Hi RJ, I just did this to an old Schwinn Varsity. I had a 122.5mm bottom bracket laying around, but the chainline was 55mm with my crankset. I need it to be around 43mm to line up with the center of my freewheel. What length BB will take 12mm off of the drive side? I'm stumped. 98mm is absurd, but 110 only removes 6mm from each side.
Rj u are the light for us, you show us so many thing that isnt shown anywhere else on youtube! please continue your content, it is a great service for the fast-rising biking community!
I just did this project and was able to convert a one-piece to a hollowtech II road crank for my Dad's rat rod! I used a headset press for the drive side cup; a drift fit the inner portion. I also smeared a little bit of grease on each cup prior to install. Unfortunately, I was without Homer slippers. So, the overall job took a hit!
Bloody brilliant Edit: Received all my parts today. Got lucky as hell guessing the size of the BB. Following your video, I was able to do the job myself. Thanks dude!!! Really
Pretty good video RJ . I always appreciate it when a how to do it U Tube is not overly long , just to entertain us. When the new shell cups are too long to allow seating up against the frame shell , another viable way to make them fit is to put the new BB threaded bushings in a lathe and face off the required amount to clear the "ridge in the frame shell' . a local small machine shop or networking friend with a lathe in his garage is not too hard to locate. this eliminates the hand grinding on both the frame and the bushing chamfers. OR , a person could also just use spacers , rather than grind or face off in the lathe. The actual " Q factor" or width of the outside dimension on the assembled new parts is not a big deal for most people.
RJ you are The Man! One of my uncles gave me his old Schwinn Traveler to rebuild and upgrade, your videos are a big help they cut down on trial and error part of working on older bikes, thanks for what you do!
Years ago the single piece crank arm of my 1971 Crescent VM Racer broke, thanks to my giant quads 😂. It's a beautiful bike, all original, but sitting in disrepair for nearly 20 years, and 20 years more before it came into my possession. This video has given me a glimmer of hope to someday repair and bring the old goat into the next millennium. So, thank you. However, there's a twist so I'm posting here for others: while it had the Ashtabula single piece crank arm, the bottom bracket was French threaded, not press-in. In this case the fix is to get a French threaded bottom bracket (or Italian, or whatever yours happens to be, as this is the period when manufacturers started switching to three-piece cranks but things hadn't fully standardized). Make sure you get the spindle length needed for your drivetrain. This is a bit more complicated because you won't be able to reference the crank arm offset, since the original was a one-piece. So you'll need to have a set of crank arms and figure out (guess! If you have a spare square spindle BB, this is a lot easier) how much of the spindle they'll engage, and then account for however many chain rings (and spacers, if needed). And again, you'll need a different set of chain rings because the old ones won't work. With the crank arms and chainrings sorted, measure for spindle length, and this should also dial in the chain line. It's complicated. But at least now there's a path forward where before there wasn't.
I did one of these, but I used a YST US bottom bracket, which basically used the same size cups, but used a square taper axle and these huge cartridge bearings. Runs smooth as butter.
Thanks so much for the help! I bought a beautiful 3 piece crank and sprocket but unbeknownst to me the inner diameter of the BB is far larger than the included threaded and sealed bearings so I ended up purchasing a conversion axle which is the same setup as a one piece crank but has a straight axle pressed in and ran through so you can attach and square hole crank arms. I prefer your mother although $30 more it allows you to use a variety more of cranks and better quality!
I like 1 piece cranks. Easy quick maintenance. Long life, after all they did last 20+ years on this bike. New cups and bearings are less than $15. The only reason I would change to 3 piece is if the chainrings were worn or damaged. Sealed cartridge bearings don't last very long, then you can't easily rebuild. I have 1 piece cranks on two bikes. 1 is 30 years old, the other was built this year. Totally satisfied with both.
@@RJTheBikeGuy I am 57YO. All we had was 1 piece. I am sure it happens, but i never saw a 1 piece bend, strip out or go bad. Never. I feel the term "quality" is subjective. As for weight, you may be correct. A 1 piece includes crank arms. Add crank arms to a sealed/3 piece and it may be closer than many think. Plus those who own bikes with 1 piece are generally not that concerned with a few ounces. Heck, my water bottle is 26 oz. BTW, Your videos are very entertaining and have helped me greatly, thank you.
I'll be getting to use a couple adapters to do this next week. Got a new just out of the box beach cruiser today that had something wrong with the crank set from the place I'm assembling bikes at. They didn't want to mess with it, so free is the word of the day for me.
Great video, thanks. I am in the process of adapting a Huffy mtb, I was relieved to see it didn't have a ridge, then I saw that the chainstay tube ends come through and are too close to the outer edge! So i've now got a lot of filing to do, not having any grinding power tools. Truvativ seriously need to modify the design of these adapters!!!
Hey RJ, thanks for this video. I am about to upgrade my old botton bracket to a more modern one like you did on this video. You job is very informative! I have a vintage bike from 90's with a press fit just like this and I was wandering how to do the task. This video helped me a lot! Thanks!.
Funny they didnt know or just didnt tell you.........but some of the bigger "chain" bike shops are strictly OEM now-days. There were versions of this kit (several ways using both sizes of bearing diameters and sealed or lose) since the late 70's.
Hey RJ, love the videos. I would just add that the BB tapers should not be greased but should be very clean when installing crankarms. The crankarm bolts should be greased-threads and under bolt head. Also I use metal cups for non-drive side so I can tighen them down properly. Plastic cups are a pain, they break all the time, then you have to cut them out.
I agree with him, you do not want to grease them. The cranks are pressed on to the spindles and held on by friction. If you grease them, you can pressed them on farther with the same torque, potentially damaging the cranks.
"Most manufacturers (Specialist TA and White Industries being notable exceptions) recommend that square-taper cranks be fitted to the bottom bracket "dry", with no grease or other lubricant. See for example Campagnolo Crankset manual where on page 28 it says "degrease axle and crankset square heads thoroughly".[13] The validity of this is hotly disputed among cyclists, and a source of frequent "holy wars" on Internet discussion groups. Cranks can occasionally seize onto the spindle sufficiently to prevent their removal by a conventional puller, and grease or anti-seize compound at the interface can help to prevent this. One argument against greasing is that the crank may slide too far onto the spindle, reducing the designers' intended chainline and potentially cracking the crank. Conventional mechanical engineering practice across many industries whenever it involves mating of tapered assemblies requires lubrication to ensure that sufficient "preload" is achieved between the mating parts to prevent them working loose under cyclic loading; this includes lubricating the threaded fastener to ensure sufficient preload is developed in the fastener(s).[citation needed] Noted wheelbuilding mechanical engineer Jobst Brandt argues in favour of lubrication and mentions factors sometimes overlooked.[14]"
I had same problem with my vintage german bike, bottom bracket cups were pressed too. I couldn't find solution myself, so I brought my bike to my local shop and they installed some kind of bracket with pressed cups. Obviously your solution is better, 'cause you can unscrew the bottom bracket whenever you want and I need to unpress the cups.
Second thought - To clean out the bottom bracket use 2 or 3 layers of Scotch Brite on the end of a bolt (held on with 2 nuts) without a head in a drill motor to run it back and forth in the bracket to remove any rust or hardened grease - then something to prevent future rust.
I haven’t bought a chain set yet I have an Ashtabula and the back wheel is Shimano nexus 3 with a coaster brake. The bottom bracket is probably 68mm but I have bad eyesight and only a tape to measure it by, I just want to make sure the chainwheel is going to be inline with my back end
Ashtabula did make those one piece cranks for Schwinn, and they were excellent, Very strong. I used them in BMX way back when, However, while Ross and Huffy did use one piece cranks (lower end models on Ross, most for Huffy) the Ross cranks were made by Wald. OK for their intended purpose, but not as good as the "Schwinn Approved" Ashtabulas. Schwinn cranks had a proprietary thread (28 tpi vs. standard 24 tpi IIRC). Huffy used some other brand that had a weird curve to them, and were a lot thinner and weaker. Removal and installation remained the same.
Pro tip, spacers on the non drive side of an internal bottom bracket are a major no go. Better to use an etype bottom bracket that has the added thread on the drive side to achieve your 3mm there. The non drive side cup is tapered on the inside to alow for some small variation in shell width by spacing that cup out you may not be able to properly stabilize the non drive side of the bottom bracket. If using external bearing bottom spacers can be use on either side but overall width on external bearing setups is much more critical for bearing preload
Yo RJ..I look up every tool and part you use in this crank conversion..I'm doing the old Ross ...very helpful chronology but but spindle measurements might be guess work...Thank you!
You want the chain to be straight between the center of the rear gear cog and the crank. It's called centerline and there's multiple ways to determine it. The easiest thing is just to use whatever length spindle typically gets used with the crankset you're putting on your bike.
Cool vid, now I know I can upgrade my old cruiser, thnx. If you put the adapter rings in the freezer for an hour, they might just slip right in a bit easier.
Have you ever tried to convert from a chain drive to a gates carbon belt drive and if so I have a retro style cruiser that I'm trying to convert if you have any information on are or curious on how to do it and can do there a video for it would be great
I like this video but prefer the one piece cranksets. I've been able to find a lot of chainring sizes from 25T to 50T. The simple one piece can be rebuild quickly with common tools.
It seems like the adapter manufacturer could also supply a few mm worth of shims to accommodate bottom bracket tubes of different lengths. I've seen thin shims for automotive rear-wheel alaignment, so the technology does exist.
Hope this message finds you well. I own one of the newly manufactured Schwinn Stingray bicycles. I am looking into doing two upgrades, namely installing a gear hub (a Shimano Nexus 8-Speed, for example) and replacing the bottom bracket with a modern component. Regarding the second upgrade, I have learnt a lot from your video. Thank you so much for that. I would just like to know what size BB I need to install on the bike if I go for the cartridge type, whether you can name a specific brand, whether I can use a hollow axle, whether Hollowtech 1 and 2 are among my crankset options, and whether my proposed BB upgrade would have consequences for my plan to install a gear hub. (BB shell is the 68 mm type as far as I can tell. It is a single-speed bike with a coaster brake.) Best regards from Ankara, Turkey
Good video! I learned something new. :) Over here in Britain I have only ever seen Apollo branded mountain bikes use the one piece crank set, well and older BMX bikes. I personally prefer to use sealed cartridge BB's as I find they last longer than ordinary caged bearings.
+RandyDarkshade normally your right but those are schwinn bearings, that bike is decades old but those bearings will hold up way better then new sealed which are meant to be replaced. the benefit with the sealed is lighter, initially smoother, and the ability to use more modern cranks.
How do I determine the length of the spindle I need for the sealed BB cartridge? I have a 68mm shell with no ridge inside, it's the same all the way through but the BB has 2 measurements. I need the spindle length and the one piece crank isn't a very good indicator, unless I'm missing something? I need a 68 x ??? cartridge and don't want to throw my chain line out!
I had the cup depth issue. Why would they make them that deep? I put mine in a vice and hacked off half the adaptor with a sawzawll. Knocking them out of the frame when I found out they didn’t fit really sucked.
Exactly what I needed to know. Picked up a old Schwinn frame and replacing the one-piece crank. I understand measuring the bottom bracket shell and spacers, but how do you measure the length on a one-piece crank?
I have an old 2004 casino cycle that I am replacing the one piece with a three piece crank. It looks like it’s going to take a 68 mm bottom bracket what is going to be the spindle length?
Yes, the spindle length on a bottom bracket cartridge. The measurement in the video is done on a cartridge type bottom bracket. How do I measure the spindle length when I convert from a 1 piece to a 3 piece crank. Thanks.
my question is can i convert it to be able to pedal backwards so that i can add a motor to it without having to just toss the pedals and add a foot mount instead because i would like the option to pedal but im trying to convert this Murray cruiser into an ebike for my gf and its my first time even coming in contact with a bike this old its around 60.
I have a question, I have similar shell like that one but it uses cottered cranks. Can I just simply replace it with a square taper spindle axle? I am in the process of replacing my crankset on a 3 speed bicycle. Mostly worried about spindle length.
Another great video, I came across as I need to switch my friend`s Huffy to BSA. I want to add, that you have to keep in view, what type of a crankset you remove, and the dropout space as well , to stay with a true chainline. For example, you have to kep it in mind, if you re about to switch 3х6 drivetrain to a single speed, which is common solution for that old type bikes. Thank you RJ!
Great video RJ! I have a one piece crank also and was wondering if all one piece cranks utilize the same size caged Bearings. My bicycle is a 26" mountain bike. If possible, could you tell what size bearings I would have in my bottom bracket crank? Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Best Regards!
This was an Ashtabula style one piece crank commonly found on older American made bikes like Schwinn, Ross, Huffy... Other one piece crank setups might be different. But the best way is the remove the bearings and take them to a bike shop and have them match them.
Good demo. I have a Schwinn Super Sport (65 mm BB shell) on which I would like to replace the Ashtabula with a square taper and triple cranks (and indexed shifters). I'd like to avoid grinding either the adapter or the BB shell. So I thought of another method of resolving the interference between the BB shell and the adapter,and was wondering if this would work. In the video you used two 1.5 mm spacers on the bottom bracket to lengthen it from 65 to 68 mm. Instead, I'm thinking of using two 4 mm spacers that fit around the adapter cups. This would bring the BB shell width up to 73 mm, so I could use a 73 mm BB spindle to fit within the wider BB shell. The idea is to position the adapter back so it wouldn't hit the ridge inside the BB shell. Any reaction pro or con would be appreciated.
Normal installation has the adapter cups up against the the BB shell, with spacers sitting on the outside between the adapter and the new BB spindle. Like this: spindle - spacer - adapter - shell - adapter - spacer - spindle My idea is to move the spacers from outside the adapter cup to the inside. So the order would be BB shell, then spacer, then adapter cup. The new BB spindle would then sit directly against the adapter. Like this: spindle - adapter - spacer - shell - spacer - adapter - spindle This is done to lengthen the inside distance between cups and hopefully clear any obstruction in middle of the shell. If 1.5 MM spacers would provide sufficient clearance then OK, , I'd go with a 68 MM BB . However I'm not sure that 1.5 mm spacers used with a 68mm BB would clear the obstruction in the BB shell. But 4 mm spacers and a 73 mm BB just might do it. I'm not sure I'm explaining this clearly.
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Hi RJ, I just did this to an old Schwinn Varsity. I had a 122.5mm bottom bracket laying around, but the chainline was 55mm with my crankset. I need it to be around 43mm to line up with the center of my freewheel. What length BB will take 12mm off of the drive side? I'm stumped. 98mm is absurd, but 110 only removes 6mm from each side.
what is the part number of adapter? thanks
How to order bottom braket?
Im from philipines.
er so ?
Hi, Rj where did you find the pacers you used ?
Much respect to a man who changes out a bottom bracket in his Homer Simpson slippers. Absolutely here for this! Thank you!
I cannot believe that your channel exists with EVERY single video I've needed for building a bike!
Rj u are the light for us, you show us so many thing that isnt shown anywhere else on youtube!
please continue your content, it is a great service for the fast-rising biking community!
I'm an old man and ride a 1979 Schwinn Collegiate. Loved this video and will be converting to a 3 piece crank. Thanks RJ.
Outstanding!! Now I know what to do!! I'm only 70 yrs young...putting it together for my granddaughter...you ARE THE MISSING LINK!!
I just did this project and was able to convert a one-piece to a hollowtech II road crank for my Dad's rat rod! I used a headset press for the drive side cup; a drift fit the inner portion. I also smeared a little bit of grease on each cup prior to install. Unfortunately, I was without Homer slippers. So, the overall job took a hit!
Man, I have to say. Whenever I don‘t know something regarding my bike, I watch your videos. It‘s amazing, your videos are very helpful.
Bloody brilliant
Edit: Received all my parts today. Got lucky as hell guessing the size of the BB. Following your video, I was able to do the job myself. Thanks dude!!! Really
Pretty good video RJ . I always appreciate it when a how to do it U Tube is not overly long , just to entertain us. When the new shell cups are too long to allow seating up against the frame shell , another viable way to make them fit is to put the new BB threaded bushings in a lathe and face off the required amount to clear the "ridge in the frame shell' . a local small machine shop or networking friend with a lathe in his garage is not too hard to locate. this eliminates the hand grinding on both the frame and the bushing chamfers. OR , a person could also just use spacers , rather than grind or face off in the lathe. The actual " Q factor" or width of the outside dimension on the assembled new parts is not a big deal for most people.
EVERY time I need tips on a tricky bike issue, there he is. My man RJ. Thanks again for the great videos!
RJ you are The Man! One of my uncles gave me his old Schwinn Traveler to rebuild and upgrade, your videos are a big help they cut down on trial and error part of working on older bikes, thanks for what you do!
I did this to my schwinn del mar mens cruiser (Walmart) couple years ago and it's working great still !
Thank you for the memories RJ. Bill M.
I want to do the same to my delmar. Do you have any links to the parts you bought? I want to make my Delmar go faster.
I’m only 0:54 into the video, but I had to stop and give you a thanks already. I’ve been wanting to do this exact thing.
Years ago the single piece crank arm of my 1971 Crescent VM Racer broke, thanks to my giant quads 😂. It's a beautiful bike, all original, but sitting in disrepair for nearly 20 years, and 20 years more before it came into my possession. This video has given me a glimmer of hope to someday repair and bring the old goat into the next millennium. So, thank you. However, there's a twist so I'm posting here for others: while it had the Ashtabula single piece crank arm, the bottom bracket was French threaded, not press-in. In this case the fix is to get a French threaded bottom bracket (or Italian, or whatever yours happens to be, as this is the period when manufacturers started switching to three-piece cranks but things hadn't fully standardized). Make sure you get the spindle length needed for your drivetrain. This is a bit more complicated because you won't be able to reference the crank arm offset, since the original was a one-piece. So you'll need to have a set of crank arms and figure out (guess! If you have a spare square spindle BB, this is a lot easier) how much of the spindle they'll engage, and then account for however many chain rings (and spacers, if needed). And again, you'll need a different set of chain rings because the old ones won't work. With the crank arms and chainrings sorted, measure for spindle length, and this should also dial in the chain line. It's complicated. But at least now there's a path forward where before there wasn't.
I did one of these, but I used a YST US bottom bracket, which basically used the same size cups, but used a square taper axle and these huge cartridge bearings. Runs smooth as butter.
Thanks so much for the help! I bought a beautiful 3 piece crank and sprocket but unbeknownst to me the inner diameter of the BB is far larger than the included threaded and sealed bearings so I ended up purchasing a conversion axle which is the same setup as a one piece crank but has a straight axle pressed in and ran through so you can attach and square hole crank arms. I prefer your mother although $30 more it allows you to use a variety more of cranks and better quality!
This channel along with the channel by cjhoyle - are the best bicycle repair channels on youtube.
I like 1 piece cranks. Easy quick maintenance. Long life, after all they did last 20+ years on this bike. New cups and bearings are less than $15.
The only reason I would change to 3 piece is if the chainrings were worn or damaged. Sealed cartridge bearings don't last very long, then you can't easily rebuild.
I have 1 piece cranks on two bikes. 1 is 30 years old, the other was built this year. Totally satisfied with both.
3 piece are generally better quality and much much lighter.
@@RJTheBikeGuy I am 57YO. All we had was 1 piece. I am sure it happens, but i never saw a 1 piece bend, strip out or go bad. Never. I feel the term "quality" is subjective.
As for weight, you may be correct. A 1 piece includes crank arms. Add crank arms to a sealed/3 piece and it may be closer than many think. Plus those who own bikes with 1 piece are generally not that concerned with a few ounces. Heck, my water bottle is 26 oz.
BTW, Your videos are very entertaining and have helped me greatly, thank you.
Thanks for the video, I am upgrading an old Schwinn and really needed to know how this process works. Also, those slippers are great!
I'll be getting to use a couple adapters to do this next week. Got a new just out of the box beach cruiser today that had something wrong with the crank set from the place I'm assembling bikes at. They didn't want to mess with it, so free is the word of the day for me.
Awsome , exactly what I needed ! Thanks a bunch . Cheers from downunder 😃
Great video, thanks. I am in the process of adapting a Huffy mtb, I was relieved to see it didn't have a ridge, then I saw that the chainstay tube ends come through and are too close to the outer edge! So i've now got a lot of filing to do, not having any grinding power tools. Truvativ seriously need to modify the design of these adapters!!!
Cool slippers. :) Much less scary than the old ones I think.
I'll watch the rest now...
Hey RJ, thanks for this video.
I am about to upgrade my old botton bracket to a more modern one like you did on this video.
You job is very informative!
I have a vintage bike from 90's with a press fit just like this and I was wandering how to do the task.
This video helped me a lot!
Thanks!.
thank you SO MUCH
I KNEW IT WAS POSSIBLE
ALL THE STORES I WENT TO NEVER EVEN MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF ADAPTERS
Funny they didnt know or just didnt tell you.........but some of the bigger "chain" bike shops are strictly OEM now-days. There were versions of this kit (several ways using both sizes of bearing diameters and sealed or lose) since the late 70's.
Those old Schwinn frames actually give a nice ride.
Hey RJ, love the videos. I would just add that the BB tapers should not be greased but should be very clean when installing crankarms. The crankarm bolts should be greased-threads and under bolt head. Also I use metal cups for non-drive side so I can tighen them down properly. Plastic cups are a pain, they break all the time, then you have to cut them out.
+MarzNet256 One trick to remove the plastic cups, is to remove the drive side first.
I agree with him, you do not want to grease them. The cranks are pressed on to the spindles and held on by friction. If you grease them, you can pressed them on farther with the same torque, potentially damaging the cranks.
You do what you want. I'll stick with not greasing them and continue that recommendation.
"Most manufacturers (Specialist TA and White Industries being notable exceptions) recommend that square-taper cranks be fitted to the bottom bracket "dry", with no grease or other lubricant. See for example Campagnolo Crankset manual where on page 28 it says "degrease axle and crankset square heads thoroughly".[13] The validity of this is hotly disputed among cyclists, and a source of frequent "holy wars" on Internet discussion groups. Cranks can occasionally seize onto the spindle sufficiently to prevent their removal by a conventional puller, and grease or anti-seize compound at the interface can help to prevent this. One argument against greasing is that the crank may slide too far onto the spindle, reducing the designers' intended chainline and potentially cracking the crank.
Conventional mechanical engineering practice across many industries whenever it involves mating of tapered assemblies requires lubrication to ensure that sufficient "preload" is achieved between the mating parts to prevent them working loose under cyclic loading; this includes lubricating the threaded fastener to ensure sufficient preload is developed in the fastener(s).[citation needed]
Noted wheelbuilding mechanical engineer Jobst Brandt argues in favour of lubrication and mentions factors sometimes overlooked.[14]"
Notice how that says MOST? I agree with "most manufactures". Feel free to contact Campagnolo and tell them that they are wrong.
I had same problem with my vintage german bike, bottom bracket cups were pressed too. I couldn't find solution myself, so I brought my bike to my local shop and they installed some kind of bracket with pressed cups. Obviously your solution is better, 'cause you can unscrew the bottom bracket whenever you want and I need to unpress the cups.
Second thought - To clean out the bottom bracket use 2 or 3 layers of Scotch Brite on the end of a bolt (held on with 2 nuts) without a head in a drill motor to run it back and forth in the bracket to remove any rust or hardened grease - then something to prevent future rust.
awesome video! I've been trying to figure out how to put a more modern set of cranks on an old cruiser frame I love. Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t bought a chain set yet I have an Ashtabula and the back wheel is Shimano nexus 3 with a coaster brake. The bottom bracket is probably 68mm but I have bad eyesight and only a tape to measure it by, I just want to make sure the chainwheel is going to be inline with my back end
Ashtabula did make those one piece cranks for Schwinn, and they were excellent, Very strong. I used them in BMX way back when, However, while Ross and Huffy did use one piece cranks (lower end models on Ross, most for Huffy) the Ross cranks were made by Wald. OK for their intended purpose, but not as good as the "Schwinn Approved" Ashtabulas. Schwinn cranks had a proprietary thread (28 tpi vs. standard 24 tpi IIRC). Huffy used some other brand that had a weird curve to them, and were a lot thinner and weaker. Removal and installation remained the same.
R.J. & his Super Steel toe capped Simpson Slippers. :)
Superb how-to. 👍 I'm going to see if I can mod my brother's Sun trike for a 3-piece setup. Dunno if the cupped parts are removeable.
Pro tip, spacers on the non drive side of an internal bottom bracket are a major no go. Better to use an etype bottom bracket that has the added thread on the drive side to achieve your 3mm there. The non drive side cup is tapered on the inside to alow for some small variation in shell width by spacing that cup out you may not be able to properly stabilize the non drive side of the bottom bracket. If using external bearing bottom spacers can be use on either side but overall width on external bearing setups is much more critical for bearing preload
Thanks for the informational video, really appreciate your work. Thanks
Thanks for making bike vids with detailed parts and instructions!!! Your awesome
Yo RJ..I look up every tool and part you use in this crank conversion..I'm doing the old Ross ...very helpful chronology but but spindle measurements might be guess work...Thank you!
This video made my bike restoration project much easier - thank you!
Awesome!
Hi i buy a schwinn frame 1970 i am going to make like fixie bike, what size i can buy the bracket and the crank, thanks for the help you can give me
Awesome vid. I'd like to know more about the spacers for a 65mm BB if anyone has any tips. Restoring an old Schwinn Traveler.
great video I never knew u could get an adapter for these cranks pretty cool 😉
How did you determine the width of the shaft you needed if you wanted to keep the same number of chain rings it started out with?
You want the chain to be straight between the center of the rear gear cog and the crank. It's called centerline and there's multiple ways to determine it. The easiest thing is just to use whatever length spindle typically gets used with the crankset you're putting on your bike.
Thanks R.J. I needed this so i can change to 3 piece cranks on my bmx
Cool vid, now I know I can upgrade my old cruiser, thnx. If you put the adapter rings in the freezer for an hour, they might just slip right in a bit easier.
Have you ever tried to convert from a chain drive to a gates carbon belt drive and if so I have a retro style cruiser that I'm trying to convert if you have any information on are or curious on how to do it and can do there a video for it would be great
Great video, but let me be the first to compliment you on your footwear!
Footwear only a boss can wear.
I like this video but prefer the one piece cranksets. I've been able to find a lot of chainring sizes from 25T to 50T. The simple one piece can be rebuild quickly with common tools.
It seems like the adapter manufacturer could also supply a few mm worth of shims to accommodate bottom bracket tubes of different lengths. I've seen thin shims for automotive rear-wheel alaignment, so the technology does exist.
Hope this message finds you well. I own one of the newly manufactured Schwinn Stingray bicycles. I am looking into doing two upgrades, namely installing a gear hub (a Shimano Nexus 8-Speed, for example) and replacing the bottom bracket with a modern component. Regarding the second upgrade, I have learnt a lot from your video. Thank you so much for that. I would just like to know what size BB I need to install on the bike if I go for the cartridge type, whether you can name a specific brand, whether I can use a hollow axle, whether Hollowtech 1 and 2 are among my crankset options, and whether my proposed BB upgrade would have consequences for my plan to install a gear hub. (BB shell is the 68 mm type as far as I can tell. It is a single-speed bike with a coaster brake.) Best regards from Ankara, Turkey
This is awesome. Thank you so much. I have the same bike! Any advice to convert it to a single speed?
top legal tem desse mesmo adaptador ai pra central 45.? esse ai deve ser pra centra de 50mm né?
I was unsure of how to set the new BB adapter in the frame, wood block is absolutely the easiest solution
I had no idea that this could be done. Seems like they make a conversion kit or an adaptor for whatever situation you have.
Good video! I learned something new. :) Over here in Britain I have only ever seen Apollo branded mountain bikes use the one piece crank set, well and older BMX bikes. I personally prefer to use sealed cartridge BB's as I find they last longer than ordinary caged bearings.
+RandyDarkshade There may be non-American made made bikes with single piece cranks that use different dimensions.
+RandyDarkshade I recently repaired a 12'' Apollo Stinger kids bike lol. It also had an one piece crank as well. Cheers :)
+RandyDarkshade normally your right but those are schwinn bearings, that bike is decades old but those bearings will hold up way better then new sealed which are meant to be replaced. the benefit with the sealed is lighter, initially smoother, and the ability to use more modern cranks.
I wonder the cost of such a modification. It would be good for making a lower gear ratio on an older single speed.
Thanks!
Thank you very much!
Thanks... im building a 83 schwinn predator and im changing the bottom bracket with a conversion 3 piece bracket thanks.
Thx nice Video.
I have a question, would you recommend sticking the adapter in? I'm afraid that the bottom bracket will turn when tightening.
thank you so much i was looking if adapters worked for HOURS
Glad my video was able to help.
How do I determine the length of the spindle I need for the sealed BB cartridge? I have a 68mm shell with no ridge inside, it's the same all the way through but the BB has 2 measurements. I need the spindle length and the one piece crank isn't a very good indicator, unless I'm missing something? I need a 68 x ??? cartridge and don't want to throw my chain line out!
Fantastic. I’m learning so much from your videos.
I had the cup depth issue. Why would they make them that deep? I put mine in a vice and hacked off half the adaptor with a sawzawll. Knocking them out of the frame when I found out they didn’t fit really sucked.
Came here for the old school tech. Stayed for the Homer Simpson house slippers.
I love your repair videos, R.J. Thanks so much.
Dura-Ace ready ! Spruce that old frame right up !
Exactly what I needed to know. Picked up a old Schwinn frame and replacing the one-piece crank. I understand measuring the bottom bracket shell and spacers, but how do you measure the length on a one-piece crank?
+Patrick Jones Measure the one piece crank? Why? Do you mean the spindle length on the cartridge BB?
I wonder if i can install a three piece crank set on my Micargi puma ??
its cool how bicycles are so modular!
if you had'nt ground down those adapters you may not have needed those spacer/shims ?
I have an old 2004 casino cycle that I am replacing the one piece with a three piece crank. It looks like it’s going to take a 68 mm bottom bracket what is going to be the spindle length?
Can you share the link for the Adaptor? Thanks !!
What's the crankset you installed? Great still styling for an older bike
Thanks a bunch!!! I so happy to know how update my old-fashioned bike )
Do the spacers come with the new crank parts? If not, how are they sized?
Great video! Love the Homer Simpson slippers by the way.
so the side where the bolts slide in goes on the left side wile the one with the matching threads go on the right?
Can I put a one crank on aluminum hybrid bike 17 inch frame
Thanks a lot. Ive been looking for this piece for ages. Thanks a lot.
thank u for the info friend. i have a old huffy single speed bike that im converting to 3 speed & this is a perfect upgrade for me. seeya later
Ducenucom
I have an old Huffy 3 speed, that's currently converted to a single speed, as my daily rider. I love it!
Yes, the spindle length on a bottom bracket cartridge. The measurement in the video is done on a cartridge type bottom bracket. How do I measure the spindle length when I convert from a 1 piece to a 3 piece crank. Thanks.
+Patrick Jones The spindle length is dictated by the crankset. You need to look at the specs for the crankset to determine the proper spindle length.
With the shims on the bottom bracket, doesn't it off set the chain. And can this conversion kit work on a Miyata 718?
No. The BB is still centered, and the proper length for the cranks. Did the Miyata 718 ever come with one piece cranks?
Loktite on those three screws to keep them from loosening?
Wouldn't hurt. Just a little blue loktite around one of the threads towards the top of the screw.
my question is can i convert it to be able to pedal backwards so that i can add a motor to it without having to just toss the pedals and add a foot mount instead because i would like the option to pedal but im trying to convert this Murray cruiser into an ebike for my gf and its my first time even coming in contact with a bike this old its around 60.
My 1940s Hiawatha uses a 1 piece crank. I’m guessing it’s 100mm whilst modern bikes are 65mm?
Trying to find an ebike mid drive
Sadly, this page does not allow me to save this video in a list. I want to watch it again a few times over the course of modifying my bottom bracket.
I have a question, I have similar shell like that one but it uses cottered cranks. Can I just simply replace it with a square taper spindle axle?
I am in the process of replacing my crankset on a 3 speed bicycle. Mostly worried about spindle length.
Is that adapter Aluminum? With the coating removed is it going to be a problem reacting with the steel?
Another great video, I came across as I need to switch my friend`s Huffy to BSA. I want to add, that you have to keep in view, what type of a crankset you remove, and the dropout space as well , to stay with a true chainline. For example, you have to kep it in mind, if you re about to switch 3х6 drivetrain to a single speed, which is common solution for that old type bikes. Thank you RJ!
really awesome, man. super helpful and the only video I've found with this job
love the homer slippers,
thanks for the info on this upgrade
are there adapters like these for swiss bottom brackets?
What are the names of all the parts you bought?
May I know what what the bottom bracket adapter you were using? Is it a 30mm to 24mm for the square tapered bottom bracket?
Great video RJ! I have a one piece crank also and was wondering if all one piece cranks utilize the same size caged Bearings. My bicycle is a 26" mountain bike. If possible, could you tell what size bearings I would have in my bottom bracket crank? Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Best Regards!
This was an Ashtabula style one piece crank commonly found on older American made bikes like Schwinn, Ross, Huffy... Other one piece crank setups might be different. But the best way is the remove the bearings and take them to a bike shop and have them match them.
I guess my question is why convert them? A second question is are all the "American" bottom brackets the same size?
Why convert?
WEIGHT
Those Ashtabulas are HEAVY
Versatility - what if you want to change
your chain rings to a different tooth count?
hello when would be the exact diameter
Good demo. I have a Schwinn Super Sport (65 mm BB shell) on which I would like to replace the Ashtabula with a square taper and triple cranks (and indexed shifters).
I'd like to avoid grinding either the adapter or the BB shell. So I thought of another method of resolving the interference between the BB shell and the adapter,and was wondering if this would work.
In the video you used two 1.5 mm spacers on the bottom bracket to lengthen it from 65 to 68 mm. Instead, I'm thinking of using two 4 mm spacers that fit around the adapter cups. This would bring the BB shell width up to 73 mm, so I could use a 73 mm BB spindle to fit within the wider BB shell. The idea is to position the adapter back so it wouldn't hit the ridge inside the BB shell.
Any reaction pro or con would be appreciated.
To what benefit to use a 73mm BB instead of a 68mm BB?
Normal installation has the adapter cups up against the the BB shell, with spacers sitting on the outside between the adapter and the new BB spindle.
Like this: spindle - spacer - adapter - shell - adapter - spacer - spindle
My idea is to move the spacers from outside the adapter cup to the inside. So the order would be BB shell, then spacer, then adapter cup. The new BB spindle would then sit directly against the adapter.
Like this: spindle - adapter - spacer - shell - spacer - adapter - spindle
This is done to lengthen the inside distance between cups and hopefully clear any obstruction in middle of the shell.
If 1.5 MM spacers would provide sufficient clearance then OK, , I'd go with a 68 MM BB . However I'm not sure that 1.5 mm spacers used with a 68mm BB would clear the obstruction in the BB shell. But 4 mm spacers and a 73 mm BB just might do it.
I'm not sure I'm explaining this clearly.
I show how to do it in the video. You can do it like that, or not.
Maybe I show an alternative way that resolves a clearance issue, Anyway I was just asking for an opinion. Thanks for responding.
I have no idea what clearance issue you are talking about. There was no clearance issue. If it's the crankset, use a longer spindle.
Hi thanks for the video! Very helpful! Where did you buy the conversion cup?