Do You Need To Service Gxp Bottom Bracket

How To Remove, Grease, and Install Bottom Brackets - Threaded and Pressfit [Video]

Words by: Liam Woods

Servicing your cranks or bottom bracket should exist part of your regular maintenance on your mount bike. Simply a elementary clean on your cranks and grit seals can brand a huge difference in how they spin, as well as helping all your parts last a bit longer. Oh yeah, there is too that super abrasive thing called the bottom subclass creak, which again can frequently merely be from dust working its way between seals or bearing surfaces. With a simple cleaning, you can make that awful creaking your friends are lament about go away. Nosotros are going to bear witness you how to clean and re-grease your cranks and lesser bracket for both threaded and press-fit manner lesser brackets. I'll go over some tips and common mistakes that I have learned over the years of working on all types of bikes. I'll be doing the service on an Unno Dash with a threaded lesser subclass (or bb, for brusque) using an E*Thirteen XCX crankset with a 30mm spindle, and for the pressfit I will exist using a Salsa Cutthroat with a PF92 bottom bracket and using the same E*Xiii XCX crankset with a 30mm spindle. Both bikes are using Due east*Thirteen bottom brackets.

When To Service Your Bottom Bracket:

First, you should know when it's best to service or make clean your bottom bracket and crankset. At the very minimum, I practise it about each season change, only ordinarily more than. Every iii months or then I'll have the cranks out and if it's a threaded bb, I'll remove the bb and do the full service. Around the iii month mark is usually enough fourth dimension, even in the all-time conditions for dirt to work its way into the small gaps and contact points around the crankset and bottom bracket area. In the summertime in SoCal, I probably do it more like every 4 weeks of solid riding on a cycle. With the fine dust, it makes sense that the service period is fifty-fifty less and I find if you wait much longer, you tend to get creaking. Aye, I'll go into creaking and how to fix and prevent that in but a bit.

Tips for Low Maintenance:

Some tips to try and get the most ride time betwixt services, and the all-time 1 for your entire bike, and specially any moving office like the cranks and bottom bracket, is to simply keep it clean. Subsequently a ride, give the area a wipe down, try to floss out any dust or grit that might be sitting effectually whatsoever parts. This will assist proceed dust from working its mode into the areas to cause vesture and create creaking. Along the aforementioned lines, I would give your bike a launder every couple of rides. Not only does a clean bike look nice, simply you can inspect parts and, over again, help go on clay, grit, or whatever from getting in the small areas of your entire bike, including the crankset/bottom bracket area.

Every bit you volition see in the bodily service function, grease volition also be your friend to help keep all of the above-mentioned dirt, dust, and whatsoever else your tires choice up, from working its way into the spots you lot don't want it. The grease works as a waterproof barrier and keeps the parts inside make clean and the crap on the outside out.

Creaking and What to Wait For:

Yep, that amazing bottom bracket creak, tick, pop that your bike always gets rears its ugly head and your local mechanic magically gets it to finish for a few months before it's back. No, your local mechanic doesn't suck. Well, at least I hope they are skillful, simply that's just a part of riding bikes in the dirt. With lots of spinning parts, creaking, ticking, popping, squeaking, or whatever other racket your bike might make is mutual and happens to almost, if not all, bikes. When your bicycle creaks, anybody jumps to the bottom subclass as the issue, specially if they have a pressfit bottom subclass. Many times it is your bottom bracket, cranks, or chainring, but sometimes, albeit rare, information technology's considering of your pressfit bottom bracket. But that has got much ameliorate and even in the last year or two, I haven't really seen whatsoever creaking caused by press fit bb's themselves, threaded crepitate just as much.

To try to diagnose your creaking, there are two unproblematic tricks, and I'll try to explain these every bit best every bit possible. Offset, you will exist pushing on the cranks from side to side. To do this, stand on the drive side of the bike with the drive side creepo at the bottom, or pedal closest to the ground. Then tilt the bike away from you lot a bit and requite it a decent button, mayhap two. If you hear a creak or pop, then it's probable the bottom bracket or suspension pivots. I would go to the other side of the bike and exercise the same thing. Try to get it to happen both means. That volition permit y'all know it'south something taking a side load and is either loose or a clay contact surface. That doesn't mean your bottom bracket or suspension pivots need replacing, but a cleaning and a re-grease.

The other way to find a creak easily is to stand on either side of the bike. It'southward best to have the bike on some carpet, or a shop mat so the wheels don't slip. Yous will grab each tire with each hand so your left hand is on the rear tire and your correct hand is on the forepart tire, then push and pull the wheels/wheel abroad and towards each other. If y'all get whatsoever creaking or popping hither that is nearly likely the headset or shock mounts, and non the lesser subclass or lower intermission pivots.

Many of these noises can be solved by a uncomplicated clean and re-grease of that part that y'all recall is creaking. The headset is a very common part to get creaking, and the bearings are commonly notwithstanding good, with maybe a little dirt on the contact surface areas. Pulling that apart similarly to how we volition practise the lesser bracket is as well swell maintenance and can get rid of the noise you found.

Upgrading or Replacing Your Bottom Bracket:

When information technology comes time to replace or upgrade your bottom bracket, non but is finding the correct bottom bracket to work for your bike key, but there are also oftentimes many options to choose from. Many times the crank manufacturers make the bottom subclass you lot need and that is often the best and safest option to choose from. Yous can as well see if the manufacturer makes a ceramic option if you want to get that route. That is my first proposition and for the most part, will work slap-up without any issues. Next would be to go to a manufacturer that makes bottom brackets for all frame styles and crank standards. The big brands that come to mind are Wheels Manufacturing, Chris King, or Ceramic Speed. I'd say that going with Wheels Manufacturing gets you the best quality product for the money. If I don't go with the creepo manufacturer for the bottom bracket, I choice Wheels Manufacturing, especially if you have a pressfit bottom bracket equally they have "thread together pressfit options" and those are a great choice if they fit your frame and crank standard. Wheels Manufacturing will likely exist about the same or ameliorate quality than your stock lesser bracket, with quality bearings and seals. I find these work really well and I would suggest these for most mountain bike style riding. Ceramic Speed makes some very fancy bottom brackets and is certainly non for the shy of price, as the proper name suggests, they are all ceramic bearings. I am currently running ane on my gravel bicycle and I take never had a bottom bracket spin so freely. If that translates to easier pedaling, it's difficult to say, but I will say just past spinning the cranks you can tell Ceramic Speed bearings are the highest quality out there. One matter to note with Ceramic is that the service interval I mentioned above volition exist cut in one-half or less, and will require a fleck more piece of work as well than what we are doing hither in this How-To.

Threaded BB:

1. Lay Out Tools & Workspace

First, make sure you take the correct tools. I like to layout the tools I think I am going to use, also every bit some grease and newspaper towels. If your bicycle is especially muddied maybe some cleaning solution also. I discover laying out a clean organized workspace makes working on the hardest jobs easier, especially since you know where to notice your tools fast. This procedure is called knolling. If you want to nerd out on some tool slang and how to be an organized mechanic, look that upward.

Tools needed to work on a Due east*Thirteen threaded bottom cracket: Park Tool BBT-9, E*Thirteen Bottom Bracket Tool, Park Tool TTH-eight, Teflon Tape, and Sizors

2. Remove Crankarm

Adjacent, you lot will remove your crankarm. Well-nigh new cranks but take one crankarm that is removable, so make certain y'all are going to remove the correct one. Most cranks use an 8mm hex wrench and too most new cranks are self-extracting. This ways that you will need to loosen your crank and continue to loosen the crank until it comes off. You volition find some resistance even after you have broken the initial bolt, every bit the commodities is bankroll up into the crankarm itself and pushing the arm away from the spindle. If your cranks are not self-extracting, you will need the corresponding crank arm extractor tool, so pretty much 2 types here.

3.Pull Spindle and Cranks, Proceed Spacers and Dust Caps in Order

Pull out the spindle and the other crank arm you didn't remove. I suggest keeping this spindle and crankarm together, as most are not supposed to come apart. Equally you lot pull the spindle, take a expert look at what spacers you accept and where they belong. Oftentimes, you will have two grit covers for your bearings. Also, check which way those were pressed against the begetting, as well as what spacers and on what side. You lot will want to make sure those stay in that order and put them dorsum on just how they were. As you pull each spacer, dust encompass, and spindle, take some time and make clean all those parts before setting them on the bench. Non just will yous be putting down clean parts, only you can audit these parts to see what might exist damaged.

 (Left) Driveside crank arm off, with spacers and dust caps stuck to the creepo. (Right) Dirty Spindle and Lesser Bracket Cup

Clean Bottom Bracket Cup (Left), Clean Spindle, Creepo, Dust Covers and Spacer (Right)

4. Make clean Cranks & Bottom Subclass Cups

If y'all didn't already, clean all of the crank surface, spindle, crankarm/spindle interface, and bolt. Try to remove all clay and grease that was left on there. Next, clean out the bottom bracket bearings by removing all the dirt and grease left behind.

five. Bonus footstep - Remove, Make clean, Grease and Install Chainring

Non done in the video but mentioned, if you haven't washed this in a while, and especially if you lot are experiencing creaking, I would remove your chainring. Most will be straight mount and should be pretty simple to remove. SRAM, Shimano, RaceFace and E*xiii all take different direct mount methods, but all volition be the aforementioned once removed. Remove and make clean all contact surfaces, then add together a petty bit of grease to the contact areas where the chainring meets the crankarm, and so tighten it back on. Make certain y'all get information technology very tight as these have a trend to come loose from time to fourth dimension.

 Remove the chainring and clean contact surfaces

Grease contact surfaces, install chainring and tighten to spec

half dozen. Remove Threaded Bottom Bracket

Remove the bottom bracket on the frame. Y'all will need the specific lesser bracket tool to your style bottom bracket. Park Tool makes nigh, if not all, tools you volition need to remove your bottom bracket. Once you have the right tool, y'all will need to know which manner to plough the bottom bracket. Beginning with your non drive bottom bracket cup, and this cup will be normal threads. Usually yous will get counter-clockwise to loosen up the lesser bracket loving cup. Adjacent, move to the drive side and now this volition be reverse threads, so you will loosen upwardly the bottom bracket cup going clockwise. Continue to spin both sides out until they are out of the frame. Brand sure to catch the centerpiece if you have i in your frame. There isn't always a centerpiece, but if you have one, accept information technology out. Some like the SRAM DUB bottom bracket stays on i side and is hard to remove.

Remove the lesser bracket from the frame with the correct tools

seven. Make clean Threads and Bearings on Both Bottom Subclass and Frame

Clean the threads on your bottom bracket as well as any other grease on the bearings or inside the cups. Practice the same to the lesser bracket centerpiece. And so go to the frame and clean those threads and audit for any damage.

Clean threads on frame so in that location is no dust or grease on the frame

eight. Go along to Clean Everything Before Installing

Become through all the parts 1 more fourth dimension and make sure everything is clean and has no grease or dirt left on it. Brand sure all the parts are prepare for install.

9.Teflon Tape - The Underground Stride

This is my hole-and-corner stride that many people don't know about, so you are welcome! I use Teflon pipage tape to wrap the threads of the bottom subclass cup earlier installation. The Teflon tape helps snug upwardly the bottom bracket and brand sure it doesn't come loose. Too, since in that location is some material between the two metal surfaces, I find there to be much less creaking over fourth dimension with Teflon tape.

Kickoff wrapping the teflon tape around the threads of the bb, in the correct dirrection

And so to start, you need to know which bottom bracket cup you are installing first, and and so recall well-nigh which way y'all are turning it. Let'southward beginning with the non-drive cup. Equally yous remember when nosotros were removing it, the cup threaded in regularly. And so when installing the Teflon tape, we want to do one complete layer effectually the threads with a little bit overlapping, virtually v-9mm or so. THE Style Yous WRAP THE THREADS MATTERS. Nosotros want to wrap the threads then the overlapping part of the tape is going with the bottom bracket as nosotros spin information technology in. Difficult to explain in text, but if you take the non-drive cup, and are looking at the bike from the non-drive side, we will be turning the loving cup clockwise to tighten. So when we get-go to wrap the Teflon tape, we want to start at the top of the loving cup if looking at the wheel from the non-drive side, and go towards the front end of the bicycle and around the lesser of the loving cup and dorsum up to the top with a pocket-size overlap. This should have the overlap section and "tail" of the tape going towards the back of the threads. And then when you tighten the loving cup upwards, the record stays put and doesn't unravel in one case you go to tighten.

Overlap the teflon tape just by a lilliputian bit, you lot want the tape to not pull right off when you start to thread the cup into the frame

And the same goes for the drive side cup. Nosotros will be tightening this counterclockwise and we want to start the tape at the top of the bottom bracket cup and start to wrap it around the cup towards the front of the bike, effectually the bottom, and back up to the top with a minor overlap. Try to make both cups as tight as possible, and yous want the tape to non unravel right away. The Teflon record is a solid trick once you become it downward. It might take a do wrap or two. The adept news is this stuff is cheap and with one curl you tin can do tons of bottom brackets.

x. Grease Threads, Thread in Bottom Subclass and Torque to Spec (or really tight)

Now nosotros will add together some grease to the threads on the frame. Don't be shy with the grease, as the actress will work its way out. I grease all the contact surfaces, threads, and the centerpiece of the bottom subclass cups. Then, offset to thread the cups in. You lot tin can besides add a little chip of grease on top of the Teflon tape. It won't injure to have a bit more. Then make certain you are threading the cups the right management and get those as tight as possible with your easily. You might become a piffling more resistance with the Teflon record.

Grease is your friend, use it!

When you lot have it in as far equally your easily tin can spin, take hold of your tool and spin the rest. In one case snug, I tighten up the drive side loving cup get-go, and I brand that thing really tight. Some have a torque spec, only I make information technology as tight as possible without getting crazy. In a normal stance, give it a skilful yank or push button. You don't want this coming loose. So do the same to the not-bulldoze cup.

11. Grease Spindle, Bearings and Put On Spacers and Dust Covers

Add some grease to the installed bottom bracket bearings, making sure to put a decent layer all around the begetting cup and inner race on both sides. Then grab your spacers and start to put them back on the crank the way they came off. One time you have the spacers and the dust cover on, add some more grease to the dust cover side that volition contact the bearing and also on the spindle. Then, slide the spindle into the bottom subclass and requite it a couple of taps with your paw to make sure information technology's all the manner through. Then catch the other dust cover and whatever spacers there might be and push those on every bit well.

 Grease the outside of the bb bearings, inside, and spindle surfaces

Once y'all push the spindle through, stack on the spacers in the correct society yous took them off in

12. Grease Creepo Interface and First to Tighten Crank

Add some extra grease to where the crank arm mates with the spindle, as well as the crank bolt. Once you do that, take hold of your 8mm wrench and start to tighten upwards the crank arm. Spin the bolt in all the way until it's snug.

Grease spindle interface, line upwardly cranks and start to tighten to spec

13. Tighten Crank Fully and Bank check Torque Rating

Look up the torque spec on your creepo arms. Many say it on the commodities, just if it doesn't, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to detect the online user manual or installation guide to encounter that torque spec. Many are effectually 40-50nm, which is pretty damn tight. One time you have that fully tight, you're down to the last step!

14. Tighten Upwardly Preload Adjuster (if at that place is one)

Virtually cranks at present accept a preload aligning on the spindle. For SRAM and Raceface, in that location is a pinch bolt. For E*Thirteen it's just a dial. Either way, yous desire to make sure the cranks are pushed in all the style so that the side with the preload adjuster is as far away from the bottom bracket every bit possible. So start to punch in the preload arrange band until it makes contact with the bearing dust cover. Maybe requite it a bear on more than but you don't need to overdo this guy, it simply holds the cranks in identify. Then tighten upward the pinch bolt if at that place is i and you are proficient to ride!

Press Fit BB:

1. Lay Out Tools & Workspace

Outset, make sure you take the correct tools. I like to layout the tools I think I am going to use, equally well as some grease and paper towels. If your bike is specially dirty peradventure some cleaning solution too. Laying out a clean organized workspace I discover makes working on the hardest jobs easier, as well as laying out your tools then you know where to detect them fast. This procedure is called knolling. If you want to nerd out on some tool slang and how to be an organized mechanic, wait that upward.

Tools needed to remove a printing fit bottom subclass: Park Tool BBT-thirty.4, Park Tool BBP-1.2, Park Tool HMR-8, Park Tool THH-viii

2. Remove Crankarm

Next, yous volition remove your crankarm. Most new cranks only have one crankarm that is removable, so make certain you are going to remove the correct one. Well-nigh cranks utilise an 8mm hex wrench and likewise near new cranks are self-extracting. This means that you will demand to loosen your creepo, and continue to loosen the crank until it comes off. You will find some resistance even afterward you have cleaved the initial bolt, every bit the bolt is bankroll up into the crankarm itself and pushing the arm abroad from the spindle. If your cranks are not self-extracting y'all will need the respective crank arm extractor tool. In that location are pretty much two types here.

3. Pull Spindle and Cranks, Keep Spacers and Dust Caps in Order

Pull out the spindle and the other crank arm you didn't remove. Keep this spindle and crankarm together, as most are non supposed to come autonomously. As you lot pull the spindle, take a good look at what spacers y'all accept and where oftentimes you will have two dust covers for your bearings. Also, check which mode those were pressed against the bearing, equally well as what spacers and on what side. You will want to brand sure those stay in that order and put them back on but how they were. As you pull each spacer, dust comprehend, and spindle, take some time and make clean all those parts earlier setting them on the demote. Not only will you be putting downward make clean parts, only you tin audit these parts to meet what might be damaged.

iv. Clean Cranks & Bottom Bracket Cups

If you didn't already, make clean all of the creepo surface, spindle, crankarm/spindle interface, and the bolt. Effort to remove all dirt and grease that was left on at that place. Next clean out the lesser bracket bearings. Remove all the dirt and grease left behind.

Clean bottom bracket cups (left), clean crank, spindle, and dustcovers (correct)

five. Remove Press Fit BB

In order to remove your press fit bb, you volition need some tools to do that. If you have a 30mm spindle, Park Tool makes a actually good removal tool, the BBT-30.4. I highly recommend this tool, and if you lot have a smiler spindle, then the Park Tool BBT-90.3 will fit the bill. Push either of these tools through and give it a good whack. It might take a couple of solid hits to knock each side loose.

Catch your removal tool, brand sure you lot have expert contact on the bearing and not the frame, and smack away!

6.Clean Frame, Bottom Bracket and Bearings

In one case the lesser bracket is out, make clean all the parts, the frame surface, and look for damage. Clean the bottom bracket cups and the bearings. I try not to reuse pressfit bottom brackets, or at to the lowest degree the bearings, as normally when you remove them you crusade a side load on the bearings and they tend to get a chip of damage on them.

7. Clean, Clean, Clean

Continue cleaning all the parts, making sure all the grease and dirt left behind is gone and everything is clean and set up to be installed over again.

8. Grease Press Fit BB Cups and Frame Interface

Add together some grease to the pressfit bb cups and frame interface. Don't be shy, put a skillful layer of grease on both. The frame grease volition press into the frame and the bb cup grease will push out of the frame, leaving you with some on both sides.

nine. Install Bottom Bracket with Press Fit Tool

The most important part of installing a pressfit bottom bracket is actually two parts. You desire to have the correct begetting race if possible, and so if you take a 30mm spindle try to have a race that also has a 30mm spindle loving cup on there. Secondly, but printing in ane cup at a time. This is important because the ane side of your frame you are not pressing into remains square. If yous endeavour to press in both cups at the same time you have a risk of them both going kleptomaniacal and fifty-fifty causing permanent damage to the frame. Not a good move if you accept a carbon frame. So press in one at a fourth dimension. I start with the non-bulldoze side loving cup, but information technology doesn't really matter. Printing one, then the 2nd, making sure they are both in affluent.

Catch your pressfit tool, with the correct bearing race, and press in one side at a time

10. Grease Spindle, Bearings and Put On Spacers and Dust Covers

Add together some grease to the installed bottom bracket bearings, making sure to put a decent layer all around the bearing cup and inner race on both sides. So grab your spacers and beginning to put them back on the crank the way they came off. Once you accept the spacers and and then dust cover on, add some more grease to the dust cover side that will contact the bearing and also on the spindle. Then slide the spindle into the bottom bracket and give it a couple of taps with your mitt to make certain information technology'due south all the way through. Then take hold of the other dust encompass and any spacers there might exist and push those on likewise.

Grease up spindle contact surfaces, and bb cup bearings

11.Grease Crank Interface & Start to Tighten Crank

Add together some extra grease to where the crank arm mates with the spindle, and then likewise the crank bolt. Once you do that take hold of, your 8mm wrench and start to tighten up the crank arm. Spin the bolt in all the way until it's snug.

Grease inside crank and bolt, as well as add the spacers to the spindle that you had taken off int he same club

12. Tighten Crank Fully and Check Torque Rating

Wait up the torque spec on your creepo arms. Many say it on the bolt, but if it doesn't it's easy to find the online user manual or installation guide to see that torque spec. Many are around 40-50nm, which is pretty damn tight. In one case y'all have that fully tight, you have one more than step!

13. Tighten Up Preload Adjuster (if there is one)

Most cranks now have a preload aligning on the spindle. For SRAM and Raceface there is a pinch commodities. For Eastward*Thirteen it'due south just a dial. Either way, you lot want to make certain the cranks are pushed in all the manner to the side with the preload adjuster is as far away from the bottom bracket every bit possible. And then start to dial in the preload adjust ring until it makes contact with the bearing dust cover. Perhaps give it a touch more than but you don't need to overdo this guy, information technology only holds the cranks in identify. Then tighten upwardly the compression commodities if there is one and you are skilful to ride!

Final Thoughts:

Wow, if yous made information technology this far hopefully you accept a clean, happy, and creak-free lesser bracket and crankset. As mentioned at the starting time, this is a great matter to do to your bicycle every few months fifty-fifty if your bike is silent. Hopefully, you learned a few tricks and tin can become this done on your own and even aid a friend out once in a while. Information technology's ever worth trading for beer or food, of course!

This commodity was written / authored by Liam Woods. Liam has been in the bicycle industry for over 10 years every bit a racer, professional mechanic, service manager and as of late, media and content creator. Liam has ridden thousands of different bikes, ridden countless components, tested endless MTB apparel of all kinds and written reviews on it all. He's a fundamental piece to the Worldwide Cyclery "All Things MTB" content cosmos puzzle. He also makes consistent appearances on the Worldwide Cyclery YouTube channel and Instagram.

Do You Need To Service Gxp Bottom Bracket,

Source: https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/blogs/worldwide-cyclery-blog/how-to-remove-grease-and-install-bottom-brackets-threaded-and-pressfit-video

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