How do i remove my bottom bracket????

Question

i have a late 70's/early 80's sears freespirit and i need to remove the bottom bracket so i can make it a single speed by installing a different crank etc. however i dont know how to take the bottom bracket off. i already removed both crank arms. please and thank you.

Answer 1

You probably have the older style bottom bracket that has a fixed cup on the drive side and an adjustable cup with a lockring on the left side, unless someone has updated it since then.   If that's what you have, you'll need to buy the inexpensive toolset for those bottom brackets if you can still find one (Sugino was the most popular).   Honestly, I haven't seen them for sale in a long time, but Park makes two individual wrenches that will work (HCW-4 and HCW-5)...a little pricey, though.  It may be easier for you to go to a bike shop and just have them take it out for you.  

You could also monkeywrench it off if you're sure you won't use it again, as long as you're careful not to damage the threads in the shell when you start hammering.   A pair of channellocks, a large adjustable wrench, and a hammer and pin punch will do it....but it'll mar up the old bb parts.  

Visit the "repair help" section of http://www.parktool.com for good instructions and photos of how to do this.  Basically, you remove the lockring on the left side and unscrew the adjustable cup (normal threads).  Pull out the spindle and set it aside, then get the chain (and front derailleur since you're going singlespeed) out of the way, and unscrew the fixed cup on the drive side (reverse threads, and they're usually in there *tight*, especially if they're rusted).  

Hope this helps.....good luck!   :o)