How To Overhaul A Bike Bottom Bracket - Remove/Clean/Install New Bearings 

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This “thank you” is long overdue. Over the years I have learned, when I hear or feel something “not right” while biking, to make a mental note to “check with RJ The Bike Guy when I get home.” More often than not, you have “been there, done that,” making my repair job easier and less intimidating. Thanks, RJ.

Just a heads up when you were removing the fixed cup, if you were to flip the crescent wrench the majority of the torque is delivered to the solid side of the wrench as opposed to being applied onto the threads in the adjuster. Other than that thanks for the vid, taught me quite alot. Cheers.

I like the servicable bottom brackets better than the "upgraded" sealed BB's because instead of replacing the whole thing, you can just replace the bearings.... cheaper, less waste, adjustable.

Well Filmed and Edited: Kudos for a clear video (without distracting music) God is good - John 14:6

Explanations and the views are very clear. I have maintained mine with purely the help of this video. I didn't have a crank puller but the cranks came off very easily. Also I couldn't take off the chain side bushing (fixed cup?), so I took of both bearings out from the non-chain side and cleaned everything that way. All in all, it worked! Many thanks!

Great video. The only thing I would add is about loading the caged ball bearings with grease. It's good practice to force grease into the cage by slapping, or pressing the flat side of the cage into a good dab of grease on the palm of your other hand until it comes out of the top side of the cage, working around until the cage is completely loaded with grease.

Great video! Once upon a time we did this to my old mountain bike (cheap one). Your bearing cages look good. Mine were pretty crappy, very thin metal plate, which broke and filed the axle, had to be discarded. So we decided and put new bearings without any bearing cages, which was very smart decision. We put more balls, because of the intentionally missing cage, so that there is a tighter fit. They were held together by the grease. Then put everything back together and it was rock solid, never broke again. Problem is these bearing cages, you can also skip them, by putting more balls, this way the bearing cannot break, much more solid.

You make it look easy! Thank you! This is a project I have been putting off for months. I have 6 bikes and have done all sorts of things to maintain them, but have stayed away from changing bearings. Again thanks, great video.

I was looking for a video about how to service the BB on my 1984 Schwinn Le Tour, looks like I found it! Good clear and concise video, thanks.

As the owner of a trusty, rusty 1986 Schwinn World I find this very useful information. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for your video R.J. I wouldn't have been able to get my bike fixed without your video. Thanks again, JCM.

Awesome video. I wish one of the handful of people who vote thumbs down explain their reason. I don't see how anyone came here to learn how to overhaul the bottom bracket but was unable to because of the quality of the video. Once again RJ has helped me with bike issue

Old vid but very nice. I was able to change my bottom bracket thanks to this. Great quality vid with great explanation.

this is the kind of thing that makes a great first "mechanic" job. very basic bearings, grease and adjustments, most of us start this stuff at 6 or 8 years old but it is never to late to get started learning.

Thank you for the excellent walk through. Used this video years ago to overhaul my bb. Now years later on another bike found this video again by chance. Saved me the trip to the bike shop and now I’m making sure to save your videos and subscribe! 😄

By far the best video on maintaining/changing your bottom bracket on the internet. Thanks :)

U have the greatest bike channel on RU-vid thank u and keep up the great work. God Bless.

Thanks for another excellent video RJ. Your uploads are always where I go to first for any queries I have about my bikes. Even the staff at my LBS doesn't know some of the stuff that you cover. Keep up the great work!

Another good video RJ- you seem like a really nice guy and some of your videos are great- you are really organised and thorough and don't skip little steps like others- don't worry about people who give you any shit on youtube or are sarcastic or smart arses you seem a really nice genuine guy to me. 27 Years riding for me so far still learning mechanical stuff all the time thanks for the videos Boss

I appreciate this, I'm adopting an abandoned bike to rehab and later commute on so this is really helpful,

Great job on the video. I had put mine back together and wondered why I still had a wobble after replacing, you made me realize I probably have my bearings in backwards. Thanks!

Just finished a Sugino bottom bracket from an 80's mtb. In this case the adjustable cup required a small pin spanner instead of the hex flats. I got by with a big snap ring pliers and it worked in a pinch. Thanks for all of your tips!

You make very good videos! Not a lot of wasted time, easy to follow, good picture. Clear audio, a lot of posters could learn from you! And yes I am fixing my bike. Thanks for sharing.

I am clueless when it comes to the mechanics of my bike so these videos are excellent for me :-)

Hey man - thank you for this video! I have been burning through videos looking for a bike like mine to learn from. That fixed whatchamacallit was killin me. Thanks again!

I want to thank you for making this video. I overhauled mine and it didn't work, you showed me that I put my spindle in the wrong way and installed my bearings the wrong way too. I fixed it and it all came together. Thank you!

I learned something new today. And you explained it, step by step, in great detail. Thank you! 👍🏻

What a great video! It's easy to follow, thorough, and goes by at a good pace-not too fast for me- I am so grateful!!!

Thanks for the great video helped me get my sons bike going again in no time.

Good vids man! Watching your vids helps me repair my own bike myself! Keep up the good work man!

Excellent video!!!!!! This is the perfect step by step instructions & good filming so that it could be followed along. Thank you for this, it has helped a lot!

This is a great video! I used to be an electrician, so I am pretty good with my hands, but I am a hands-on learner. I never had anyone to show me and teach me about bikes, so getting it in my head is the hardest part but I am pretty good at executing. I literally watched this video, went and got a crank puller, and completed nearly all of the steps. My bike had a sealed cartridge instead of separable bearings and the plastic part. I had, stupidly, put some grease on it a while before which one guy who fixed the axle in the back of my bike said I should clean off as it would cause problems, but I did not know how to get in there and clean it. Enter your video! It, as I have had it about 5 years without providing it with maintenance nor riding it much, was making a weird sound from the crank, so I took it apart, cleaned it, sprayed it with WD-40 and put it back together. It reminds me of when we had to do shut downs of commercial buildings and we had to turn off all of the switch gear and basically, overhaul it to make sure there was conductivity between terminals et cetera. What I am saying is, thanks!

Awesome video, my favorite bit... "I'm gonna stick my parts in here" :)

Very professional I am building a motorize bike with a centrifugal clutch I have to change the chank axle to keep the pedals from hitting the centrifugal clutch housing this video helped a lot thanks

Thank you! I've been trying to find a decent video of how to do this properly. With your video, it was explained! God bless 🙏

I'm going to go ahead and say that this is a great video!

i m speak spanish but you are the best master mechanic.... very illustrative.. you are the best.. God and bless

Thanks, I've only seen this done once when I was a kid, so I wasn't sure exactly how to do it. Turned out one of the crank arms on my bike was completely seized on the shaft. I was at least able to get one side off to get enough access to it off to clean it with a pressure washer and re-grease the bearings. Thankfully the side with the seized shaft had less wear, and I had some spare 1/4 bearing balls to replace them on the one side that I could. I might have been able to get it apart if I had a hydraulic press, I did try a couple other methods including a torch, a hammer/punch and a joint separator, I might have been able to get it apart if I kept at it, but I was at the point where I likely would have damaged the shaft, the bearings or the crank arm so I stopped.

I really don't know if this topic has been discussed, but if you use your crescent wrench with the rigid side holding the loosening side you'll have a better time using your wrench, and ultimately give you wrench a longer potential lifespan. Loved the video. Helped me a lot xD

RJ "Imma just go head" The Bike Guy :) Will definitely be soaking tools in paint thinner from now on. Good tip.

This video is exactly what I have been looking for, The crank comes off a tad differently (it's a 'cotter pin' crank ) but the BB removes the same way- I have the same problem as stanly manly, in the comments below- I don't have a plastic cylinder, but I'm sure I can either find one or upgrade to a sealed cartridge like in your other video, thank you very much I'm sure your videos are helping many old bikes get restored and back to their former glory :)

For some reason I'm so obsessed with bottom bracket overhaul videos of yours ! Lmao

Excellent step by step explanation. Concise and straight to the point.

Hello from Scotland, your videos are really good and thanks for the tips how to fix parts on bike !

Such great videos you go into a lot of detail and take your time it really makes a difference to us who arnt novices but still have a lot to learn :-).Thank you and looking forward to more videos .

What a clear and beautifully explained video! Thank you so much!!!

Omg thanks so much! I was willing to pay the $50 to fix it. But doing it was so simple. I appreciate the video man.

This is just what I was looking for. I'll make a start on my bracket tomorrow. Thanks!

Thanks for the video! Very helpful! You have helped me repair 3 bikes now. My whole family is riding great bikes for the cost of bearings and grease!!

thank you RJ. Your videos are very helpful.

Thanks for taking the time to post this. It's just the info I needed!

I have never been good at bicycle repairs but after watching the video and reading the comments,I think. I Will take a crack at it.Hopefully it'll work out.Here goes...

Getting ready to do my 1972 Paramount with the Campagnalo 3 piece crank, this video has been helpful, thanks

soo much easier when You have a crank puller, never had one.☺FanTom

Thanks for the video. My bike is getting a little grindy in the bottom bracket but I haven't pulled one apart in well over a decade. Great refresher!

Perfect. Was just doing this on an 87 Schwinn Le Tour - thanks for this...the whole which way to turn wrenches was driving me nuts till I found one of your vids (and I've seen a lot of them before - between you and Bikeman4u. Thanks!

I would put on the driveside crank arm first when re-assembling. That way you check for end float more accurately by jiggling the crank arm and adjust if need be on the other side as there is no crank arm in the way of the adjuster cup. Good video nonetheless. Just my 2c.

Thanks for the video. Just FYI, when removing the fixed cup it would be best to have the frame in some sort of clamp or vise so it doesn't move. When the frame moves it is absorbing the force that you are putting on the wrench.

Another excellent informative video from RJ. Detailed description and well explained

This is a square taper bottom bracket. Pretty much standard on older bikes. Yes, you can upgrade to a different style. It gets a little tricky. You will need to figure out the correct length so that the chain line is correct. If you get one that is too long the chain rings will be out farther and the chain will be slightly diagonal in stead of straight. Same if you get one that is too short and the chain rings may hit the frame.

Sure, as long as it fits. I have done it, though I don't have a video of it.

Excellent step by step video

Excellent video along with great detailed commentary. A great help. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

excellent. crank arm puller and lock ring opener (some bottom bracket version are open by lock ring clipper) can be purchase online easily. the bearings (9 balls) can also be purchase online. they are all very cheap. for Asia , i got them from lazada .

I also fix bikes, few points to say: Video was very good and explained how to do this very well but you do not need two wrenches to remove a crank, you put the bearings themselves in dry, you only put grease on the cups and spindle, the bearings are meant to be packed with grease to minimize friction, no real need for the lockring remover although handy to have, a flat head screwdriver and hammer would also do the job, anyway good video and enjoyed watching another mechanic work!!!

Very clear step by step instructions -- very satisfying - thank you -

Great video! Very detailed, thanks for taking the time to make it.

Nice job ! On my mountain bike I put "incapsulated" bearings, almost the same used on cars. Almost an year was no problem but then a anoing metal sound came. I will put the normal bearings back on.

Awesome video mate. :) keep it up!

VERY HELPFUL , saved me alot of trail and error

This looks almost exactly like the bottom bracket on mine. Thanks for the detail.

I want to do my bike now! Don’t even have the tool but who cares! It looks fun!

Thank you for the excellent tutorial. Clear & precise. Much appreciation sir.

I love this channel. You have saved me a lot of time!

Thank YOU for superb video well detailed a new learning today, keep it up

Thanks for your video Homie. 🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸🏁

Here's the lesson I learned today: If the cups don't go in easily, be sure to install the fixed cup on the drive side and the adjustable cup on the non-drive side. Fortunately I learned the lesson before I did any damage.

Ive got an old Schwinn World that I need to do this to. It's leaking a bit of what looks like oil and it's making some noises. This didn't look too hard, with the right tools, thank you!

Hey Shyflirt1 Thank you for all your excellent videos really helpful, You really helped me with my old vintage bike thank you

I'm glad the point has already been raised regarding the incorrect use of the crescent wrench, or 'adjustable spanner' as we call them in the UK. If you do ever need to use a hammer to free something particularly tight, try to find an old spanner that can take a 'flogging'!

i have had luck placing the flat sides a difficult fixed cup in a vise and using the whole frame as the 'wrench' for leverage. WD-40 is an excellent solvent. I buy the gallon jug.

Good video good knowledge. l learnt from you something new. you are respected for me. Thank you sir.

Excellent, just what I was looking for! Thank you.

Great vid mate.......you explain things so well....keep it up👍👍👍

This is exactly what I was looking for. Very well done. Thanks

R.J. I use a butane torch, a large flat screwdriver and a hammer to change my bearings, been doing it for years, the bike shop guy was shocked.☺ FanTomUSA

Very helpful video - Thanks.

Thank you so much Happy New year and God Bless....

Good explaination and camera veiw

Nice instructions- thanks!

Thank you.... well explained. Looking to take my crank spindle apart.... clicking noise inside while biking.. driving me nutz.

Great video? How did you know the bearings needed to be replaced? Thanks!

Great Video RJ - thanks. I just found a bike in the dumpster and it has a broken Crank shaft - so guess what my weekend project will be??

Note: When you do this none of the bolts will want to move and you will probably spend 4 hours doing what he did in 5 minutes.

good stuff man!!!! thank you for sharing.

Wow... 30 year old bicycle as good as new.... Old products were good quality products.

Thanks a lot for your presentation.

Very nice video, easy to understand. May I suggest doing another with even older style cranks with cottter pins? Many old 10s bikes have them and given the current fashion of modifying old road bikes for urban use I think many people would appreciate it. BTW I use kerosene (hurricane lantern fuel) to clean parts, it works nicely and doesn't damage most plastics and allows for good scrubbing without damage to skin. Plus it doesn't eat paint so I can clean a chain with it even on very old, nitrocellulose finished frames.

The way you got that fixed cup so easily removed just had me throw my hands up in the air. Every single time I've had to get one removed I'm at it for days. What a pain in the ass!