Please help...washer is threatening my Raleigh Mustang!

OK, so this is my first post on this forum...so hi folks!

Basically I have had a summer project urge to do up my childhood/first mountain bike which has sat languishing in my parents shed for about ten years. Its a late 80s/early 90s Raleigh Mustang! I lived and died on this steel machine right through my teens!

Anyway...I'm trying to restore the bottom bracket to working order, but I've noticed that I'm missing the non-slip tab washer which sits on the axle between the adjustable race/bearing cover and the securing nut...its external diameter would be about 26.35mm (1"), internal diameter 17.4mm (11/16"), depth is about 1.5mm (that's a guess as I'm measuring the gap where the washer would sit!)...anyone know where I can get a suitable replacement?! I can't sort the bottom bracket without it, and I'd be looking at having to replace the whole lot if I can't find a suitable washer...defeated by a tiny piece of metal!

Re:

Have you considered "modernising" the bottom bracket by fitting a shimano square taper sealed unit?

such as one of these:-

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... -prod71369

Jennings":3j7q0vc9 said:

non-slip tab washer which sits on the axle between the adjustable race/bearing cover and the securing nut

Click to expand...

This doesn't sound like a standard bottom bracket to me, more like the one piece bmx style ones that some early Raleighs had (I could be wrong, a photo would help).

If it is the bmx type then there a link for the kit below on ebay, you could just use the washer or some other bits might be of use too. I tried a couple of different searches on ebay to find the link below but if you type "bmx crank bearing" you'll get a few options.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ETC-One-Piece ... 3f46505ac9

Hope this helps, if it is a standard bottom bracket then going with the sealed unit as oaklec suggests is a good idea, fit and forget.

Re:

Thanks for the replys...I'd be more than happy to fit a better or more modern unit, I just have no real experience of BB replacement and was initially trying to just use the parts and tools I had to hand. I presume I'd have to knock out the bearing cups and so on? I think if I went that route I'd need a sort of "how to" to guide me, but I'm not adverse to doing it...it's my summer project after all and I'm up for learning a new trick or two!

I'll post a pic tomorrow when there's some light in my shed...it's a 3-piece crank, and not the same set up as my one piece Burner crank, but it does have some funky retro set up on the securing washers and nuts.

Re: Re:

Jennings":66mb7ko1 said:

I'll post a pic tomorrow when there's some light in my shed...it's a 3-piece crank, and not the same set up as my one piece Burner crank, but it does have some funky retro set up on the securing washers and nuts.

Click to expand...

Ah, ignore most of my post then!

Get a good photo up then, it does sound a bit funky...

Re:

If I remember my Raleigh mustang correctly it had a three piece crank but used a bmx sized bottom bracket.your comment about knocking out the cups would lead me to believe that this is what you have.im sorry but I don't know how you can find parts for that!

Can't offer any assistance on the bb. What I can tell you though is that my mates older brother had one when he was 16, but lost it in a pub fight to our geography teacher. He had to watch him ride it into school every day lol

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Well here's a picture of the BB on the Mustang with the securing nut removed so that you can see where the washer goes...in that recess, with the internal tab fitting into the groove on the axle:

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And here it is with the nut back in place...the washer should sit between the race/dustcap part and the securing nut part:

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That geography teacher made me laugh...hope your brother got his revenge. Or perhaps you have the number of the teacher as he might want to sell me the bike for parts if he still has it!

Re:

That is a BMX one piece crank style bottom bracket.

You can still get them: http://www.cyclomonster.com/cart/etc-bo ... iece-crank. If the spindle is badly worn or pitted, you'd need a new one of those as well.

Alternatively, you can get an adapter that will allow you to fit a standard square taper bottom bracket: http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/bmx ... 1914-p.asp

This would allow you to fit a cartridge style bottom bracket, like this: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... -prod71369

Fitting an adapter and cartridge bottom bracket is obviously more expensive, but those Shimano UN55 cartridge bottom brackets last for absolutely ages and are pretty much fit and forget.

Re:

That is a wierd set up, bmx bottom bracket shell and bearings with a threaded square taper axle, never seen one of those before.

I think there's a chance that the washer from the kit that I linked on ebay might fit, pretty much the same one in the link from xerxes. It all depends how much you want to spend on the bike to make it work again but at £6 odd it might be worth a punt.