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PF30 needs reaming in Brighton area?

I need the PF30 BB reaming to spec on a Boardman frame (yes I know, serves me right).  I suspected it wasn't quite right from new (too late now) as when a new BB is pressed in (using the correct tool) the non-drive side is very stiff and the drive side is also not exactly what I would call 'free moving'.  With the last BB having given up the ghost this week I got the micrometer on it and its at least 0.05 (up to about 0.1) mm out of tolerance.

Plenty of places seem to do facing but not the reaming (the facing needs doing too but I don't think thats the main issue).  Anyone know anywhere Brighton-ish that can do it?  A frame builder maybe?

As an alternative, if anyone can recommend a good bottom bracket that might be alright with this extra tolerance that might do.  I'm not looking to spend too much as frankly its not that good a bike!

It's a 2014 CX Team btw, apparently notorious for poor fitting BB shells (I discover now).

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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16 comments

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pablo | 8 years ago
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0.1mm under size to spec sounds like a good thing with PF30 surely?  highly unlikely the bearing will distort the whole idea of the plastic cup is to distort to take up any tollerance.  

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LarryDavidJr replied to pablo | 8 years ago
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pablo wrote:

0.1mm under size to spec sounds like a good thing with PF30 surely?  highly unlikely the bearing will distort the whole idea of the plastic cup is to distort to take up any tollerance.  

Tolerance for PF30 is 0.05mm  1  Fact is when two seperate BB's have been installed, the non-drive side seizes up showing that its under too much pressure for the plastic cup to handle.  I'm taking it to be faced tomorrow for good measure.  If the bike shop  seems sure that there shouldn't be a problem then I'll perhaps invite them to put one in and show me the bearings moving freely, and pay them for it if they can  1 

Plenty of reports though seem to indicate that converting to outboard bearing BB's brings less trouble and also eliminates the dreaded creaking.

I've got PF30 on my 2011 Giant TCR with a Shimano crankset, never had any issue whatsoever, quite a few years old and still going strong.  I suspect their manufacturing QA is a bit better than Boardmans.

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FMOAB | 8 years ago
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KCNC do a fantastic converter.  Great quality at a very reasonable £30.  https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/bottom-brackets/black-kcnc-bb30-bottom-brack...

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LarryDavidJr replied to FMOAB | 8 years ago
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FMOAB wrote:

KCNC do a fantastic converter.  Great quality at a very reasonable £30.  https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/bottom-brackets/black-kcnc-bb30-bottom-brack...

Thats a complete BB huh?  Interesting.  I already ordered the SRAM adaptor and a Tiagra BB.....one complete unit might work better though.  I'll give some thought to getting one of these instead (bought the other stuff from Wiggle so can send it back free), or otherwise if the SRAM adaptor isn't friendly to getting the BB in and out when it needs replacing.

EDIT: Your link didn't work so I tried to find one and found the complete PF30 with external BB ... is that the same one?

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FMOAB replied to LarryDavidJr | 8 years ago
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[/quote]

Thats a complete BB huh?  Interesting.  I already ordered the SRAM adaptor and a Tiagra BB.....one complete unit might work better though.  I'll give some thought to getting one of these instead (bought the other stuff from Wiggle so can send it back free), or otherwise if the SRAM adaptor isn't friendly to getting the BB in and out when it needs replacing.

EDIT: Your link didn't work so I tried to find one and found the complete PF30 with external BB ... is that the same one?

[/quote]

Yup, that's the one.  Totally integrated unit with replaceable bearings.  By far the best value unit out there when I investigated this.

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CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
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I fitted the hope bearing kit with a threaded bar, large washers, nuts and a bolt with right size head. Less than a tenner in parts. I can now fit most pressfit bottom brackets and headstock cups

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LarryDavidJr replied to CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
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Man of Lard wrote:

Go up the range from the Deore - it's made of cheese. No actually Gouda is more substantial...

 

Also Deore is 73mm spacing (MTB) not 68mm so surely you need to be looking at Tiagra/105/Ultegra instead?

I thought that too. The description said 68/73 though so I assumed it would work as the two sides don't actually join together. If its that crap though I guess I'll go up to at least sora

CXR94Di2 wrote:

I fitted the hope bearing kit with a threaded bar, large washers, nuts and a bolt with right size head. Less than a tenner in parts. I can now fit most pressfit bottom brackets and headstock cups

Was that their PF46/30 or a converter of PF30 to BSA? I looked at their pf30 and it seemed you needed their tool to be able to thread in the middle section, but admittedly I didn't look at it all that closely. I do have a 24/30 bearing press.

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CXR94Di2 replied to LarryDavidJr | 8 years ago
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LarryDavidJr wrote:
Man of Lard wrote:

Go up the range from the Deore - it's made of cheese. No actually Gouda is more substantial...

 

Also Deore is 73mm spacing (MTB) not 68mm so surely you need to be looking at Tiagra/105/Ultegra instead?

I thought that too. The description said 68/73 though so I assumed it would work as the two sides don't actually join together. If its that crap though I guess I'll go up to at least sora

CXR94Di2 wrote:

I fitted the hope bearing kit with a threaded bar, large washers, nuts and a bolt with right size head. Less than a tenner in parts. I can now fit most pressfit bottom brackets and headstock cups

Was that their PF46/30 or a converter of PF30 to BSA? I looked at their pf30 and it seemed you needed their tool to be able to thread in the middle section, but admittedly I didn't look at it all that closely. I do have a 24/30 bearing press.

 

It was their PF46 kit into a mtb carbon frame.  The bottom bracket assy, where one side is pressed in, then the other side is threaded into it forming a solid unit.  Then I pressed in the remaining bearing and finally gently tapped with drift on the outer rim to ensure it was fully seated.  It would of been nice having Hope's fitting tool, but it wasnt universal enough. so bought a few bits to do the job.  I did use a torque wrench to get the right tightness.

Here are the basic items you need to press fit bottom brackets and headstock cups

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Man of Lard | 8 years ago
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Go up the range from the Deore - it's made of cheese. No actually Gouda is more substantial...

 

Also Deore is 73mm spacing (MTB) not 68mm so surely you need to be looking at Tiagra/105/Ultegra instead?

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LarryDavidJr | 8 years ago
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The praxis ones can't be used on this frame as it isn't 46mm the whole way through, it narrows in the middle which is a total pain in the arse.  The hope one looks good but you need (and by the looks of it you DO need it) their own tool to fit it, which on top of the expense of it anyway makes it too expensive I think.

The self aligning ones are probably the threaded ones (like the hope one) where the two tubes from each side have a thread on to ensure better alignment.

I was quoted around £15 for facing, so I think that to get the best results I'm going to get that done regardless of what solution I end up using (if I run my fingers over the edges I can feel the bumps.  pisspoor QA Boardman).

As it stands its approx 80 quid for the hope PF46 one I need plus almost £50 for the tool and PF46 fittings!!!!!!!.  A total of around £65 for the HTII solution (thats £20 for the adaptor, a tenner for a deore BB, about a fiver for a HTII spanner, and approx £30 for a used crankset).

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CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
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SRAM do plastic cups for threaded bottom bearings. Praxis works do their own version. I think Hope also do one aswell

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mike the bike | 8 years ago
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There is at least one PF/BSA adapter ( buggered if I can remember which ) that aligns itself automatically as you tighten it in position, this might remove the expense of facing from the equation?

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LarryDavidJr | 8 years ago
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Yes, conversion seems to be the way to go to get it to be a lasting solution ..... bit of a pain in the arse though, having to buy new cranks as well as a new BB and the adaptor.

Best start scouring eBay....

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BrokenBootneck | 8 years ago
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They always start off ok, they seem to fail at an alarming rate. Going to convert to 105 groupset. 

 

http://road.cc/content/forum/203954-bb-boardman-cx-2014

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BrokenBootneck | 8 years ago
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Lost track of how many BBs I have been through on that bike. 

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LarryDavidJr replied to BrokenBootneck | 8 years ago
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BrokenBootneck wrote:

Lost track of how many BBs I have been through on that bike. 

Do you find that your bearings are 'stiff' when inserted even from new as well?  I'm beginning to wonder if even just having it faced would help....

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