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What was the condition of the bottom bracket?

The bottom bracket, well, when I got the frame you could only turn the axle half way round, and it was really stiff and grungy. 

So after some research I I felt confident I could take it apart, assess the condition and put it back together.

I was going to have to do that anyway as the seller notified me that when trying to get the chainring and crank off, the cotter pins would not budge and so were angle grinder out.

So the cottered (rather than a square taper) axle needs replacing anyway.

When the right tool was purchased, I got the bracket cups off and could see why the axle was so stiff... The grease was solid, there was loads of dirt and what looked like seeds or small lumps of dirt/soil. 

Because the bottom bracket is not a sealed unit, it’s exposed to the air, so if it’s set for a long time, it will dry up, plus, as in this case, there was no seat post in, so any debris could, and did, fall down the seat tube right onto the axle etc.

While taking it apart, I lost a bearing, but was going to replace them too.

The plan is to buy or fit donor wheels, I am gunning for some road standard 700c wheels, take the cassette off and use a conversion cassette, then get a chainset for the front and then buy the right width axle.


That’s the plan....we shall see...

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