One Piece Crank BB - bearing trouble

[countwitte]

Hi Guys, first post here. I've been using the site to help me maintain my bikes for a few years now.

I'm visiting the US for a bit and picked up a bike on craigslist (a huffy road bike early 80s I think), only cheap but on a short test cycle it felt solid. I did notice the crank had a bit of a wobble. Anyway I bought it and figured I'd put it into the LBS to overhaul the BB, new bearings and grease, etc.

Picked the bike up from LBS and had a ride, the crank is solid now (no play), but I think maybe they over tightened it or messed up the bearings as I'm now getting that intermitent crunch sound only when peddling.

I went to my first source for bikes - Sheldon Brown - and he notes that's for one piece cranks a bearing retainer or cage is pretty much essential to get it set up right. I notice on my receipt from the LBS they billed me for - BEARI BALL 300 GRADE LOOSE SET 25.

I've only overhauled the usual 3 piece cup and cone sort on my bikes back home. Anyone got experience of the one piece? Also I was worried reading Sheldon that maybe they've put loose bearings in, not the right size or not the right number?

The work is under warranty for 30days should I just take it back in? I paid for a BB overhaul right, so I shouldn't be getting bearing trouble at all? even though its old?

Attached photo is from craigslist (of someone else's mine has already been taken down).

Thanks,

Michael

[Painkiller]

Yes ,take it back then. The only problem with the lbs doing the work now you have no idea just what the condition of the bearing cups/races were in in the first place. Just tossing in bearings does not always take care of the problem. As far as replacing with loose bearing, that is the way to go in my opinion. bearing quality comes into play at times too. I generally remove the cups, clean/inspect, then clean the Bottom bracket area and lube well and press the cups back in or replace with new. It is impossible to answer what they saw/inspected and approved. I would have thought something else would have had to be replaced but without doing the work just, a guess

[GeorgeET]

There is no magic, take it back and point out the issue you are heaving. Loose ball bearings are fine, more can fit in.
The noise could be from anywhere including the seat and seatpost. Does it happen when you raise the back wheel and slowly rotate the crank, do you feel roughness.Try to isolate the problem .

[countwitte]

Thanks guys, so it does still happen when i just lift the back wheel and rotate the cranks, but it's worse under load that's why I was putting it down to bearings. It doesn't happen when freewheeling and I can feel it when it happens.

It's frustrating because I don't have access to my tools here otherwise I would have stripped it myself in the first place.

I'll go back to the lbs after the 4th and explain.