Trek Bottom Bracket Installation Question

[Mr.Gib]

The frame is a Boone but I assume the BB is no different than other Treks.

My problem is that with the plastic sleeve installed the cranks are very stiff - not spinning at all. If I do the install without the plastic sleeve the crank spins very free. Can I live without the sleeve?

My concern is that the sleeve protects the bearing from contamination. The bike will not be used to race cross, just wet weather training.

[spud]

I'll ask an obvious question - have you figured out why? Sleeve should have no effect on this. Seems that either the flange is encroaching on the bearing seat area, or the center portion is rubbing the spindle. In either case, reseating, a little sanding or or cutting should solve the problem.

I've never seen at Boone, so I don't know if the down tube or seat tube have openings which could allow ingress of water, in which case you really do want the sleeve.

[Mr.Gib]

Any water that might get in the tubes would be in tiny amounts. Would probably run down the tubes and out the various drain openings. Unlikely there would be water sloshing around.

I don't think the spindle is contacting the center portion of the sleeve. That leaves the flanges contacting the the bearing seal somehow which shouldn't be possible.

Curious is anyone has run without the plastic sleeve and how that worked out.

[Cosmo]

What crank and which version of the Trek BB?

[Calnago]

Mr.Gib: I recently built up an Emonda Sl and installed Campy SR Ultratorque. The BB is Trek's BB90, which I presume is the same as on your Boone. The Campy BB adaptor kit came with the sleeve you mention. I tried it with and without, and ultimately left it out. The crank still spun quite freely with it installed however. I wonder if you've got the lips of the sleeve completed seated in their recesses. I could see how when installing the crank it might be easy to "unseat" them a bit, causing them to bind somewhat.

I also am using my Trek for wet weather riding. The bottom of the BB shell has quite an opening that water from the front wheel can reach. But I was more concerned with water coming in from the sides directly into the bearings (the campy SR bearings are not sealed). With the sleeve on it would seem that if water gets in through that way, then it could not easily get out. At least leaving it off, if water gets in, it will easily dissipate and dry off after a ride, especially with the big openings in the bottom of the shell to ventilate it. Plus, while there wasn't much friction, it is a plastic sleeve and does ever brush slightly on the turning spindle (you can hear it). I'm leaving it out for now and will check it after I feel it's been dutifully subjected to some very nasty weather. SR cranks basically spin if you blow on them, so why add even a little friction. And with the Ti spindle of the SR cranks, I'm not worried about water getting on it anyway. If you were running electric however, and had wires routed around there, I'd probably use it to prevent wear on the wire casings.

[Mr.Gib]

What crank and which version of the Trek BB?

Running Sram Red, so the GXP version.

Calnago - I run fenders on this particular bike so I am not worried about water off the front wheel. Interesting point about water getting in from the bearing side as a reason to leave the sleeve out, although I think the Sram BB is pretty well sealed.

When I installed the sleeve it seemed pretty well seated. I'll have a closer look at the whole thing today. Must say though, I love the free spinning cranks right now.

[FIJIGabe]

I've got plenty of experience with Trek BB's, so let me see if I can figure this one out. First, I think you're referring to the Axle Shield, in which case it shouldn't be making ANY contact with your crank. Make sure that the shield is fully pressed into the housing in the frame, to prevent it from making contact or impeding with the bearings, once pressed into the frame.

I would remove it and replace it with another shield. You may have installed it incorrectly, and now it is galled up inside the BB, or it isn't pressed in far enough, and is rubbing against the bearing as it tries to spin. Also check to see if it was improperly molded.

Now, with reference to the water-resistance of the bearings, Boone frames are different from all the other Trek frames, in that they're supposed to be sealed. If you followed the proper setup procedures for the frame, you shouldn't see much water in the frame, if any at all. One problem I would have with not running the shields is that you may run into problems setting the proper load on the bearings. Although the Axle Shield isn't a structural part of the bike, its presence, or lack thereof, may interfere with the depth of the bearings in the cups.

In your case, I would take it into a shop and have them look at it. In my experience, BB90's have caused Trek a good amount of trouble, and if you are the original owner of the frame (or can get the original owner to help you out), Trek may be willing to replace the frame, if that BB is out of spec.

[grover]

Similar to what FIJIGabe said.

I'm very familiar with BB90 owning an Emonda, Superfly (BB95 but same principle) and two Boone's.

I use SRAM GXP cranks on all of them.

If the frame is moulded correctly and the sleeve is installed correctly it can't have any impact on the cranks spinning.

Firstly for the GXP bottom bracket you know that the internal diameter of the non-driveside bearing is smaller than the driveside bearing. This is different from Shimano.
This means that the plastic sleeve is also different side to side. Make sure you are installing the correct part of the sleeve into each side.

Secondly, the lip of the sleeve should sit completely in the recess in the frame designed for it. If it doesn't it will drag on the bearing once the crankset is installed, tightened and compresses it all. If part of the sleeve isn't sitting appropriately in the recess it is likely the plastic sleeve will be at a slight angle to the spindle and drag on the spindle too.
I have seen the recess in the frame be inadequately moulded or a stray fibre stop the sleeve from being installed correctly. Personally i just carefully removed that stray fibre and it solved the issue. Others may want to contact Trek for a replacement frame.

The last thing it could be is bearings not seating properly in their recess. I don't believe this is the case though as you state without the centre sleeve installed the crank spins freely.