Tried installing a new bottom bracket on my bicycle. After going in roughly 30% of the way I used a wrench to thread the rest of it through. I did have to use substantial force and near the end (90% of the way in) I decided to check and learned that this was absolutely not normal.
I removed the part and tried reinstalling "the right way" and was able to get it through using just my hand.
Did I cause any damage to my threads?
by Leo25219
6 Comments
What frame is that
A bit tricky to tell from the photos tbh. If you were able the thread it by hand easily, then most likely not as damaged threads would have stopped you from threading it by hand easily
They look slightly damaged to me. I would screw the bb in and out a couple times to clean them up.
Looks ok as far as I can tell.
I get that it shouldn’t require a wrench to install in ideal circumstances, but with an old steel frame, there is corrosion and the threads may not have been perfect to begin with.
I worked in a bike shop in a college town, and we replaced the bottom bracket on so many old bikes. I had to tap a lot of them and I don’t think I ever had a bottom bracket go all the way in by hand without tapping one first.
Seems ok. If it was damaged then it wouldn’t thread at all.. also if a hollotech type is used then threads are not that crucial.
Looks fine. If there were problems there would be a pile of semi circular threads that had been stripped. Check your new bottom bracket as well to make sure that isn’t damaged.
Make sure you put plenty of grease on it before you install it and it will go in a lot smoother.