Question about bearing cones.

On 11/5/2019 10:57 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:
On Saturday, November 2, 2019 at 8:20:46 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 11/2/2019 8:19 AM, Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
My missus has an Italian bike (Imperia) dating from, I'd
guess, the 80's. The cones in the front wheel bearings
are very pitted and creaky, and I'd like to get some
replacements. I got some 3/8" cones, and they fit the
thread on the axle, but seem to be too big for the 3/16"
bearings (after a while, they push the bearings out of the
cups and into the dust cap). 3/16" inch cones just won't
fit on the axle. I'm guessing that 3/8" cones are
required, but that either I bought badly-made ones, or
there is actually more to it than just getting the right
thread size. I can't find much on the web regarding this,
so does anyone here have any advice about this. Of
course, I should probably just get a new wheel, but I like
to keep original parts going for as long as possible.

In addition, when I needed to replace the bottom bracket
bearing, I had to find components with an 'Italian thread'
(70mm wide, M36 x 24T). Am I going to discover that
everything on this is a bit 'different'.

Okay, well I finally have some measurements for these
things. The spindle diameter (it has no unthreaded bits) is
8.8mm, which I'm going to assume is meant to be 9mm. The
pitch is 1mm. The cones (which have nothing stamped on
them) are 11mm long, and 15.9mm diameter. If this means
anything obvious to anyone, I'd be pleased to hear it :-)

Shimano classic 600 are 11mm long x 15mm OD threaded m9x1.0
Campagnolo GranSport are 11mm long x 16m. OD, threaded 9f26.
Suzue and most other common fronts for 3/16" balls are 15mm OD.

Measuring 1.0mm 60-degree metric thread versus WW 26t
55-degree thread may be difficult without both gauges handy.
A metric cone will start but go only about two turns on a WW
threaded axle.

There are other differences to consider, for example cone
curvature and finish.


Somewhere I thought that I saw a Legnano referred to as a French bike. That was a new one on me since a friend has on with a prominent "Made in Italy" sticker on it.

I really find these old bikes unless treated like collectors items as offensively difficult to maintain. Italian threaded old-style BB's are pretty hard to find and French are quite difficult to get now. All of the new French bikes use British threads where necessary though the light bikes are getting completely away from threads where ever possible.


Is Turin/Torino French or Italian? He could argue the
culture is on the cusp of both.

"French bikes use British threads"
French bikes? Surely you jest. Name one.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971