i have a problem with my rear wheel moving side to side. i have coaster brakes and after i put the arm back on and tighented the nut down the wheel would not move. so i then loosened just a little and now it is moving side to side. it seems like i cant find a spot where the wheel wont move side to side and still be able to turn
back wheel moves side to side
- Thread starter kr632
- Start date
can you give us a little more info? does it wobble in motion or can you move it side to side when stationary?
Both sides of the wheel have what is called 'cone nuts'. These determine bearing preload and both must be tightened/adjusted. If you have snugged the brake arm side you'll also need to check the cone nut, the one inside the bike frame (dropout) on the other side. Unless your bearings are severly worn you should be able to take out the slop with proper adjustment of the bearings and cone nuts. A rule of thumb for adjustment is to snug until the wheel will not turn on the axle then loosen them just enough for free rotation. Don't run them too tight or you'll damage the bearings. The cone nut on the brake arm side is behind the brake arm.
Tom
Tom
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I never could get mine just right, it was either too loose or too tight and one day i was riding i heard a loud clunk from the hub. after that the wheel hub would make awful clicking and clunking noises while riding, i had to keep the hub loose to keep the noises down. But i ended up swapping the coaster brake wheel for a mountain bike wheel i had laying around, its really quiet now and i still only use one speed, i just put the peddal chain on the sprocket that lines up with the crank peddal sprocket. And im using a cruiser tire on it. I also had to add brakes to the front cause i removed the coaster brake wheel.
Cone wrenches is a must, its hard to get a wrench in there, maybe needlenose pliers if thats all you have.
Cone wrenches is a must, its hard to get a wrench in there, maybe needlenose pliers if thats all you have.
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cone wrenches are pretty much necessary to make it perfect, and they're cheap.
but here's the trick to adjusting cones on a coaster brake:
make sure the sprocket side cone nuts are tightened together.
then, on the brake arm side, tighten the inner cone nut down by hand till you can feel the bearings grabbing/dragging, like the nut's too tight. put the arm on.
then run the outer nut down against the arm by hand also.
now, put the arm at the 7 o-clock position and put a wrench on the outer nut at the 4ish o clock position, and push them together to tighten them up.
9 times out of ten, the arm will move and not the nut, so it's loosening up the drag on the bearings.
now, hold the wheel down and lift up and down on the brake arm, and see if there's any movement. if there is, it's too loose. repeat steps 1 though whatever above and try again.
if it feels alright, pick up the wheel with a hand on each axle and spin it. if the axle turns in your hands with the wheel it's too tight.
set the wheel back down, put a wrench on the outer nut on the sprocket side, and lightly beat on the coaster brake arm in an anti-clockwise direction with a hammer. (i said lightly!)
hopefully, it'll move just enough to adjust it.
if not, take it to a freakin bike shop. let them deal with it.
but here's the trick to adjusting cones on a coaster brake:
make sure the sprocket side cone nuts are tightened together.
then, on the brake arm side, tighten the inner cone nut down by hand till you can feel the bearings grabbing/dragging, like the nut's too tight. put the arm on.
then run the outer nut down against the arm by hand also.
now, put the arm at the 7 o-clock position and put a wrench on the outer nut at the 4ish o clock position, and push them together to tighten them up.
9 times out of ten, the arm will move and not the nut, so it's loosening up the drag on the bearings.
now, hold the wheel down and lift up and down on the brake arm, and see if there's any movement. if there is, it's too loose. repeat steps 1 though whatever above and try again.
if it feels alright, pick up the wheel with a hand on each axle and spin it. if the axle turns in your hands with the wheel it's too tight.
set the wheel back down, put a wrench on the outer nut on the sprocket side, and lightly beat on the coaster brake arm in an anti-clockwise direction with a hammer. (i said lightly!)
hopefully, it'll move just enough to adjust it.
if not, take it to a freakin bike shop. let them deal with it.
