RetroBIKE general guide to stubborn bottom bracket removal

:evil: SK brand which are decent - although I've had the set since '83. Rustier than expected 92 Stumpy FS BB still there.

You need a breaker bar (knuckle bar?) not a ratchet

And a long lever

The damage was done before looking for this thread.

For a bit I was just going to call it a loss but this thread gives me new inspiration. Appreciate the additional input.

REKIBorter":2ygtq4wj said:

And a long lever

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Personally if doing that method, I would use a stillson (pipe) wrench as the motion tightens the jaw grip on the extractor. That adjustable monkey wrench in the pic has the habit of opening under heavy torque and allowing the rounding of corners and in some case complete slippage depending on how worn the wrench is. But in industry when forced to use those, we have used a chisel and hammer to drive the knurled wheel hard up against it's stops to hopefully prevent slippage, it mostly worked.

Groundoggy":2bmaajej said:

:evil: SK brand which are decent - although I've had the set since '83. Rustier than expected 92 Stumpy FS BB still there.

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Raise you a split socket.
I thought S&K were shite tools..
That split with a short ratshit whiel undoing a crank nut on claud.
Just realised th photo is a 15mm, the one I split on claude was a
14, so there you go two split..

The snk socket split with a F76 ratshit undoing a crank bolt on claud..

legrandefromage":13p99tyz said:

My ratchet hasnt broken, in the ten years since I bought them

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Thats either a Snap On ratchet or a good copy, not gonna break.

Akula":yqo5ynfx said:

legrandefromage":yqo5ynfx said:

My ratchet hasnt broken, in the ten years since I bought them

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Thats either a Snap On ratchet or a good copy, not gonna break.

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Snap On tools can and do break. Broken them myself. Also broken Mac, Craftsman and a bunch of off brand stuff over the years. A brand name does not grant a tool indestructibility.

I found that Snap on can be taken beyond what they are intended for, but you can always push them further and break them. So there's a line what is more than should be applied and what is clearly beyond their purpose. I have the snap on version of the ratchet in LGF picture (not sure if that is Snap on or not), i have applied above and beyond forces to mine and it has not broken slipped or any manner of problem. its bullet proof. You could buy service kits for them at one time, as they do wear. a fixed drive would be better considering the forces, but it works.

I find Snap on spanners, ratchets, ratcheting spanners and sockets to be some of the best out there. Expensive yes, pretty yes, but also reliable. Their other tools i couldn't comment on. Snap on also used to provide a free exchange if a tool did break within normal service!

I served a 5 year mechanical apprentiship, yes tools do break, but quality tools typically only break when being pushed beyond limits.

The trouble is with Snap-On, is they ideally don't want to honour a commitment made decades ago as it costs them, so fine something breaks in normal use they will cough up, but they are very good at spotting abuse and abuse they will not honour unless it is a good will gesture for custom received. I had several Snap On ratchets in various inch drives in the past, and good they are, nice to use, but not an expense I would bear again nor a loss.

But for hefty gronking jobs, get yourself a breaker bar and if necessary put a pipe on that as rachets what are they if they are not freewheel mechanisms, think of the pawls.