Bb Comes Loose In Frame - Loctite?

[eep803]

Hi, my BB keeps coming loose in the frame. I've tightened it up and couple of times now but its happened a third time. I can't remember how I fitted the BB but I suspect I used some anti sieze grease in there which I suspect is causing the problem. I had a BB sieze into a frame on an XC bike years ago so thats why I think I may have used the copper grease.

I've seen suggestions on here of loctite, is this cool? Do I degrease the BB threads and frame then whack on a splash of loctite and crank the BB back in the frame? Any pitfals here, too much loctite, too hard cranking it in?

Cheers in advance, Skinny

[Kieran Morrison]

Hi, my BB keeps coming loose in the frame. I've tightened it up and couple of times now but its happened a third time. I can't remember how I fitted the BB but I suspect I used some anti sieze grease in there which I suspect is causing the problem. I had a BB sieze into a frame on an XC bike years ago so thats why I think I may have used the copper grease.

I've seen suggestions on here of loctite, is this cool? Do I degrease the BB threads and frame then whack on a splash of loctite and crank the BB back in the frame? Any pitfals here, too much loctite, too hard cranking it in?

Cheers in advance, Skinny

Is it the drive side or non-drive side?

I had problems with both sides, for the drive side, my bb was too short so everytime my cranks rotated it loosened the bb off, the non-drive side just needed tightened HARD. Give it a really good tighten using all your strength. I think loctite would be last choice solution.

[rab shropshire]

i always use copper grease on my bb threads, yeah it does come loose from time to time but nothing a quick 5 min spanner job won't sort out, id much rather my bb came loose every now and again than have my bb seize in a frame.

when you ride just make sure you carry a crank extractor and a bb tool and you'll be reet

[liam n]

this happened to my BB tooo and loctite works and has done for the last 3-4 months so should be all good for you to use

[eep803]

Cheers for the replies, I'll try some loctite and cross the bridge of undoing it when I have to.

I had a look on Tarty and almost all of their crank bolts have loctite blue on while some of the BB threads had loctite red/purple on. So seems like its a usually done thing.

Skinny

[totaltrials]

It depends really. You should use Anti seize on your bottom bracket threads. But if you have an Aluminium frame and an aluminium non drive side cup, then a bit of thread lock will be ok. The drive side shouldn't be coming loose really as it's tightened onto the frame, and you should be putting anti seize on the drive side if it's and Aluminium frame/Steel BB thread because it may well seize in.

[CC12345678910]

Smidge of loctite like tarty's product photos

EG.

http://tartybikes.co.uk/images/bbs/large_ta122bb.jpg

but copper grease where it's silver for the best of both worlds.

oh and make sure it's good and tight so you usually don't have to do it again.

If it does come loose, mabye a touch more loctite and try again.