Couple of (dumb) questions about sealed bearing American BB.

I installed a set of SE 3 piece cranks (from a 2008 retro PK Ripper) on my 2007 Quadangle yesterday and I have some questions.

Once I had finished the install I realized that I did not install that metal sleeve that fits over the spindle - D'OH! Do I need it? What does it do?

If I need to go back and install the sleeve do I need to remove one of the cups or can I remove the bearings from cups and get the sleeve in that way?

Cheers

yes, you need it. it prevents bearing side load and allows you to fully tighten the spindle bolts. without that spacer the cranks will come loose and you'll wreck the bearings.

either way is fine...remove the whole cup, or just a bearing from the cup. it's usually easier getting the whole cup out, though. the bearing is a usually tighter fit to the cup.

Thanks Mr. CB. How do you keep the spacer in the right place while you are installing the cups? Do you install the second cup with the spindle in place so that the spacer stays in the right place?

I don't recall a spacer on my redline flight cranks BITD but I also don't recall sealed bearings either...

yep, if not using a BB press, i will put in one cup, then put the spindle part way in with the spacer on it, then the other cup.

if i use a press, the connecting rod of the press acts as the spindle holding the spacer in place.

you're right. the old style Flight bb was a different beast. no spacer 'cuz it was all threaded, whether looseball or sealed.