# New build - BB30 crank not spinning freely



## vivid (Jun 1, 2012)

Hi all,

I am building up a new frame. I have installed my crank but it does not seem to be spinning freely. It does not have any grinding feeling, it just does not spin anywhere as freely as I would have expected.

The spindle is attached to the non-drive side crank. When trying to install it from the correct side, it requires a fair amount of pressure. I would not say I am forcing it, but it's close. Pulling it out is also difficult and require some pressure. When I try to install it the wrong way IE on the drive-side with a little wiggling it slides in. I have also tried two sets of bearings and I get the same result

Both bearings were pressed into place with ease. I greases the heck out of everything before and, where possible, after the install of each piece.

In the video the first part is just the cranking and spindle installed, the second part is with the full crank installed. 

I know it's hard to judge force used on a video, but with the crank fully installed and I push down on the crank from 90 degrees, with one finger and just let my hand drop. I get about 3/4 of a rotation. I can use a lot of force and get a few rotations but I would expect it to spin with more ease.

I have also tried two sets of bearings and I get the same result with each set.

Is this normal?

BB30 crank not freely spinning - YouTube


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

Looks like a sram crankset, did you use the wavy washers? I've seen where that was the problem. I think it should spin more freely than what your video shows.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

Not normal.

Do you have everything installed right? Washers, spacers, etc for your BB type?
http://cdn.sram.com/cdn/farfuture/1...docs/95-6115-007-000_rev_d_road_cranksets.pdf


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

vivid said:


> The spindle is attached to the non-drive side crank. When trying to install it from the correct side, it requires a fair amount of pressure. I would not say I am forcing it, but it's close. Pulling it out is also difficult and require some pressure. When I try to install it the wrong way IE on the drive-side with a little wiggling it slides in. I have also tried two sets of bearings and I get the same result


I'd check to make sure that your bearing cups are aligned perfectly. If installing from one direction (NDS) is harder than the other, that side may not be lined up as well as it should be. You may be forcing the inner race out of alignment and putting side pressure on the balls/rollers.
When you install from the NDS does it go in fairly easily but get tougher when it engages the opposite bearing? That would show they're misaligned.


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## vivid (Jun 1, 2012)

bikerector said:


> Looks like a sram crankset, did you use the wavy washers? I've seen where that was the problem. I think it should spin more freely than what your video shows.


It is a SRAM crank (Quarq Elsa). The instructions only require the seals to be installed, both spacers and wavey washer are not used.

http://www.quarq.com/i/95-6115-007-000_Rev_D_Road_Cranksets.pdf



Randy99CL said:


> I'd check to make sure that your bearing cups are aligned perfectly. If installing from one direction (NDS) is harder than the other, that side may not be lined up as well as it should be. You may be forcing the inner race out of alignment and putting side pressure on the balls/rollers.
> When you install from the NDS does it go in fairly easily but get tougher when it engages the opposite bearing? That would show they're misaligned.


That is exactly what is going on. Is there a home fix (or cheap shop fix) for this or do I need to request a warranty replacement frame?


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

vivid said:


> It is a SRAM crank (Quarq Elsa). The instructions only require the seals to be installed, both spacers and wavey washer are not used.
> 
> http://www.quarq.com/i/95-6115-007-000_Rev_D_Road_Cranksets.pdf


Did you follow the instructions for the preload adjustment? What you describe, and your video shows, is excessive preload.




> That is exactly what is going on. Is there a home fix (or cheap shop fix) for this or do I need to request a warranty replacement frame?


I'm not sure it's bearing alignment. You say you can assemble without forcing it. If the bearings were so out of alignment to cause the crank not to spin freely, you'd have to force it like crazy to get it together.


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## vivid (Jun 1, 2012)

tlg said:


> Did you follow the instructions for the preload adjustment? What you describe, and your video shows, is excessive preload.
> 
> I'm not sure it's bearing alignment. You say you can assemble without forcing it. If the bearings were so out of alignment to cause the crank not to spin freely, you'd have to force it like crazy to get it together.


I followed all of the instructions. When I was spinning just the crank arm (first part of the video) I had not tightened the pre-load adjuster. It was tightened in the second part of the video, when the driveside crank was attached. I will certainly try loosening it to see if that helps, thanks.

There is a significant difference between the amount of effort installing the crank depending on which side I insert the spindle. When I try to install from the non-drive side, I have to apply a fair amount of pressure. As I said before, I would not say that I was forcing it, but it was not easy. When I try to install it from the DS it slides in with a little wiggle, but gets much harder when it gets to the second set of bearings.


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

vivid said:


> There is a significant difference between the amount of effort installing the crank depending on which side I insert the spindle. When I try to install from the non-drive side, I have to apply a fair amount of pressure. As I said before, I would not say that I was forcing it, but it was not easy. When I try to install it from the DS it slides in with a little wiggle, but gets much harder when it gets to the second set of bearings.


It really sounds to me that the cups are misaligned.
Another way to check alignment is to push the spindle in from the NDS until it is _almost_ engaged with the DS bearing, then look into the hole and see how things are lining up.

I take it you pressed them in yourself? What did you use?

Take the crankarms off and just look at the bearings to see if they are seated evenly in the frame. Take a caliper and measure across the outside of the bearings front, back, top and bottom. Should be the same.


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## vivid (Jun 1, 2012)

@tlg,
I just tried with the pre-load adjuster loosened all the way. Unfortunately no change.

@Randy,
Both bearings look to be seated evenly with no visible gaps, or anything else to make me think they are not in alignment. When I insert the spindle in from the DS and look from the NDS just before engagement, again it looks ok. I would imagine that a slight alignment issue could be easily missed by a visual inspection. Unfortunately I don't have any calipers to measure the bearings. If you are thinking the bearings themselves are the culprit, I have tried two sets of bearings. I would have thought the chance of two sets being off, by about the same margin, is slim to none.

As for tools, I bought the Park BB30 removal tool. It came with two guides to press BB30 bearings into place. I bought a threaded rod, some nuts and washers from Lowes and made a press. Essentially I have the tools shown below.

View attachment 285057



Is this kind of cup alignment issue something that a LBS can fix? Or would it be better to get a warranty replacement frame? If a shop can fix it, at minimal cost, that might be preferable to waiting a few weeks for a replacement frame. That being said, I would have thought that aligning the cups for a second time (assuming they were done at the factory), could present other tolerance issues with the BB, maybe it would cause more creaks or other issues?


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

If one bearing is cocked even a few thousanths of an inch the difference at the other side could be enough to create your problem.

I got a 6" digital inch/mm caliper at Harbor Freight for $10 on sale; very handy for checking lots of stuff on bikes.

Maybe there is a burr behind the bearing keeping it from seating all the way.

Yes, at this point I'd take it to the LBS and see what they say.


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## vivid (Jun 1, 2012)

Randy,

Thanks for all of your help. As I feared the LBS said they could reface it, but that might lead to other issues later on. They suggested I get a warranty replacement, as this is a definite manufacturing defect. I am now in the process of doing just that.


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

Wow, sorry to hear that you need a replacement frame, what a PITA. What make is it?

Glad that I could help and thanks for the rep!


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## vivid (Jun 1, 2012)

Randy99CL said:


> Wow, sorry to hear that you need a replacement frame, what a PITA. What make is it?
> 
> Glad that I could help and thanks for the rep!


It's a no-name carbon. Actually it's the second defective frame I've received. The first one had a blocked internal cable routing hole. Although the manufacture has been very responsive, I'm not sure I want to give them a third strike. I mean the whole point is riding a bike, not building a bike to find a problem and then exchange the frame.

On the flip side, when I was at the LBS we started talking about frames and I am now thinking about a Felt FC frameset. It has great reviews, about the same weight as the non-name and when you factor in a free fitting, there is not a huge difference in price. The price difference will be worth it in saving aggravation.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

vivid said:


> It's a no-name carbon. Actually it's the second defective frame I've received. The first one had a blocked internal cable routing hole. Although the manufacture has been very responsive, I'm not sure I want to give them a third strike.


Wow. 0 for 2. I wouldn't give them a 3rd chance. If they can't get the simple things right, how can you trust that they'll get the structural integrity right? Cable holes and BB's won't kill you. The joints of your frame falling apart while you ride will.


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## ms6073 (Jul 7, 2005)

vivid said:


> As I feared the LBS said they could reface it, but that might lead to other issues later on.


Um, what? Unless your bottom bracket shell is wider than optimal the 68-mm width, facing the bottom bracket shell is not really applicable to BB30 width, not really going to resolve something like an internal bearing alignment issue?



vivid said:


> When trying to install it from the correct side, it requires a fair amount of pressure. I would not say I am forcing it, but it's close.


So lets back up a step as this sounds similar to issues I have had with Cannondale Hollowgram cranks/spindle on both BB30 and Press Fit 30. So here is the question - if you remove the spindle/crank from the frame and apply a thin coat of grease on the spindle, can you move a BB30 bearing over the length of the spindle by hand? My experience with Hollowgram is that because the diameter of the bearing surface on the spindle was just a tad too large, I could not slide a bearing over the spindle by hand. Consequently a rubber mallet and the high spots on the spindle bore forced/displaced the inner race of the bearing causing internal preload. 

To resolve the issue, I threaded a crank bolt onto the end of the spindle used a 10mm allen head attachment with my cordless drill and the spun the spindle while wet 'polishing' with fine grade sanding block. I would spin it for a 10-15 seconds then try hand fitting the bearing until I could (not freely, more easily) slide the bearing all the way across the spindle by hand. Once I started polishing spindles, our Hollowgram SRM cranks install by hand (no more need of banging it in with a rubber mallet) and the crank spins very freely after completing the install.


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