The race face X-type last a lot longer than the Shimano, I've had pretty good luck with them.
External BB Cups: Anyone else destroying them?
- Thread starter BurlyShirley
- Start date
My racefaces have lasted year but good lord there is so much friction in them it isn't funny. I wouldn't mind going back to old suare taper again. Bearings were smooth and lasted forever. I never had a problem with the rigidity. Back in the day I had bent several square taper cranks but never a problem with the BB or interface.
My local shop guy was talking about how much he hates externals due to the need to get the facing basically perfect or the BB will die prematurely. Doesn't sound like your problem Shirl, but it does seem like a weakness of design for the many many bikes which will never see a decent chase and face.
Fine threads like that are rediculously easy to cross-thread. Glad to hear that your frame's OK.
That Phil Wood setup is nice. I'll be doing the same whenever my bearings finally die, too.
Who do you think you are Burl\Shirl asking a bike question in the lounge?
Try to run a little less pre-load. The RF crank set up is a little more dificult due to the white spacers used for bearing preload. They are 1mm thick, and this is often about 1/2mm to thick. Swap out the elastomer/o-ring for a little less preload (read the instructions, it explains the 1/2mm adj) and i think that they will turn much better.
The bearings used in these cups are not designed to take axial loading. People tighten them too much and bearings die. Like all (non-angular contact) cartrage bearings, they should be 'almost' loose.
Has anyone replaced their bearings with the Enduro ones from http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id101.html
My Raceface bearings are shot and these seem like a good option, cheap than Phil Wood and better than the stock RF ones. Haven't heard too much about them though, looking for some input.
My Raceface bearings are shot and these seem like a good option, cheap than Phil Wood and better than the stock RF ones. Haven't heard too much about them though, looking for some input.
i'm actually going back to isis for that exact reason. the external BB was no doubt tough, but the cups didnt last me too long, and my crankset never did spin friction-free at any point. with isis, i would get 2 seasons out of a BB and have smooth rotation the whole time.
I have a set of the enduro external BB bearings and cups new in the box at home ready to install. They LOOK nice. Roll smooth too. Haven't rode 'em yet though. Hope to get them installed this week.
I ordered them because my race face Deus/Atlas X-Type BB lost a seal and spewed grease all over everything. I knew it was just a matter of time until it would be necessary.
I ordered the ones preinstalled in the cups because it looked like a PITA to remove the old bearings and to set the new ones. The ones in the cups were cheaper than the cost of buying the bearings and the tool to do the work.
I ordered from them because I was also ordering a replacement set of bearings for my 2005 Trance as well since those had pretty much destroyed themselves.
They were shipped super fast too. Had 'em in 2 days. Based on the service I got, I will use them again. Possibly order the seal/wiper for my REBA fork this winter. That is unless the bearings turn out to be carp...