BB30 bearings, how quickly do you go through them?

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highdraw

by highdraw

afalts,
If the Di2 front derailleur promotes greater lateral force on the crank, why didn't you try placing 2 wavewashers in series on the crank spindle thereby doubling the spring rate? Take Campy UT for example when the BB is to tolerance. Its takes big force to laterally move the crank spindle overcoming wave washer spring rate.
The issue with using spacers as you know to dial in a hint a preload or even install the crank line to line with no lash or preload is...you have to very precise such that there is no lateral play...or too much thrust bearing load which will prematurely fail the bearings. Of course it can be done but in my experience unnecessary but sounds like you have worked on more Di2 bikes than I have with Sram wave washer cranks.
Cheers.

afalts
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:20 pm

by afalts

That's not a bad idea, using two. I just used what was on the bench though, and that was more plastic spacers, as they don't come with 2 wave washers.

Also, I suspect it is lighter to use the plastic spacers ;)

I have no doubt it could cause premature bearing failure, I was lucky with mine I guess. And all my customers (triathletes especially) usually would ruin bearings quicker by other means - excessive drink mix all over, pressure washing, etc. It's like beating a dead horse trying to explain that one to some people...

by Weenie


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petalpower
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri May 07, 2010 7:52 pm

by petalpower

It appears like there is a lot of knowledgeable guys replying to this thread with the almost exact situation I'm in. Hopefully some of you guys can help me out.

Bought a Roubaix Pro SL4 that came with the Specialized Fact Cranks.

Bought a new Quarq Red 22 crankset. The supplied instructions are difficult at best to understand.

Pulled the Specialized cranks, and went to install the Quarq, and I'm confused about the process and what spacers/washers to use upon installation. There was some creaking with the Fact crankset, but I figured I'd install the Quarq with the preload adjuster and see if it improves anything.

My question is do I only use the hardware that came with the Quarq or should I use the washer/seal (IIRC from the DS ) from the Fact crankset on the Quarq?

Thank you

Sykes
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Jun 09, 2013 1:35 pm

by Sykes

Guys,

thanks for all of the great posts and discussions. After a trip to my LBS, they agree that a cup misalignment sounds like the most probable cause and will be contacting the manufacture today. I will add one note that someone mentioned earlier, my BB shell does not have any drain (wire routing) holes and while I don't ride in the rain often, nor put much water on the area, I can see how this is a very poor design and one that could lead to premature bearing failures.

highdraw

by highdraw

petalpower wrote:It appears like there is a lot of knowledgeable guys replying to this thread with the almost exact situation I'm in. Hopefully some of you guys can help me out.

Bought a Roubaix Pro SL4 that came with the Specialized Fact Cranks.

Bought a new Quarq Red 22 crankset. The supplied instructions are difficult at best to understand.

Pulled the Specialized cranks, and went to install the Quarq, and I'm confused about the process and what spacers/washers to use upon installation. There was some creaking with the Fact crankset, but I figured I'd install the Quarq with the preload adjuster and see if it improves anything.

My question is do I only use the hardware that came with the Quarq or should I use the washer/seal (IIRC from the DS ) from the Fact crankset on the Quarq?

Thank you

Your Roubaix Pro is BB30. But a Quarq Red 22 comes in two configs....either for an English threaded BB or BB30. So first you need to confirm which crankset you bought...hopefully a BB30 crank...although you can adapt a longer and narrower Red 22 to BB30 as well but with spacers.

It should be plug and play PP. Post pictures with any questions.
Btw, a great bike...one of my favorites.

highdraw

by highdraw

Sykes wrote:Guys,

thanks for all of the great posts and discussions. After a trip to my LBS, they agree that a cup misalignment sounds like the most probable cause and will be contacting the manufacture today. I will add one note that someone mentioned earlier, my BB shell does not have any drain (wire routing) holes and while I don't ride in the rain often, nor put much water on the area, I can see how this is a very poor design and one that could lead to premature bearing failures.

Sykes, you can drill a small hole in the bottom of your BB if no drainage. Or...if you do ride your bike in the rain, remove the seatpost and flip the bike over and let it dry. Removing the seatpost once in a while is never a bad idea anyway...reapply carbon paste and torque the clamp bolt to 50 in-lbs. Just make sure you mark the post before you pull it get the seat height right...I use just a sliver of blue tape on the post.
Btw, cup misalignment is pretty rare. Post your scenario and pictures if you want better feedback.

ricks123
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:53 pm

by ricks123

thprice wrote:Standard SRAM BB30 bearings on SRAM crank, 30,000 km with one service.
I use Loctite and a non-impact bearing press tool.


If you take care of them like Rick, the hybrid ceramics WILL last a long long time.

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dwaharvey
Posts: 470
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:54 pm
Location: USA

by dwaharvey

@Sykes, hope you are on the road to a solution, but I thought I'd mention one other thought. Cannondale used to tell people to put grease between the bearing and the outer dust seal/cover, but at some point a few years ago they changed that advice and started telling people not to. I think the issue can be that too much grease there attracts and pulls in dirt, and once there's dirt in there then water can follow. The additional grease can create a path for contamination to find it's way in, rather than a good barrier to it.

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FIJIGabe
Posts: 2241
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:07 pm
Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

If the cups aren't misaligned, I have a simple question: do you freeze your water bottles? Although none of my bikes use BB30 bearings, BB90 is susceptible to many of the same issues you are describing. What I discovered was that my water bottles would "sweat", and the water would always make its way to the NDS bearing. I tried ceramic bearings, steel bearing, you name it, the bearings would get "gritty" as you described. My solution was to take a new bearing, completely flush out the original grease and repack the bearing with standard marine grease, available at any boating supply store. Sure, it's a little thicker than the Park Tools grease you have (the same one I was using), but it is much more water resistant, and will prevent water from actually entering the BB bearing to begin with. I recently drove my bike through the rain on a rack, rode a metric century then drove back, hitting heavy showers. I washed the bike and disassembled the BB to check the bearings, and they were still full of grease, with no signs of water in them. They spun well and there were no issues (now if only I'd done that with my lower headset bearing...).

Anyway, if the frame isn't the problem, try this out and let me know if it works for you.

Donkey

by Donkey

Good to use the thickest, most viscous grease available on the exposed surface contacts of the assembly. It acts as an insulator from the elements.
Inside the actual bearing however better to use a finer substitute like the Park Tool grease.

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FIJIGabe
Posts: 2241
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:07 pm
Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

I agree, but the Park Tool grease just doesn't provide the waterproofing ability of the marine grease, and the viscosity doesn't seem that different (although I do not have the proper tools to test this, although I'm sure I could rig something up with a torque wrench...).

carhillclimb
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:45 am
Location: MA, USA

by carhillclimb

highdraw wrote:
OP, unless you are getting your wave washer preload wrong repeatedly, then maybe what Rich mentioned has the most merit since you seem to know how to install a BB30 which btw many if most don't.


What is the correct wave washer preload? I usually try for the wave washer as compressed as possible without any binding, based on the non-wave washers at my disposal, which I believe are 1mm. I do not presume to be good enough to set up a bottom bracket to be both free of play and free of bind using shim washers.

I believe I am having trouble with water getting into the bearings but I have not spent a lot of time diagnosing.

My old swiss-thread motobecane without seals and with square taper goes several years of Eastern Massachusetts winter commuting without needing bottom bracket service, so having issues on a modern BB30 bike after one 40 degree rainstorm seems like negative progress. Maybe I need to store BB30 bikes outside so the cooling does not draw stuff through the seals (yes this was an issue for early SON hub generators).

Yes I know this is an old thread (just like my motobecane).
Michael Wilson

hambini
Posts: 580
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:13 am
Location: Cologne, Germany

by hambini

I did a video explaining how BB30 works and also another one explaining the differences between bearings. You might want to try some activator between the bearings and the shell if you have creak.

Here's the bit on BB30

https://youtu.be/7gxTmL5m9PU

and here's the bit on why bearings are not made equal.

https://youtu.be/E-FqWpi5n8Y?list=PLWIl ... JCioXmC1rG
Hambini Aeronautical Engineer, Polluting YouTube since 2016 - views expressed are my own...

TheDarkInstall
Posts: 725
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:44 am

by TheDarkInstall

Yeah, I went through a period of burning through BB30s (well, the bearings, not the carrier part).

Cannondale (FSA) bearings were shiiiiiiite (ceramics, so junk for cycling).

SRAM was a lot better, but I still had problems...

Until I put another washer in my SiSL2 setup, adding a tiny bit more preload on the bearings. Since then, I have been on the same SRAM PF30 for about 35000km without a squeak.

Obviously I have just jinxed myself and it will start creaking tomorrow.

by Weenie


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MyM3Coupe
Posts: 374
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 10:32 pm

by MyM3Coupe

I've had fantastic results using Hawk Racing BB30 bearings.

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