Merlin pressed BB w/ Grease Guard - Advice Please

[r0gue]

I've read various posts across the web that seem to indicate that you can remove this BB by remove two circlips, and then hammering the spindle out with a hammer and wood. Mine however, does not seem to want to move. I am wondering if it is because of the grease guard and perhaps it will not remove in that manner because of the grease guard. Any help or advice from those in the know would be much appreciated.

Help please?!? :cry:

 

[ishaw]

I've no practical experience with this type of bb, but the grease guard to my knowledge is simply a grease port allowing you easy greasing, not much cleverer than that so would doubt that is preventing removal. On Klein bikes with the same bb arrangement a special tool is needed to pull the bb out (or through) the bb shell. The bearings are often glued/loctited in place so maybe you need to give it more welly, or construct some form of device to pull the bb axle through, forcing the bearing out on one side!

 

[24pouces]

you can remove this BB by remove two circlips, and then hammering the spindle out with a hammer and wood.

Perhaps, with time, your grease card is bounded (titanium needs cupper grease…).

I've got the same Greasecard BB on my Merlin, and the technic you wrote is what I did for removing the spndle or the bearings (after screwing a bolt on the head of the spindle ). But i single hammer won't be enough. Use a bigger "sledgehammer". The inertie of the hammer weight is very important.

Except the two circlips, it's the same system than a klein BB (and the same 17mm diameter). So, you could use too the rare Klein tool for removing or adjusting the BB.

 

[r0gue]

Got it!

Heated the area with a heat gun (hot but not crazy hot). Then I hit the spindle on both sides with ice cubes. Then I hammered away!

I think this is a Ti spindle. I keep hearing of people replacing their spindle. Do you think it's ok to reuse it? New Phil bearings of course.

 

[halaburt]

You may have already noticed/realized this, but the SKF bearing in your photo above doesn't appear to have the groove (and hole) cut into it that would allow it to actually be greased using those ports on the underside of the BB shell.

Any standard (including Phil) 6003 bearing you replace it with will also lack the necessary configuration to work with GG. Not a big deal --- it will be as good as any other 6003 install like Klein, but not really "Grease Guard".

 

[Rutil]

Of course you can still use the spindle. Why not? To the Grease Guard System: In the configuration the bearings where mounted on your merlin, this is completely wrong. The outer bearing seal is removed, the inner one not! It has to be the other way round. But if you want to use it, you have to have the Grease Guard seals also. Those are white/black rubber rings that are placed on the pressed on shim on the spindle. You then have to use standard bearings with only one seal (outside!) or remove one seal, if they are sealed on both sides (RS). If you push the grease with a grease gun through the port, the Grease Guard Seals will prevent the seal from moving further inside. So it will be pressed into the (unsealed) bearing and will be pressed out on the outside through the seal. If you do not have the big Grease Guard seals, you cannot use the system and should use double sealed bearings. The marks on the pressed on sleeve seem to show, that you have the seals, right?
I do have exactly the same system on my 91 Merlin and have done it this way.

 

[r0gue]

Of course you can still use the spindle. Why not? To the Grease Guard System: In the configuration the bearings where mounted on your merlin, this is completely wrong. The outer bearing seal is removed, the inner one not! It has to be the other way round. But if you want to use it, you have to have the Grease Guard seals also. Those are white/black rubber rings that are placed on the pressed on shim on the spindle. You then have to use standard bearings with only one seal (outside!) or remove one seal, if they are sealed on both sides (RS). If you push the grease with a grease gun through the port, the Grease Guard Seals will prevent the seal from moving further inside. So it will be pressed into the (unsealed) bearing and will be pressed out on the outside through the seal. If you do not have the big Grease Guard seals, you cannot use the system and should use double sealed bearings. The marks on the pressed on sleeve seem to show, that you have the seals, right?
I do have exactly the same system on my 91 Merlin and have done it this way.

I ripped that seal off the bearing with pliers to make sure the GG ports would not hinder the knock out. As it turned out, the GG was completely inboard of the bearings. The bearings are just double sealed. It lacked any of the inner parts like the seal, and lexan spacer (see link) that delivers the grease. If I greased with GG, it would sit in the BB shell between the two bearing cartridges.

As it is, one of my grease ports is missing the little ball bearing that reseals it after injection. The fitting is in the frame, but inside it there is just a hole.

So I think standard sealed bearings are in my future. Which is fine. This bike will be a "joy of it" bike and has now retired from the VERY active service it saw over the last 20 years. I'll post up some photos to show the character marks soon. I ride modern for any serious off roading as I need the suspension for my wrecked old body (also with a lot of character marks).

Here is a link to the GG Instructions. -- Be patient and let it load-up.
http://web.archive.org/web/199703011320 ... /bbgg.html

 

[Rutil]

With a damaged grease port and missing seals, i agree that it would be the best to use bearings with seals on both sides. Those will last for ages in light use. Buy quality bearings and be happy!

 

[bmx4130crmo]

The best for a Merlin BB is you have the original tool


Merlin Bottom Bracket Tool von KadaverFleischWalD auf Flickr

 

[24pouces]

I think this is a Ti spindle.

Sorry… I don't think so : it's a steel :?
The square end is a little striated, like some steel klein spindle. The specific Merlin titanium spindle is very more clean work.

Every titanium or steel 17mmdiameter spindle work fine for the Merlin. But it's important to keep the tube around the spindle and between the bearings