Warning: I almost gave up on a 1970s French bottom bracket last Tuesday.

The lockring was seized solid, and my Park BBT-22 just kept slipping. I soaked it in penetrating oil for three days, then a customer suggested heating the shell with a heat gun for exactly 90 seconds. It came loose with a satisfying crack. Anyone have a better trick for those old French threads?

3 comments

3 Comments

stone.thomas20d ago

Honestly, "almost gave up" seems a bit much for a stuck lockring. Tbh, it's just a threaded part, not some impossible puzzle. People get those loose all the time with a decent wrench and some patience. The heat gun trick is fine, but it's not like you saved a life, you just got a bike part off.

wade_hall19d ago

My old shop teacher swore by a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. That stuff works better than any store bought penetrant, lol.

sethanderson2d ago

Ever try that acetone mix on a bike? I mean, it got a seized bottom bracket loose for me after pb blaster did nothing. Stone.thomas is right that patience helps, but sometimes you need the nasty stuff.