Hi all! I tried searching but I didn't see anything that jumped out at me and since my bike is in bits and pieces in my garage I figured I need an answer fairly quickly. I think I know the answer to this question but I thought I'd pose it anyway. Is there any way to service a Shimano BB-6500 bottom bracket? It says "Sealed Cartridge Unit' on it so it appears that Shimano would rather have you replace it than service it. The problem is that I could get another on ebay but I really need it in the next couple of days. This one (I'm pretty sure it's the original - although I started doing my own maintenance about a year ago) has about 15-16K miles on it. It's making a rubbing kind of noice like it needs grease or that perhaps some grit has gotten into it. I've already ruled out most everything else that it could be. I can't find a breakdown or have seen any way to get into it to clean and grease it.

Any ideas?

I haven't heard of anyone servicing a Shimano cartridge, I'd say that mileage is pretty good service. Just pick one up from your LBS today before they close and you'll be rolling this weekend.

 

15k miles? They're $40-50, by a new one, it's time.

 

Thanks everyone! I figured I'd have to just replace it but if there was any chance of a rebuild....well....I had a few hours to kill this afternoon. To the LBS it is!

 

Yeah, I had one with about that many miles on it and when I finally took it out of the shell it sounded like someone shaking a cereal box when I turned it.

I am hearing rumbles that the Octalink compatible BBs are getting harder to find.