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I have a Ultegra SM-BBR60 bottom bracket on my bike and have an old tool that doesn't fit the bearing cups in order to get them off.

My LBS sold me the bbt-59 in order to get it off. However when using it attached to my torque wrench it wont lossen, and keeps slipping off eventually looking like it's starting to thread. So don't want to damage it anymore in case they won't take it back.

I have read here that it is the correct part. However I am not able to get it off.

Just want to make sure this is the correct tool to use, and if it does anyone know why it is not loosening?

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    Are you turning it the correct way?
    – andy256
    Jan 28, 2017 at 19:46
  • @andy256 I did think that I was turning it the wrong way at one point. But double checked it and it was still not turning.
    – mp252
    Jan 28, 2017 at 19:51

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The BBT-59 is definitely a correct choice in tool to use. However, you shouldn't ever break free tight things with a torque wrench. Ideally you would never use a torque wrench in the loosening direction. It's a bad practice. If you know the thing you're loosening is within the torque range of the wrench and its current setting you can kind of cheat there if you really want to, but loosening arbitrarily tight things like a BB cup is not a job for a torque wrench. Use a breaker bar.

The new Park external BB tools (BBT-59 and BBT-49) have inexplicably broken from the tradition of such tools having large external wrench flats for a big adjustable wrench, such as their and everyone elses' first generation socket-type external BB tools. Having external wrench flats allows you to play the trick of using a QR skewer or bolt plus some big washers to clamp the tool to the cup so it can't slip in case you're dealing with a tight or stuck cup. So instead you just have to position everything so you're using your body to keep the tool pushing hard inward as you turn it. If there's any thought process here at all, they probably did it this way because they made them out of aluminum so they can be non-marring, but didn't want people trying to turn the outside at high force with adjustable wrenches, so they eliminated the option. But if they cared about that they could have found a way to create a non marring contact surface and a steel body, same as using the freebie plastic adapter tool that Shimano includes with these BBs if bought aftermarket.

As for how to get it off, as in the comments make sure you're turning the right way (ISO BB shells have reverse threaded right cups). Usually the technique for a difficult one of these with that tool would be bike on the ground, knee or shin pressing the wrench inward against the bike to prevent slipping, tool started at around 45-60ish degree angle across front triangle, and try to find a way of putting all your body weight into it, or even use your foot. Having someone hold down the back wheel can help.

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    A carpenter's F clamp will help here, especially when idiots don't let you bolt the tool to the BB. F clamps have both big enough jaws to reach into the BB, and long enough extension to get from the off-side crank to the end of the BB tool/socket driver. If you're particularly keen you can remove the padded cap on the clamp screw, so the ball end of that goes into the offside crank bolt to locate it and hold it in position while you tighten it.
    – Móż
    Jan 28, 2017 at 23:02
  • Thanks for the reply, just seen this now, but funnily enough tried all the things you suggested! My friend came round to help me but after him holding the bb tool in place and me applying my foot on the torque wrench, the torque wrench broke! So going to try and find another bigger wrench or tool or take it to my friends bike workshop. @Móż Thanks, will try and give that a go, my friend is a carpenter so he should have an F clamp. My friend that came round who works in a bike shop said whoever put it on first time over tightened it way too much.
    – mp252
    Jan 28, 2017 at 23:49
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    Also, what Nathan said: as you have demonstrated, never use a torque wrench to undo things. When you're just past the highest torque setting you're close to breaking it, and you can get a square drive lever for way less than even the cheapest torque wrench.
    – Móż
    Jan 29, 2017 at 0:39
  • @mp252 A torque wrench is a precision measuring instrument used only for doing up a fastener to a specific torque level. A torque wrench is never used for undoing something - use a long arm driver like a T-bar or put a pipe over your normal socket driver. Torque wrenches cost hundreds of dollars for a cheap one - use the right tool for the right job.
    – Criggie ♦
    Jan 29, 2017 at 1:46

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