Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Eccentric bottom brackets – help!
  • drslow
    Free Member

    I’ve got a cannondale single speed and want to drop the rear cog down. So I’ve shortened end the chain and thought I could easily rotate the EBB round to retention. Wrong, got the wedge bolt out but it will not rotate. Any ideas, I’ve used a fair bit of force but it seems to be solid.

    ontor
    Free Member

    More force.

    drslow
    Free Member

    What’s the best way to get purchase with the two side holes?

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    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    Some giant circlip piers or a Park Pin wrench

    ontor
    Free Member

    buy a proper pin wrench.

    drslow
    Free Member

    Thanks guys. Tried to use 5mm Allen key but will add to my tool set!

    amedias
    Free Member

    If you’ve already managed to get the wedge out then a bit of a whack sideways with a rubber mallet may free it up to get it moving, mine normally needs this to come free and then will slide and rotate just fine afterwards

    leffeboy
    Full Member

    As above. A bit of a whack with a rubber mallet fixes mine usually

    franksinatra
    Full Member

    Same bike, same problem last week.

    I had to screw a bolt in on the outside of the wedge and lever it out with a crow bar! Once this was out I struggled for ages with the other side (drive chain side). In the end I just used a wooden rod pushed through from non drive side and whacked it with a mallet.

    I found once it was out and I could see the parts and understand it I will approach the same job with more confidence next time (ie, not afraid to apply force), although I rammed a tonne of grease in so hopefully will not be such a faff.

    Don’t bother buying a pin wrench as you will not be using this to apply force. I made one out of a tent peg bent in a wrench. Was fine for holding the bottom bracket in the correct position whilst tightening things up. I do not think a purpose made tool would have made the slightest bit of difference.

    dbukdbuk
    Free Member

    Not sure about the Cannondale eccentric but guess I’ll find out soon as I ordered one today.

    With Bushnell eccentrics though, you unscrew the bolt until it feels loose. At this point you’ve probably release one of the wedges but not the other. Keep unscrewing and you will then feel more pressure as the other wedge starts to release. It’ll then start to feel loose again. Once you’ve done that it should be possible to rotate or remove the eccentric pretty easily.

    drslow
    Free Member

    Frank, it’s a great bike, but Cannondale assembly workers must be allergic to grease as it’s comes with a mere rumour of the good stuff. The creaks that come off it! It’s less than 6 months old and I should have checked this given the other issues! Anyway bought the tool so shall see how that goes.

    shifter
    Free Member

    Cannondale have made two types of EBB; single and double wedge. If it’s newish then it’s probably double wedge. The wedge bolt is held captive by a small circlip that’s really not up to the job. Have you mashed that circlip while removing the bolt? Wouldn’t surprise me!

    I recommended a Badboy to a mate and we’ve had nothing but trouble with the EBB. We’ve recently swapped it for one off a Santa Cruz Chameleon. Went in ok but can’t report any success as it was very recent.

    Good luck!

    shifter
    Free Member

    There are pdf diagrams of the Cannondale EBBs on their site if you dig deep enough, might help you picture what you need to do!

    Chameleon EBB

    drslow
    Free Member

    I have the cir clip out and it seems undamaged. Strangely it was on top of the wedge bolt and came out easy. Is there another one?

    I’ve looked at the diagrams and the wedges appear to be connect to the main BB via some ‘teeth’ so I’m not keen to force it out.

    It’s a 2014 model and the docs are from circa 2003.

    shifter
    Free Member

    There are some pins that keep the wedges attached to the main body.
    If you’ve got the wedge bolt out are both wedges loose?

    benji
    Free Member

    Loosen the bolt, and with a rubber mallet, bashing on the crank ends (where they join the bottom bracket) tap it from side to side, the wedges will eventually release. There is a small allen bolt in the frame to stop it coming too far through one side.

    dbukdbuk
    Free Member

    I’m going to be replacing the eccentric in my Dale SS pretty much as soon as it arrives with a Niner Biocentric II. Also changing the brakes and the cranks. That should fix all the main issues and give me a much “better” bike for still a very decent price (given that the bikes can be had for a good discount).

    RustyNissanPrairie
    Full Member

    put the circlip back in place – thats how its supposed to work – the bolt forces against the circlip and loosens the wedge.

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