty you fucking idiot'.

after you learn to write, child.

obligatory 'lucas and thecamdenstrangler need anger management' post :)

'learn to chemisty you fucking idiot'

is my new motto.

Thanks, lucas.

so if i get this out you will give me 50 notes? bring this bad boy to the national theatre on the southbank today and come collect tomorrow hows that sound?

Squabbling over caustic soda, brilliant. Cheers for the swift responses though, appreciated. I'v been battling with this for weeks now however i'm gonna get my hands on some sodium hydroxide later today. I'll post some pics shortly. If I blunder, Brucy, its over to you. Thanks again, eD

so if i get this out you will give me 50 notes? bring this bad boy to the national theatre on the southbank today and come collect tomorrow hows that sound?

i was thnking something similar, except im in bristol. ah well..

'learn to chemisty you fucking idiot'.

after you learn to write, child.

I think my post made damn good sense after 7 cans of scrumpy ... I challenge you to do better .. oh noes I made a fucking typo .. I type most of the day and make maybe about 10 grammar mistakes all day ... That is probably 1% of my total output ... way to go mate .. you managed to spot 1% of my mistakes ... well fucking done.

... Seriously there are some cunts on this forum ..

how long is this moron going to be stalking me?

Last edited by lucas; 13 Hours Ago at 23:10. Reason: Was too wordy ..
Genius needs two attempts at trolling!
Troll on, son.

I'd just do a careful job with a hacksaw blade now the spindle is out, it's an aluminium cup so it shouldn't take too long. I've dont it before in steel cups (took a while that did). Two cuts, then fold the cup in on itself via MAN POWER.

Unless he's standing outside your bedroom window with his cock in his hand.. enough with the "stalking" talking. It's a fucking bunch of nerds typing shite on a bike forum ffs not Dr Crippen and Co.

Is this still not fixed yet? Are miche cups defo aluminium? Seems like your making a lot of hard work out of this. Decent quality drill bits, a cold chisel should see this out no bother. Otherwise half an hour with a vertical mill or even a drill press would sort this.

CHALLENGE COMPLETE!

Two days and two packets of caustic soda later and my frame, thread intact, paint unscathed is awaiting a decent bb. Photos for your enjoyment!

Thanks for your input everybody, if anybody needs any advice drop me a PM.

killed it to death.
nice!

..if anybody needs any advice drop me a PM.

mirth

told you it would work.