Can you adjust a Campag Bottom Bracket?

[GBMax]

So I have some play in my (Frames) bottom bracket. Not excessive yet but would prefer to stop it getting that way.

Because everything else on the bike when I bought it second hand nearly 40 years ago was Campag Record and the Chainset is Record Strada bcd 151 I am assuming that the bottom bracket will be matching Campag.

Now at some time I will have to do something about the frame and get it painted at which time I will have to strip everything and will find out for certain. However I would prefer to leave that till the winter and enjoy riding for now. So the question is can you adjust the bottom bracket to reduce the play? What do people recommend? Would you strip and re-grease and are bearing available if needed?

I have the puller to extract the cranks but I assume that a tool is needed to adjust/remove the bottom bracket itself.

Any helpful suggestions greatfully received.

thanks

 

[guitarpete247]

Does you bottom bracket look like this?
If it does then adjusting would be no problem if you follow advice from a site like http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbadj.html . You can find a lot from the late Sheldon Brown's site.

 

[guitarpete247]

Just thought. You could try a search on http://velobase.com/Default.aspx for your actual BB. There are photo's and dates for the ones they have on the site. It might be worth a gander.
Pete

 

[Steve Kish]

If it's 1970s, then it should certainly be cup and ball, like the photo. Providing that there's no visible wear on the cup or axle contact points, a new set of ball bearings popped into the races should make it feel almost like new.

If not, J D Whisker of Welwyn should still stock new cups and axles.

 

[GBMax]

Thanks for the replies. The Bottom Bracket is from the 60's. Sounds like I need to remove it and inspect everything to establish exactly what it is and to possibly replace the bearings.

When I have it apart hopefully there will be some identity on the bracket. To have all the facts do I need to measure it and is there a way to identify easily whether it is English thread etc?

 

[guitarpete247]

Is the fixed cup the same thread as the adjustable cup. ie. can you put either cup in both sides. If you can it's probably Italian or French. See Sheldon. If you can't it's more than likely English.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_bo-z.html#bottom

 

[guitarpete247]

I've just noticed. The photo I attached shows both cups say 1.37 x 24 TPI. If yours says this it's English.

 

[Steve Kish]

... and don't forget that the drive side cup (the right one in the picture) has a left-handed thread.

If that's been in there a while and is a bee-yatch to get out, might just be worthwhile to inspect through the frame shell and leave in there, if it doesn't seem too worn. Failing that, you may need a big vice or your LBS just to remove this fixed cup.

 

[GBMax]

So looking at the picture to remove the whole thing requires 3 tools. One for the adjuster, a pin spanner and a spanner for the non adjustable side.

Is that correct and if so where is the best place to try and get them assuming that the modern ones are not suitable?

 

[guitarpete247]

Most LBS's should have them or Halfrauds. I got a set years ago then there were another set in the Aldi toolkit. As for the big spanner in the past I left the fixed cup in place as has been suggested by Steve Kish. I've now got the spanner to fit if I need with the Aldi toolkit. It's an easy job. I have done it years ago without the correct tools but it is easier .