Facing?

BB and headset being replaced, do I need the facing thingumy being done?

Seen some threads saying facing isn't required, but can't find any threads explaining it, or what it is!

No, you don't.

yes you do

If you're running an xtype BB I would get it faced. Your BB will last a lot longer. Heard a lot of people say it isn't necessary that the delrin spacers and this that and the next thing will sort it out.

From my experience the BB will last a good bit longer if it's faced.

Simple fact is it rotates more smoothly so doesn't ware as quickly.

The lord hath spoken………don't mess or HE will smite you. 😉

No you don't

Prolly not.

Simple fact is it rotates more smoothly

Fact?

Arf arf arf.

I've been on Singletrack for a while now, I'm guessing I've said something stupid here… 🙂

Um, anyway, so, in conclusion: BBs – mixed. Anyone give me a clue just on headset facing?

Absolutely not for headsets.

It rotates between 5 and 10% more smoothly. FACT.

On my previous build I just pressed the headset and it was fine, I recently pressed a headset into a new frame and as soon as I applied the slightest preload it ground and rubbed and left a film of aluminium dust on the steerer. I had the headtube faced and reamed and now it's great.

If you've already had a headset running well in the frame then I doubt you'll need it faced but in my case it made a huge difference.

I've never bothered with BB shells being faced, but I'm still using Octalink cartridge units.

"It rotates between 5 and 10% more smoothly. FACT."
Its between 4 and 9% ACTUALLY. 🙄
Please don't feed the trolls!!!!

I recently pressed a headset into a new frame and as soon as I applied the slightest preload it ground and rubbed and left a film of aluminium dust on the steerer. I had the headtube faced and reamed and now it's great.

Either…
the frame was originally tacked together by a drunken monkey who, incapable of getting the headtube right, was also incapable of getting the three main tubes and stays aligned.

Or….
you hadn't pressed the headset in properly first time.

Did you have the dropouts faced too?

Do it, at best your BB lasts longer and any warranty will be happy and at worst your frame is (insignificantly) lighter.
As long as they don't destroy the frame, but then they will get you a new one if they do so still do it.

whats the worst that could happen if you do?

whats the worst that could happen if you do?

They could take off too much material f***ing your frame.

That would be some ham fisted facing to wreck a frame

I regularly face BBs and face/ream headtubes and even with 'quality' frames they're often far from true.

Given the heat and forces placed on relatively short soft aluminium bits of pipe while welding, it's hardly suprising that there'd be some deformation; then the heat treating process pretty much melts the frame again.

Well worth getting them faced IMO.

They could take off too much material f***ing your frame.

then they would be liable?

whats the worst that could happen if you do?

They could take off too much material f***ing your frame.

That would be some ham fisted facing to wreck a frame

then they would be liable?

True, they would be liable and it's hardly the 'worst thing that could happen'. Borrowing the tool and getting your scrotum caught in between the cutting face and the bike would be worse.

I didn't have the dropouts faced, or the BB shell. I don't know what the issue was but facing/reaming was the suggested solution from Cane Creek technical support and it seems to have worked (the previous headset I pressed was fine without facing).

http://www.weldtite.co.uk/617/pages/tools-podcasts/how-to-use-cyclo-tools-bottom-bracket-facing-tool.aspx

if you really care that your bike runs straight and tru- then facing the bottom bracket/headset/fork crown and having the dropouts aligned with the 'h' tool are all good practice in a professional workshop.
if you dont care then,i am afraid you never will. This however will probably not impair ones approach to riding bicycles, it is a simple case of attitude.

ride on.

Well as far as BB's are concerned, there is no way that facing it would effect the angle the BB sits at, the threads would keep it all parallel. However on my new pipedream frame, i can clearly apply to much presure on the bearings when i fully tighten the cranks, so I would sumise that it is slightly wider than the prescribed 73mm.
With an XT crank I can back of the tightning a bit, but other cranks don't allow for that. I will have it faced when I next go to the lbs.

Oddly it was my new Pipedream frame that needed the headtube facing. I'm using an Octalink cartridge BB which I suspect are less suceptible to such things.

I've forgotten what my question was…

Given that I'm going to get rid of the frame within the next 6 months, from the replies that I understand, I probably don't need to bother.

But I will anyway, probably. 😀

I've never bothered. If I was buying a nice, shiny, expensive new frame then probably would, but not on the piles of tat I usually hack around.

Thebunk.

where do you live, if it's in or near Edinburgh I can face your bb for free!

Bottom line is for BB's they last a good 30% longer and your warranty is valid if they do burn out after 8 to 10 months rather than the 12 to 18 months they're supposed to last.

Getting your BB faced makes sense in the long run, that said the cheap ass frame manufacturers should face all the BB's, especially considering most frames run xtype bottom brackets. Without them being faced hope, shimano, raceface and all other bb manufacturers won't honour the warranty on them, why do all the smart arses think that is?

Lots of people on this forum complain that external BBs do not last as well as square taper. Could this be explained by the fact that on some frames the bearings are not aligned with the rotating shaft?

It think that incorrect facing would place a load on the bearings in a direction that thery were not designed for and so shorten their life. My frame was not faced in the factory so I got it done.

The original Truvativ BB developed play within about 3 months. I will see how well the replacement lasts now that I've had the frame faced and replaced the BB.

How would the bb manufacturer know if you'd faced or not?

Headset choice can influence if you face. King's are very slightly 'undersized' if you ream/face with the Park tool you can find your King headset doesn't fit. Hope on the other hand, and bloody tight!

I'd do it on the BB, may as well!

OP why don't you decide yourself as no one on here will ever agree

Bottom line is for BB's they last a good 30% longer

Rot.

Can you back that up with evidence?

Just saying something over and over again does not make it true.

Higgo

If you want evidence rersearch it yourself, or just phone hope as most sensible people do and aks them?

Not intrested in jumping through hoops!

No BB manufacturer will warranty the BB and from my experience and every other competent mechanic I know, they last a good bit longer when faced.

That's good enough for me, if you higgo don't face or get your BB faced? that's also good enough for me!

My advise is get it faced.

The BB will last longer you'll buy less BB's and have less hassle with fitting them. Your pedal rotations will also run smoother and be more efficient.

Can you back that up with evidence?

I'll take that as a 'No' then.

Folklore is not proof.

kaesae – Member

No BB manufacturer will warranty the BB and from my experience and every other competent mechanic I know…..

Fixed that for you.

Fit it. If they don't seem right get it faced… Same with bb threads, slowly screw the bb in and if it feels wrong, stop and get the threads cleaned…

Well as far as BB's are concerned, there is no way that facing it would effect the angle the BB sits at, the threads would keep it all parallel.

Thats why a good quality facing tool screws into the threads to cut, thus keeping it parallel to the threads.

Some manufacturers face the bb, headset and if your lucky the brake mounts in the factory and some don't. I only know for sure giant do all of them, can't speak for the rest. Trouble is most LBS want between £30-£50 to do each one and it's only a five minute job, total rip off. I had a cyclus bb facing tool and the three frames I faced with it (kona, hinde and custom) were all spot on so I sold it (plus I needed the money).