 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Shopping yet again for 68052RS 25x37x7 bearings for my PF30 eccentric bottom bracket (Problem Solvers) and noticed there might be some alternative sizes. The BB has got those silly plastic top hats that sleeve the crank and cover the outer face of the bearing, they have started to break and are quite worn/eroded from all the grit. Does anyone know how thick the top hats are? (I know I could strip the bike and measure it but I want to ride it tomorrow despite the sloppy BB!)
The cranks are Shimano HTII 24mm axle so could I:
Cut the inner section off the top hats and go with 24x37x7 (smaller ID), and use the outer face of the top hat as spacers if needed (not ideal as the outer faces are still worn)
Get rid of the top hats completely and go 24x37x8 (smaller ID and 1mm wider) which would leave the outside rubber seal open to the elements (the top hats never seem to sit flush anyway so crap just gets stuck behind them!)
Thanks
Hope use 24/37/7 with a bearing cover but no sleeve on the crank as do some pressfit BBs (Ribble for example, but they use an enduro bearings rubber seal/spacer)
Thanks, it's wierd they don't specify the width on those bearings but presumably they are 7mm as you stated.
I've just realised I've got an old top hat so measured it, as expected the inner sleeve is 1mm thick and the outer face is 1.5mm, I've got some spare 0.5mm spacers as this is my second BB of this type after cracking the first, and my cranks have got a plastic or composite spacer that covers the face of the bearing anyway. So I think I'm just going to chance it and go for the 24*37*8.
The exploded diagram for the BB just calls the top hats Andel BB dust caps.
The enduro seals work well
Quick update, they fit and they work, and I have an inkling that the cranks feel a bit more solid now they are in direct contact with the bearings rather than via some sloppy plastic top hats 🙂