Eddy Merckx Strada Bottom Bracket Troubles

[cycletris]

Hello,

I'm upgrading my 90s era Eddy Merckx Strada OS that I purchased from a forum member several years ago, and am currently working on the crankset. So the first thing that needs to come off is the bottom bracket unit, which I've finally managed to loosen on both ends after a lot of effort. It's Italian threaded, so I've been unscrewing both sides anti-clockwise. The trouble is it's not coming out no matter how much I unscrew it! Any ideas what might be the problem?

This is what it currently looks like:

 

[mattr]

Hopefully you've stripped the cups, so should be able to pull them out (bearing puller i guess. Press on the axle, pull on the flange of the cup, and hope, should be able to tap the other side out once you have the guts of the bottom bracket out.) Then replace the bottom bracket. (Clean up the threads first though.

If you've stripped the frame, you can remove the cups in the same way, but it's a frame builder/specialist to rebuild/retap the bottom bracket shell.

 

[cycletris]

Yeah I figured something might have stripped. I think these bottom bracket units are aluminium, so hopefully that means the cups will have gone first, fingers crossed! Great idea about using a bearing puller, I'll definitely look into that. I've also heard that it's possible to use caustic soda to dissolve aluminium bottom brackets, but that should probably be a last resort.

 

[cycletris]

Success! Following mattr's suggestion, I was able to extract the non-drive-side cup using a bearing puller, and then the drive side came off easily.



Luckily, the threads in the bottom bracket seem mostly fine. The new drive-side cup threaded on fairly easily using only my hands to tighten it. The non-drive side cup goes on about half way before I can't tighten it any further. Looking at the threads on the non-drive side, they do seem a bit rough. I think I could probably get away with just applying some more torque using the right tool, and risk threading the new cup. Any suggestions for how to clean up the threads a bit before I try that?

 

[jim haseltine]

Unless you've got access to an Italian thread steel cup, or a 36x24 tap, try cleaning the threads with a fine wire brush then working the drive side of the old sealed unit in and out of the non-drive side with a lot of oil to lubricate it. Judging from the picture of the old non-drive cup there's going to be a fair amount of corroded alloy galled onto the BB threads.

 

[Nob]

An old bottom bracket cup some fine grinding paste then screw in & out a couple of times then flush out the area then try the BB cup you are going to use…done this a few times & no issues what so ever..

 

[Jamesbike]

How about a piece of broom handle and drive a 1 1/2 screw through it use the point to chase out the threads......