Thompson Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins

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yoothgeye

yoothgeye

I build stuff.
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I have a '56 J.C. Higgins Tank bike, the only tank bike I've ever touched with my own hands. After buying it I noticed something odd... a 3 piece crank. Turns out the factory was on strike in 1956 and they just kept making bikes anyway, albeit overseas in West Germany.

My spindle is worn out and the pedal slips, I have a couple spindles I can try to use, but first I need to figure out how to remove this one, I don't have a proper tool to fit it, but a screwdriver and hammer work to make it move right or left, I just don't want to go too far until I know which way is correct.

SAM_0852.jpg


Thanks.
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

holy cats! a thompson bottom bracket!

the cups themselves are pressed in, but i have no memory of which way the locknut turns. i think there is a fixed cone on the drive side, it's not a normal cottered spindle... :(

if nobody else chimes in i'll see if i can find enough remnants at the shop to jog my memory... :wink:
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

Bendix said:
holy cats! a thompson bottom bracket!

the cups themselves are pressed in, but i have no memory of which way the locknut turns. i think there is a fixed cone on the drive side, it's not a normal cottered spindle... :(

if nobody else chimes in i'll see if i can find enough remnants at the shop to jog my memory... :wink:
Click to expand...

All that stuff you said doesn't soudn good. Looks like I might not be able to ride it... :cry:
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

yoothgeye said:
Bendix said:
holy cats! a thompson bottom bracket!

the cups themselves are pressed in, but i have no memory of which way the locknut turns. i think there is a fixed cone on the drive side, it's not a normal cottered spindle... :(

if nobody else chimes in i'll see if i can find enough remnants at the shop to jog my memory... :wink:
Click to expand...

All that stuff you said doesn't soudn good. Looks like I might not be able to ride it... :cry:
Click to expand...


we may just have a few thompson scraps if they weren't 'purged' years ago. what is the spindle length?
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

Bendix said:
we may just have a few thompson scraps if they weren't 'purged' years ago. what is the spindle length?
Click to expand...

I'll have to check tomorrow, you just measure outside to outside right? I've never really messed with this style BB.
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

yoothgeye said:
Bendix said:
we may just have a few thompson scraps if they weren't 'purged' years ago. what is the spindle length?
Click to expand...

I'll have to check tomorrow, you just measure outside to outside right? I've never really messed with this style BB.
Click to expand...




we may very well have chucked that stuff after 20+ years of taking up space...

but i seem to remember some still sitting around.

of course i 'remember' a lot of things... :roll:

i suppose they show up on ebay once in a while.
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

Bendix said:
i suppose they show up on ebay once in a while...
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I wanted to take it on vacation with me in mid July. Maybe I'll just weld the crank arm back on.
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

I got nuthin', man... :(
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

Thanks, I have looked at photos online and have a little more idea of what I'm working with, but still don't know if it is counter or clockwise threading, but since it is so much like an american BB, I'm going to just guess counter and try to open it up. :eek:
 
Re: Euro Bottom Bracket on '56 J.C. Higgins, which way do I go?

cman said:
some discussion
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... t-overhaul
Click to expand...


Had to join the forum to get this download, wish it was a bigger scan, but I got what I need, left hand thread on non-drive side:
thompson20crank1.gif


cman said:
you can buy a new one. http://classic-cycle.de/en/Hubs-Axles-C ... aring.html
Click to expand...

I saw this when I was googling, but being from overseas in a denomination I don't even recognize I chose to stay away.

Edit: I see that you can switch to USD, so the BB is about $22, wonder what shipping would be...
 
And I got my answer...

Total Products (net): 18,76 US$
plus VAT 0% Amount: 0,00 US$
Total Products (gross): 18,76 US$
Shipping 46,11 US$
Surcharge Type of Payment: 2,14 US$
Grand Total: 67,01 US$
Click to expand...

That's a big fat no. That's more than the bike cost me.
 
largek9 said:
Do you have anything in your treasure pile you could modify ? Does that BB look bigger than most 3pc. :?: Maybe you could mod. a adapter like the ones from 1pc. to 3pc. Its a cool lookin bike to cruise.
Click to expand...

I started to pull an old 3 piece last night to use instead, then I came on here and learned it was pressed instead of threaded... ugh. Once I get it out then I will start my brain to working on it.
 
once you get the old one out, you could always put in a slick threadless bottom bracket, but again, at $66 you're probably not going to want to.

I plan I purchasing one of these when I get around to fixing up an old Raleigh I have in the attic:

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... ckets.html
 
ifitsfreeitsforme said:
once you get the old one out, you could always put in a slick threadless bottom bracket, but again, at $66 you're probably not going to want to.

I plan I purchasing one of these when I get around to fixing up an old Raleigh I have in the attic:

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/ ... ckets.html
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just can't see spending that type of money on a "patina" bicycle, I want it right, but I can't afford to sink lots of money into a cruiser.
 
I think I have a crank that will fit this. These thread on to the left( I think) do you just need a spindle?
 

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