70s Carlton frame identification

[3wheeler7]

Hi, I didn't actually mention in my last post that the BB is now built up correctly and with no excessive play in the threads.
I'd thought of all sorts of possible scenarios but didn't come up with a plausible answer until I attempted to fit a different LH thread drive side fixed cup into the drive side - and it fitted correctly and perfectly. So I then tried the original fixed cup and that also fitted perfectly.
I then tried to refit both of the original cups wrongly (the way they were fitted when I got the frame) and after a bit of jiggling they both went in.
So alls well that ends well and the BB is now correctly built up, but I'm still amazed that the cups can be fitted into the wrong sides, i.e a LH thread cup into a RH thread and vice versa.
Did you ever check your Raleigh to see if you could fit the cups into their correct sides - or did you just accept it as it was?

 

[3wheeler7]

I don't know for definite but I thought that Carltons (Worksop built) all had 24 tpi BB and headsets, even after Raleigh acquired them.
I remember being told that Raleigh (Nottingham built) persisted with their 26 tpi threads up until the early 80s, I had a 83 Rapide and an 84 Corsa which were both on 24 tpi, but all Choppers, Shoppers and Superbes etc from the 70s were still on 26 tpi.

 

[vcballbat]

Hi, I didn't actually mention in my last post that the BB is now built up correctly and with no excessive play in the threads.
I'd thought of all sorts of possible scenarios but didn't come up with a plausible answer until I attempted to fit a different LH thread drive side fixed cup into the drive side - and it fitted correctly and perfectly. So I then tried the original fixed cup and that also fitted perfectly.
I then tried to refit both of the original cups wrongly (the way they were fitted when I got the frame) and after a bit of jiggling they both went in.
So alls well that ends well and the BB is now correctly built up, but I'm still amazed that the cups can be fitted into the wrong sides, i.e a LH thread cup into a RH thread and vice versa.
Did you ever check your Raleigh to see if you could fit the cups into their correct sides - or did you just accept it as it was?

My thinking is 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' as it's something that I will sell on as a cheap project, just a bit shocked when I first noticed it .

 

[3wheeler7]

My thoughts were the same, luckily it didn't required any serious fixing and I'll build it into a bike one day as it's quite a nice frame.

 

[Midlife]

As I mentioned, there were BB cups manufactured so that the adjustable side was on the right to accommodate a left sided drive chain. That may explain the conundrum.

 

[3wheeler7]

Hi, I've tried to clarify that the only thing wrong in my case was that someone had fitted the wrong cup in the wrong side, as impossible as it may sound they had done it. The cups are standard ones, the threading in the shell is conventional.
I was able to replicate what they had done - but opted for fitting the cups the "standard" way.

 

[pigman]

Sounds like the shell has 2 threads that cross over each other, railway track style

 

[vcballbat]

I don't know for definite but I thought that Carltons (Worksop built) all had 24 tpi BB and headsets, even after Raleigh acquired them.
I remember being told that Raleigh (Nottingham built) persisted with their 26 tpi threads up until the early 80s, I had a 83 Rapide and an 84 Corsa which were both on 24 tpi, but all Choppers, Shoppers and Superbes etc from the 70s were still on 26 tpi.

The catalogue pictures show Raleigh Industries 3 arm cranks as used on many lower end Carlton and Raleigh models they used a Raleigh Standard 26tpi thread with a drive side cup same as the non drive but without the lockring that was wound all the way in to the wider 72mm bottom bracket shell. Yours has been altered to take a Bramton 24tpi and has probably had the shell narrowed to 68mm.

 

[otherself]

Hi, it appears that there's nothing wrong with the BB, only that the cups had been screwed into the wrong sides! I wouldn't have thought it possible to fit a RH thread onto a LH thread and vice versa but that's how they were. 45+ years working in engineering and still learning!
The weight of the frame with just the top and bottom headset races fitted is 2300g, frame size is 21", seat post size is 26.4mm, I don't know what this indicates but if it is a Ten model it should be made from 531 plain gauge main tubes according to the 1975 catalogue. It doesn't feel heavy and it's got a nice "ring" to it.

It'll be 531 PG at that weight then.

 

[pigman]

It'll be 531 PG at that weight then.

And the 26.4 mm post would support that idea