Re: [CR]Bass-ackward BB on Hetchins

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

In-Reply-To: <000001c88ba9$14998b40$6d7ba8c0@dkbwin2k>
References: <000001c88ba9$14998b40$6d7ba8c0@dkbwin2k>
From: "James Valiensi" <valiensi@mac.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Bass-ackward BB on Hetchins
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:09:30 -0700
To: beandk@rcn.com
cc: "CR List \(E-mail\)" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>

Hullo, I've read about frame builders putting BB's in backwards; why not thread one the wrong way. Stuff happens. James Valiensi Applicant for KOF Northridge, California, United States of America, Planet Earth. On Mar 21, 2008, at 4:12 PM, David Bean wrote:
> I decided the BB spindle on the Hetchins Italia I just received
> from England
> was too short to use with the intended crank, so I took it to Steve
> Birmingham's shop, where they had the special Campag Mirage spanner to
> remove the rings. I was a bit flummoxed because they seemed to be
> turning
> the wrong way, but maybe I'd drunk too much coffee. After a nice
> conversation with Steve about his cool ancient motor-pacing bike, I
> went
> home and reexamined things. Sure enough, the threading is
> backwards. I
> still have a hard time believing it.
>
> The DRIVE side tightens up by turning it CLOCKWISE (right hand
> thread), the
> nondrive side tightens counterclockwise (left hand)! The rings are
> marked
> 1.370x24tpi. BB shell is Nervex, stamped "HET" and is 68mm wide.
>
> How the heck could this happen? A tyro got it backwards with the
> taps?
>
> And what should I do about it? (A lockring on the drive side might
> raise
> eyebrows...) Would it be best to use a sealed BB so the turning of the
> spindle doesn't have a direct effect on the fasteners?
>
> David Bean
> Arlington, MA USA
> beandk at are-see-enn dot com