How many drill a hole in their BB shell for drainage?
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Absolutely! I've seen (and owned) too many frames that filled with water. It's way easier to help it get out than to try to stop it getting in. Just use my patented Jiggle Valve .FISHLEG said:
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9,119 Posts
Sure do. I've had the experience of water pouring out of a "sealed" frame. It gets in there through the seat tube, possibly through the head tube, and who knows where else.
The common argument is "but it also lets water in". Really? Where's it going to go? Up? The hole is small enough that you'd have to submerge the bike to accumulate any significant quantity, and after that (and with all the bouncing around off-road) it's only got one place to go -- down 'n out!
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The common argument is "but it also lets water in". Really? Where's it going to go? Up? The hole is small enough that you'd have to submerge the bike to accumulate any significant quantity, and after that (and with all the bouncing around off-road) it's only got one place to go -- down 'n out!
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I like to take the edge down inside the BB shell to allow the water to drain more easily, but I suppose a hole with an edge is better than no hole at all.
So yeah, if you take it slow and the bearings are sealed from the resulting metal shavings, there's probably no reason you couldn't do it without disassembling everything.
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So yeah, if you take it slow and the bearings are sealed from the resulting metal shavings, there's probably no reason you couldn't do it without disassembling everything.
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4,615 Posts
Depends.
It's a pro if you like your bottom brackets to last a long time. It's a con if you enjoy posting threads on "everything drivetrain" ranting about your bb only lasting 2 months.
Drill that f***er. I don't even bother to remove the BB, just use a GENTLE touch and you won't puncture the plastic.
EDIT: by the way, Mike T, the grease idea is clever.
JMH
It's a pro if you like your bottom brackets to last a long time. It's a con if you enjoy posting threads on "everything drivetrain" ranting about your bb only lasting 2 months.
Drill that f***er. I don't even bother to remove the BB, just use a GENTLE touch and you won't puncture the plastic.
EDIT: by the way, Mike T, the grease idea is clever.
JMH
FISHLEG said:
my bottom bracket shell has no way for water to get in either. There is a stream at my local trail that is not possible to ride through, but you can walk across a skinny downed tree that is layed across it while balancing yourself up with your bike in the water... it totaly submerged my bottom bracket for over a minute... I took off the bottom bracket fully expecting water to por out, and there was no water at all...ohpossum said:
you might want to try to cover the holes that lead to the bottom bracket shell with something first.. duct tape would probably do a nice job......
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8 Posts
Wouldn't drilling a hole void the frame warranty? My Stumpy has a hole on the bottom bracket shell that is plugged with a screw.
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6,756 Posts
Only if the BB shell is open to the down or seat tube and they are open to the air.FISHLEG said:
I think they are often open for easier manufacturing welding heat transfer, less warping risk.
I use plumbers tape on my BB threads and that seals the shell otherwise.
- ray
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Depends on the manufacturer, I suppose, but Giant and Iron Horse both told me "no problem" when I asked. I don't bother to ask any more.UltraPenguin said:
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6,289 Posts
Mike, I like the spoke valve idea. One thing though, does it make any audible rattle? 'Cause that drives me nuts.
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