[ishmaelmuscat]

I have a bike set up with Chorus 2003 crankset. I removed the BB two years ago and replaced it with a new one since there was some play. Yesterday, I realized that there is play once again. I rode approx. 11,000Km on the bike and the timeframe is exactly two years since the last (and first) BB change.

I'm confused since it's been only two years since the BB replacement and previously it lasted around 6 years.

I tried to remove the cranks and managed to remove the left hand crank arm using the appropriate tools. When i came to the crankset, the inner thread of the crankset seems to be worn out, since each time I locked the tool tight in order to extract the crankset, the tool would not extract the crankset and instead the tool itself would come out and bring out with it a few of the damaged crank's thread screw metal grooves.

So, now that the crankset outer thread is damaged, is it possible to remove the crankset by hitting it from the opposite direction?

That way I can remove the BB and clean it, maybe making it last longer.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[DrSmile]

Always make sure the tool is threaded into the crank as far as possible, otherwise it will pull out the threads as you've experienced. I've hammered off the crank before by using a rubber mallet and hitting it on alternating sides, or alternatively you can use a three prong puller to pull the crank off.

 

[bigbill]

Your only hope is to use another tool and hope it was the tool and not the crank threads. Otherwise, you'll have to use a gear puller to get the crankarm off. If you do that, I wouldn't put it back on. There are always older Campy cranks on eBay, Record and Chorus use the same 102mm bottom bracket. There were Chorus and Record bottom brackets, Records were lighter but they were functionally identical and interchangeable.

I don't know how cleaning your bb will get rid of play. Either the bearings are worn out or they're not. If the bearing are moving in the aluminum cups, then you can try a disassembly and retorque the whole thing, but if your cups are worn and now oversized, not much you can do to permanently repair it.

If you want a long term solution, Phil Wood makes a 102mm bottom bracket in Ti or Stainless steel with Ti or Stainless locking rings. It takes a special tool to install, but forever and ever you can send it back to Phil Wood for an overhaul and new bearings for around $40.

 

[crossracer]

One thing I used to see back in the day was home mechanics removing the bolt, but forgetting the washer. They would then thread the tool onto the crank and it would press against the washer. Result stripped threads. It does sound like that crank is toast. Sorry.
Was this the bottom bracket that installed with a tiny little tool that looked alot like a shimano hyperdrive tool? If so they did develop play every one I installed or saw over the years. Heck even shimano ones develop play over time, but on a whole are normally more robust.

 

[Kerry Irons]

I have a bike set up with Chorus 2003 crankset. I removed the BB two years ago and replaced it with a new one since there was some play. Yesterday, I realized that there is play once again. I rode approx. 11,000Km on the bike and the timeframe is exactly two years since the last (and first) BB change.

Per other comments it sounds like your crank may be trashed and need to be removed with a gear puller.

If your BB failed that quickly then you either got a defective unit, have an improperly faced BB (cups go in at an "off" angle that forces the bearings out of line), or perhaps rode in some really bad conditions of water and dirt. My current Campy Chorus square taper BB has over 135,000 km on it with no signs of distress. My previous Campy BB had nearly 100,000 km on it and the bearings were just fine (I broke the RH cup flange by over-torquing it).

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

The only time I had a Chorus square taper BB fail was when I went on a rain ride, and put the bike away for a month without checking to see if water had gotten into the BB shell. It had, and the BB was toast.
It's possible to replace the sealed bearings if you know what you are doing.
.
.

 

[DrSmile]

The only time I had a Chorus square taper BB fail was when I went on a rain ride, and put the bike away for a month without checking to see if water had gotten into the BB shell. It had, and the BB was toast.
It's possible to replace the sealed bearings if you know what you are doing.
.
.

I had the same experience with a Centaur square tapered BB on my Breakaway. Water killed the bearings. Upon taking it apart I discovered that only one side of the bearings is sealed, so I ordered non-Campy sealed ones and pressed them on. I've had no problems since.