I’ve got a cartridge BB that’s totally dead (was grinding loads last week and now it won’t even turn) and I cannot get it out of my frame.

(I’m trying to turn driveside clockwise to loosen)

How might I be able to loosen it up a bit? Soak the whole lot in WD40?

great big bar on the lever did mine….

Strip the frame down enough (forks off, wheels off, etc). Put the BB tool in the vice. Put the frame on the BB tool, and turn it that way, using the frame as a lever. That’ll see it out OK.

penetrating fluid. big f off lever or tool in a vice and turn frame. Heat ( caution if alloy frame)

I think sheldon brown has all sorts of tips on his site

Penetrating fluid?… like wd40? (It’s normally my answer to everything)

Before I go ahead – any reason why I wouldn’t want to spray it down my seat-tube?

WD40 isn’t a (good) pentrating fluid. You want PlusGas (Halfords, local motor factors etc), and LOTS of it. And then a little bit more just to be sure. Let it soak for 10-20 minutes, reapply, and then try.

isn’t driveside normal thread ie. anti-clockwise to undo?

Your turning it the right way but it might well need a bit of leverage to crack the thread.
I had to use a big clamp, as shown below, to hold the tool in place. It meant I could use an old set of bars as a lever on the T-Bar. The old innertube is to stop the clamp slipping.

isn’t driveside normal thread ie. anti-clockwise to undo?

No definetely clockwise to undo on drive side. Had this problem myself a couple of weeks back and TJ is right.

Buy a can of Plusgas from your local Halfords or petrol station and spray on the BB, also down the seat tube. Leave to soak for half hour and then do it again. Putting it in a vice is a bit extreme IMO. Try bolting the BB tool on first using a M8 bolt and washer or one of these. Attach a big a adjustable wrench, the longer the better and then stand on it, that should do the trick, if not then try the vice thing.

Good luck

so OK, I have the same problem for the drive side.

to undo it should I be clock wise or anti-clock wise

The rule is over-the-top-towards-the-back (works for me) so drive side is anti-clockwise to undo, non-drive is clockwise.

edit – sorry thats pedals, bb’s are opposite!

And just find the biggest lever you can (old handlebar squashed one end to fit over spanner may work, or like my LBS, half a scaffold tube!)

you and the post above mine disagree. any one else want to confuse the matter further?

if in doubt, read the bible

Ignore me, I seem to be wrong. Been a while since I did it though and that bible link says other than my thoughts!

nice one, bb drive side = clockwise to loosen.

cheers

sorted it with a massive spanner and some swearing. Christ it was tight

I sorted mine yesterday too.

Ended up using a clamp to hold the tool and socket wrench in place like takisawa’s photo and used a 3 foot bar on the end of it.

I’ve got a mate with an airgun, never failed yet 🙂

i thought i was going to have to buy a clamp too but thankfully the tool stayed put just long enough to get the bugger out without it. came out perfect on my other bike though.

Apply a gentle pressure the other way anti clockwise, this may break the rust seal, then turn clockwise.

loctite freeze and release, unbelievably good stuff. about £6 a can if my memory serves correctly

gentle pressure? i had to batter the thing

Penetrating is the mutts nuts!

I couldn’t get the disc off my astra, bloody thing had sealed on. A few moments with penetrating fluid and we prized it off sharpish.