Worked the whole afternoon getting my TI MTB in tip top condition.

Wheels of Happiness

On my bike ride to Wawa, I noticed the shifting to be hard.   The headset problem has been solved.  Now its the time to look after the drive train.  These were the things I did:

1.  First, this post disassembled and soaked the rd and fd in degreaser and cleaned them well.  Then the oiled the pivot points.  However I could not get the main spring have the proper tension.   I could only get

the cage to 90 degrees vertical not at horizontal.  Therefore the chain was slack  II tried a dozen times to get the tension of spring back.

2.  I researched at YT and found out that I have to rotate the cage clockwise by at least 180 degrees.  This I could not do since I observed the part that attaches to the cable gets into the way.  (You will be surprised that I was not thnking outside the box.  )  It looked immovable.  The only way out is to move the spring by other means.   I gave up on my DIY and went to the bike mechanic,   He proposed creating a tool to rotate the spring.  Later on he found like solving a puzzle that the parrallelogram can be moved and the cage can be rotated 180 degrees.  Voila.  I gave him P50.00 for the effort.

3.  Then I found out that the cable inside was rusted.   So I had to replace the outer too.   And so I looked for  full length shifter cable and I found one.  My waterloo there is inserting the cable at the changer.   I entangled a cable before.   I had smooth sailing this time.   I replaced the outer at the last 20 cm portion of the cable near the RD.

4.  It took me 4 tries to get the cable to the right tension.  And I had to adjust the limit screws.  The bike would not shift to the biggest and smallest gear.   

5.  Then the rd would not shift back to the lowest gear.  I found out that the upper pulley was hitting the chain stay.  So thats where the B screw adjustment came in.  I scewed in the B screw to clear off the chain stay.   

Perfect.  Now the Ti MTB is a Ok.   But was tired.   Finished at 7:00

New Learnings from my adventure with bearings

Wheels of Happiness

As this post tries to study and repair bearings, many things have been learned:

1.   Headsets and bbs are expensive.  However, bearings for headset can be bought cheaply.

                Head set cost P500- 700.  However, bearings will set you back by P70.00 each x 2 =  

                               P140.00.  That is 1/5 to 1/6 of the whole headset 

                BB say for shimano cost P700.00.  However 6805 bearing may be had for only P46.00 each

2.   Bearings can be re bearing.  Its balls can be replaced giving it a better life.   Bearings that are small

               can be bought from Sising.  A pack of more than 100+ cost only P30.00

              Steps for rebearing:

               1.  Remove the Rubber seals front and back

               2.  Push the plastic bearing cage from the front, and the back will fall off

               3.  Do this on a table with the towel.  The bearings will fall off and scatter

               4.  Soak the bearing and the races in degreaser.  Clean  (Servicing the bearing at the bike -

                     crank, headset or wheel set does not clean the bearing thoroughly.  

               5.  You can use the same bearing or use the new one from Sising.    According to the YT

                     source you can do this five times at least

               6.  To reconstruct, place the bearings:  14 first on the outer race.  Then insert the inner race

                     and then wiggle in the 15th.   Make the distance between the inner and outer equidistant

                     and then try to get the other bearings to the top.  That will lock the inner and outer race

               7.  Patiently try to get the bearings inside the designated cages

               8.  Lube the berarings:  oil and light grease

               9l  Replace the RS seals

               10.  reinstall at the BB or head set

               REBEARING is even cheaper.  Because you can recycle old bearings again and again

               A pack of 150 small bearings will set you back by P30.00 and you can replace  6 bearings

               You can still reuse old ball bearings

  3. After having done 2, you learn that bearings are fragile and can be destroyed by wacking or 

      hammering

  4.  Bearings easily get fouled up especially the BB and head set.   Servicing them requires 

        closer interval

  5  The two problems with bearings are:   removal and press (reinstallation)

  6.  Many mechanics and bike owners prefer to use hammer and a drift especially for hubs

       The removal tools involve pushing out (for BB) and pulling (using pullers) and or tools

        that expand within the ID of the inner race.   

       Variants include:

       1.  Steel made toks

       2    Attachments that expand with split bolt that expand within the inner race when the inner

              bolt is drive down

       3.   Cylinder cut diagonally that expand when pulled by another bolt

  7.  Press fit

       Require a threaded rod and two nuts.  The drift for the bearing could be a washer, another bearing

       or brass attachment for hoses.   Maybe you should buy the commercial drifts:  for 24 mm, and 

       30 mm for BB, and for head sets :  31 to 52 mm

  8.  A whole set of pushers and press fit can set you back by P1,500 for ZTTO.  However I saw 

       a Lazada post featured a ZTTO set for only P500+ 

  9.   The easiest cheapest way to service bearings especially for hub bearings is via tapping with a drift:

        1  Removal:    For front wheel Using a cup or two pieces of wood, put the wheel hub on this and                                     lightly tap the axle   The other bearing will fall of.  Tap lightly hit accurately and

                               be careful not to nick the hub.

                              You can remove the other bearing tapping round round the bearing

                              For the free  hub:  If there is a stopper, push the tube slightly to one side to access the

                                                    the bearing.  When you have removed the stopper you can easily tap

                                                    out the other bearing

                              For the wheel hub:   Use an old shimano axle use the nut to push against the bearing

                                                   and tap.

         2.  Press fit by tapping:

                            Use a size 22 or 24 socket wrench or same bearing to tap in the new bearing

                            Sand paper the drift bearing so that it may not get stuck with the new bearing

                            Only taps not hammer

  10.   Wheel bearings are usually:  6000, 6001, 60100, 6802, 6902.

                                                         6806  if for BB30, 386, 

                                                         RS refers to rubber seal.  RS 2 means RS for both sides  1 RS 

                                                         is better

                                                         ZZ bearings are sturdier have steel seals.  However they are

                                                          not serviceable and not very efficient.  

                                                          6805 if for Shimano, campy cranks

  11.  The biggest enemy of bearings is moisture and rusting.   Thus, it is essential not to water 

          your bike, ride it during rains, or through flooded streets or streams.   Be sure to  disassemble

          clean and dry when you do.