need help with assembly of bike: brakes

[DannyDodge]

putting together a bike right now, im putting the sprocket on the rear, how do i get the brake lever back on so i can have brakes? right now it hits the bolt heads, do i just bend it to let it clear?

[crazeehorse]

that's what i had to do.take the coaster brake lever off. put it in a vise, whack it with a hammer out from the sprocket, far enough to miss the bolt heads, then reposition the lever, whack it back in so that you can clamp it back to the frame. i also had to add a spacer to bring my lever out past the sprocket where it connects to the axle. just make sure you get it in the vice far enough , where the axle hole is, so that you don't bend your lever in the axle connection area.

[DannyDodge]

fixed

[Bikeguy Joe]

A big vise, big pipe wrench and a dremel grinder.

Bend the brake arm gently and test fit it a lot. Grind the outside of the heads of the bolts a little to clear the arm.