Hello all. Lurker very new to motorized bicycles but no stranger to bikes yet never took apart coaster breaksor changed out a hub and laced my wheel for the first time. Everything turned out well but as I'm truing up and very satisfied with what I have I noticed that the outer bearing on the cog side is not seated square with the hub by maybe 1/16"-1/32" which I can get true the way I want. So I've tried loosening the cone and re tighten and it still doesn't seat right. Should I worry about it and keep on trying? The hub is brand new re used rim and spokes.
coaster brake bearing to hub question.
- Thread starter pedrodog
- Start date
Try tightening the cones from the other side while you hold the bearing seated square.
It will grind and fail if it is cocked. Take the time to get it right.
It will grind and fail if it is cocked. Take the time to get it right.
Yes they are. Thank you for your reply.
I've tried that to and I also noticed that when I adjust the cone for slop it feels like its to tight like the bearings grinding. If I loosen to where it doesn't feel like it's grinding there's to much slop. So when I try this again after work I'm going to try putting pressure on the axle and see if there's any difference. Are they dose to feel like that when it's new ? maybe it will go away after a quick spin. Thanks for the reply.
Clean and inspect the bearings and races very carefully. There should be no gritty feeling when you assembles and spin them dry (before greasing) Sounds to me like you may have some damage. If you can't find a cause, have them checked by someone with experience. (bike shop)
A failure in the wheel bearings can cause injury and severe bike damage.
A failure in the wheel bearings can cause injury and severe bike damage.
Thank you for the advice though the bearings have failed once because after the break arm tab came loose and spun half way before the frame stopped it. I tightened it back up and put a new brake tab on then a month or two later I noticed the wheel had to much play. Changed the bearings then noticed that the brake arm was welded to the lock nut with no dust cap. I bought this from a bike shop. I new then it wasn't going to last so I bought a new hub with coaster brake re spooked it made it true then the bearing wouldn't set right. Re tightened it a few more times then came back to it the next day and it looked fine. Strange! So since I have only have used USED parts from other bikes it felt weird as if it were to tight. When I back it out to much slop and still felt strange tightening it to where it should be. It's that normal? I'm going to see right now that of I put pressure on the axle as I rotate it should go away. Right? Seems logical. Further input always welcomed. Thanks again.
Coaster hubs are harder to adjust because the backpedaling can make it hard to find the proper preload on the cones to keep it from binding when the axle nuts are tightened. My best advice is to use ONLY THE EXACT PARTS for your hub and keep adjusting and removing it until you get it functioning right. Mixing and matching parts from other hubs rarely works out well.
If you keep at it, you develop a feel for how much it will change when you install the wheel and you can hit the sweet spot.
If you keep at it, you develop a feel for how much it will change when you install the wheel and you can hit the sweet spot.
I failed to say that swapping parts was as a kid. The hub as a whole is brand new. I really appreciate the advice and will try that. As I had the wheel on the bike and brake tab together before I tightened the axle the cone came loose! wth is going on I made sure that the cone and lock nut was tight on both sides. Would it help if I put lock washers between them ? Btw that grinding feel did go away after I put pressure on the axle. I'm at a point where I'm just going to but the whole wheel but hard to find 24" coaster brake in gold alloy to match the front.
I usually assemble the brake arm side of the axle while it is still apart, Then it is easier to adjust everything from the drive side. You need all the arm side parts seated and tight before you put the axle in. After that, you will have less trouble setting the bearings correctly since the cone won't move as easily once it is tight to the arm. You won't have to hold the arm side cone from moving as you tighten things.
Ok I did all that. when I test ride and put the brake on it loosened up again just a bit. So I guess I will tighten it up just a little more than it should be then after the test ride it should be perfect. This is my first time working with coaster brakes. Wow what a pain! At least now I can take apart the whole thing and put It back together in minutes. Thanks for you help it just reaffirmed that I was on the right track.
