Originally Posted by southpawboston

hi all,

i'm going to be installing my first square-taper BB. i've only ever worked on cottered cranks (i know, welcome to the modern age). i know that for cottered cranks, you're not supposed to grease the spindle ends, so that the cranks remain immobilized on the spindle by compression by the cotters, thus reducing the shear force on the cotters.

does this concept apply to square-taper cranks as well? do i install the cranks "dry" onto the taper, or am i supposed to grease the taper first?