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My bike has an PF30 BB shell with an eccentric bottom bracket by Problem Solvers. Previously I've sung its praises...however...its now giving me hassle. Whether I hose the bike down or ride through puddles, water gets through the bearing seals and seizes the bearings with annoying regularity.
I'm already on my second set of decent bearings. The only alternative BB is a Wheels Components version or a cheap copy, I can't see the sealing being any better on either of those. I have to use a bearing puller to properly re-grease them as the rear of the bearing is up against the cup.
Can I use marine grease to help keep the water out? Any recommendations?
I've also looked at bearing packers to purge all the grease through the bearing with new stuff but all the ones I can find are for large 3" bearings and looks like it would use a whole tube of grease just to fill the packer...plus the bearing comes out completely covered so I might as well just do it manually. Can't help but think there might be a solution for a bearing specific grease packer now stuff can be 3d printed. Either to connect to a grease gun, or a hand operated plunger.
Does the BB shell need a drain hole? Normal use should not see loads of water get past the seals. I do wish BBs and similar on bicycles came with grease ports tho. Bearings would never wear out
Water gets into frames in a variety of ways; ie cable ports, seattube, breather holes. Does your frame have any holes at the end of the chainstays? Pop it on its back wheel to drain?
SKF solid oil bearings mtrx is the extremely expensive option, they're about £25 per bearing. They sell them at Bikester.
I do wish BBs and similar on bicycles came with grease ports tho
Anyone remember the old WTB Paradigm Grease Guard headsets and bottom brackets?
Interesting as not heard of these before
https://www.bikester.co.uk/search.html?id=0&strSearchQuery=mtrx
In your experience @greeny30 do these have genuinely better lifetime than normal Wheel Industries or SKF bearings? If significantly better then avoiding the hassle of a strip and refit the extra cost is easily covered.
Main bearings for a Capra, 2 x £17 + shipping
https://www.bikester.co.uk/skf-mtrx-solid-oil-17x30x7mm-iso-61903-silver-983570.html
Nickingsley, I've not actually got any yet, but was considering them for my main pivot, skf have been working with canecreek on these bearings and I can't see how any crap is gonna get in apart from direct jet washing which I never do so I might take a punt on a pair of 6902.
I assume you need the EBB for some deviant singlespeeding related purpose?
If not, consider boshing in an FSA sleeve to convert it to a standard threaded 24mm BB.
You may need a new crankset, but it was an excellent solution on my old Enduro 29.
Gently take the seals off the bearings and fill with PM600 .
I'm of the impression that the solid lubricant bearings were actually developed for the food industry. Lots of machines that need to be kept clean, so they are made to last when regularly jet washed. So they should work in theory, but I remember Cane Creek saying that they haven't really tested whether they are better for bottom brackets, which I find kind of lame. Basically outsourcing their product testing for paying customers. But if it works for the software industry...
I thought this topic had crashed and burned 🙂
Thanks for the replies...I've now bought a 3oz grease gun and some marine grease, and this morning I bought a pair of Enduro LLU bearings.
I just realised that the last set of bearings I bought were Enduro LLB which are not as good at sealing out water and grit, so hopefully the new ones will improve things. I also looked at bearings with proper removeable seals behind a circlip but it seems they are all single lip seals rather than double lipped.
Strangely the BB came with Enduro Max bearings as original fit, but I thought these weren't so good for stuff that rotates so I replaced them with standard caged bearings last time.
Really interested in those solid oil bearings but would like to see how people get on with them, it says the oil comes to the surface of the polymer as the temperature increases, so would a slow moving BB actually generate any heat to bring the oil to the surface? They may be 2-3 times as expensive, but if that makes them maintenance free for a year its probably worth paying. I reckon I'm servicing my current bearings every months during wet weather.
Anyone remember the old WTB Paradigm Grease Guard headsets and bottom brackets?
Yup. Still running one (headset, that is) on a '97 Kilauea. Works well as designed.
As Cheesybeanz said earlier,regardless of the quality remove the seals when new and fill with grease,spin the inner race and fill again.During a lifetime on dirt-bikes it was the only way to attain any longevity,particularly during long,wet,welsh winters.
Bearings almost always only come with enough low grade lubricant to stop them corroding before sale.