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Hi folks,
I installed a Hope BBSS30N external 30mm BB onto my lovely new titanium hardtail at the start of this year. It's been getting noisier, so yesterday I disassembled to take a look. The non-driveside bearing sounds and feels like a bag of spanners - which is disappointing.
When I was assembling the bike, I did a bit of research and came to the conclusion that facing the titanium BB shell was unnecessary - my guess is that this is the root cause. Does that sound right, or have I just been unlucky? Can you face a titanium BB shell easily, or does it require a special tool? Is it necessary?
Ngā mihi - Adam...
Facing a BB shell is necessary if the faces are not parallel. You can usually tell if the face is parallel by inspection, when you remove the BB is the contact patch even or is there a high spot indicating out of true? or tighten the BB to a low torque and see is there a gap where you can fit a feeler gauge between the faces.
Facing is done using the same tool as a steel frame.
What crankset are you using? I had to fit my Hope crankset twice into my Hope 30mm external BB to get the NDS crank snugged up against the shell properly.
Could it be there’s a gap between the crank arm and the bearing cover that’s been letting grit and gunk in?
I find the NDS bearings go first. I wonder if the chainring offers some shielding for the bearing.
Is it possible you've over tightened the preload? I find they run better with as close to zero preload as possible. I even have in my mind that Hope have even said too little is better than too much.
Doesn't that BB use angular contact bearings (71806) though? I thought angular contact somewhat depend on being preloaded.