Weight Weenies

My new Hope stainless road BB and GXP adapters arrived. I read the instructions and followed the How-To video to install the adapters. Unfortunately now installed the bearing will only turn 180 degrees in either direction before seizing. Hasn't gone anywhere near the bike yet, just turning by hand on the workbench. Everything looks square, the two adapters meeting flush against one another.

Link to install instructions PDF: http://www.hopetech.com/webtop/modules/_repository/documents/B.BracketTruvativ.pdf

Any ideas on a resolution? Ideally avoiding having to go buy a drift and faff about trying to remove the adapters.

Thanks!

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Hi, i also have the GXP crank and hope bb with the adapters. mine is fine and spins free. could be bb cups misalignment in the frame ?.
how did the bb run before in the frame ?
cheers,
cyman.

Hello Cyman - BB has not been installed in the frame yet. On the desk, before putting on the adapters, the bearings spun freely.

So, how did you install them?

those adapters are fairly hard to put in by hand, did you press them in.. maybe the bearing race has been forced over and stopping it to run free ?
cyman.

try fitting it up in the frame and torque it up, it might be ok. or it could be binding on the outer dust shield.

Bikerjulio & Cyman - To install I did the following:
Placed Non-drive side cup on bench, threaded end resting on flat surface.
Positioned adapter on top and knocked in with metal cylinder and soft hammer.
Flipped over and repeated with inside adapter.

Could be that the bearing race has shifted but wouldn't it then bind around the full 360 degrees of rotation?
Reluctant to fit and force to spin through fear of (more) damage.

I've fired an email to Hope technical support - If a fix requires removing the adapters I'll try and post back to them. I don't have a drift tool or vice and the local bikes shops were looking at £30 just to fit a BB so I can only imagine looking at this issue would end up costing £££.

You most definitely broke it yourself, that is the biggest no-no with bearings. You need to support the inner bearing race. Either press both adapters in simultaneously (press, not hammer) or hammer them in one at a time while the bearing rests flat on the inner race. You could do this by either supporting the bearing race on a wrench socket of appropriate size, or take the BB out of the aluminum cup and lay it flat on the bench.

As of now, you need a new bearing. That one is completely shot.

Hello DMF, That sounds like a better way of installing. However if that is the case then Hope really need to write some better instructions and delete their installation video!

I saw your post from 2011 about installing with your SRAM Force cranks. Has everything been working smoothly since?

Hmm, don't actually quite remember that thread, but I've had them with Sram Red cranks about two years, have been absolutely flawless. Had a good friend (who's the best mechanic I know) install them for me at the same time as he prepped the frames BB-area (threads and side alignment). Haven't touched the cranks/BB since, total fit and forget.

Really impressed by the Hope BB btw (the ceramic version, but I wouldn't doubt the stainless version either)

In general you should never put side loading force on a bearings inner race while it's only supported on the outer race, or vice versa for that matter.

DMF wrote:You most definitely broke it yourself, that is the biggest no-no with bearings. You need to support the inner bearing race. Either press both adapters in simultaneously (press, not hammer) or hammer them in one at a time while the bearing rests flat on the inner race. You could do this by either supporting the bearing race on a wrench socket of appropriate size, or take the BB out of the aluminum cup and lay it flat on the bench.

As of now, you need a new bearing. That one is completely shot.

Agreed. And that's why I asked the question. Have not seen the video, but the instruction sheet says "pressed in" and what you did is not that.

Oh well, looks like I made a mess of it. Shall see if they can help fix it anyhow. I stand by the video being misleading.

Thanks for the help

UPDATE
Exchanged a few emails with Hope technical support, tried a few fixes but it's now been sent back for them to look at.

The bearing needs to come out and then reseated within the cups. I couldn't track down a Hope BB bearing removal tool instock either in store or online so Hope are going to do it.

If anyone else is looking going to fit the GXP adaptors - file a small notch in one of them before fitting. It'll help locate your drift/punch tool when you come to remove them.

iamalex wrote:UPDATE
Exchanged a few emails with Hope technical support, tried a few fixes but it's now been sent back for them to look at.

The bearing needs to come out and then reseated within the cups. I couldn't track down a Hope BB bearing removal tool instock either in store or online so Hope are going to do it.

If anyone else is looking going to fit the GXP adaptors - file a small notch in one of them before fitting. It'll help locate your drift/punch tool when you come to remove them.

Although you didn't post the link, I'm guessing this is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NufgDt2zwXk and you are right. I cringed as I watched that. Completely wrong. The inner race should have been supported from behind when hammering something into it.

Yep - that's the video they also have on their site.
BB is arriving today so will install at some point this week, work permitting. Fingers crossed.

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