Bottom brackets

[geocycle]

Yesterday I heard a load clunk from the bottom bracket area, followed by a loose sensation transmitted through the pedals[].  Seems like something has gone wrong with the BB.  Does anyone have any tips for removing the BB? I tried earlier this year while trying to track down an irritating click and ended up rotating the eccentric against the locking bolts causing a deep score on the eccentric.  I removed the eccentric, clamped it in a workmate and tried again -still couldn't move it!  do you all remove the BB from the eccentric while it's on the bike?

[Fred A-M]

Are you sure that the EBB shell is properly aligned in the BB?  My experience is that there's only a couple of mm either way before the bolts miss rims on the shell on which they are supposed to bite.  I feared a major problem  until I discovered that the shell was slightly to one side and one of the bolts was failing bite.  

For the record, I kept the EBB shell tightened whilst extracting the crank and then undid the EBB bolts to remove it.

[Fred A-M]

Just realised that i might have got the wrong the end of the stick ref the problem, so not sure how much the above is of use!  I'm sure you'll be inundated with useful suggestions within the next 24 hours however!

[geocycle]

Thanks Fred, I've had two recent problems with the BB area.  Firstly, I had a problem with an irritating tick on each stroke of the pedals a few months ago that I tracked down to the EBB bolts having made a double hole - I had probably been too asiduous with keeping the chain tight.  This second and latest problem is definitely more a low level grinding noise that followed the loud clunk and is one I normally associate with a bottom bracket bearing.  My problem is that I cannot shift the BB from the eccentric and when I tried to do it while it was still mounted on the bike the whole eccentric turned and the bolts gouged a channel.  I just wondered whether anyone had any tips on extracting BBs from eccentrics?  I've replaced BBs on a standard frame before but not on an eccentric.

[PH]

I took mine out while still in the bike, luckily I didn't have any problems.  To stop the EBB turning, would it be possiable to jam the opposite crank against something?  Though that's only going to work on the first side.