Stripped a bottom bracket shell last Tuesday on a 90s Schwinn

I was working on an old Schwinn High Plains and the non-drive side cup just wouldn't budge. Tried the usual tricks - heat, penetrant, a longer breaker bar - but the aluminum frame gave way before the steel cup did. Now I've got a shell that's basically junk unless I tap it for a threadless bottom bracket. Anyone else run into this with vintage aluminum frames and have a fix that worked?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason3617h ago

Heard a guy once used a threadless conversion kit on a Trek and said it held up fine.

spencer_ross4h ago

I had a buddy run one of those on a 90s 5200 and it held for exactly one ride before the steerer tube said nah. That was a long walk back to the car with a broken top tube. In my experience those kits work great until they don't, and then you're replacing a frame. Your mileage may vary but I'd trust a rusty quill stem over a threadless conversion any day.