How to remove your Coaster Brake Arm on your Motorized Bicycle

I see this asked over and over, and I'm tired of typing it, over and over, so I made a pictorial.

it's so easy, a child could do it. (I should know, I rebuilt my first coaster brake hub when i was ten)

step 1) set the wheel in your lap, coasterbrake arm up, and set the arm in the 4 O-clock position.

step 2) put your wrench on the nut in the 7 O-clock position.

step 3) hold the wrench in your left hand, and using a hammer (or a pipe or a bigger wrench as a lever,) whack (or lever) the brake arm towards the wrench (clockwise,) while moving the wrench counter-clockwise.

it should loosen right up.

take off the outer nut, the washer (if it has one) and the arm comes right off. you might have to wiggle it a little, but it'll come off.

there's a dust cap underneath. on some hubs, you have to modify this for the stock sprocket.

Bike Guy Joe has a tutorial for this: http://motorbicycling.com/f30/coaster-brake-dust-cap-mod-1841.html

install the sprocket, and reverse the procedure.

if you don't run the dust cap, your hub's life will be shortened, and if it fails, your life may be shortened, too.

also, you NEED the coaster brake arm. if you think you'll just put it together without it, your brake won't work, and your face will look like road pizza when your hub seizes up.

when your arm's back on and tight, wiggle it up and down and check for free play. you don't want any.

pick your wheel up by the axles and spin it in your hands.

if the axle turns with the wheel, it's too tight, which is also bad.

both of these conditions will lead to a short life for your hub.

if there is either of these conditions, you need to adjust the cones. this is easiest from the other side, IF you have cone wrenches.

there is the cone nut and the outer, lock-down nut. you need to loosen these up, then tighten the cone nut by hand till the wheel has NO freeplay, yet spins easily. it's possible, trust me.

then tighten the cone nut just a little bit more so there's some drag, and put the outer nut on.

you need to hold both wrenches and tighten them together. 99 times out of 100, the cone nut will move against the outer nut, that's why i had you tighten it to get some drag.

check for freeplay again, and if it's good, put it on the bike.

if you don't have any cone wrenches, you can adjust them from the arm side.

if it's a little too tight (dragging) just hold the opposite side outer cone nut, and whack the coaster brake arm counter clockwise a little. this should work, and you're done.

if it's too loose, you have to repeat the whole procedure in post one, because the outer nut against the arm will loosen if you try the beating it method, and when you ride, it'll loosen up even more, leading to bearing failure.

that's why i like cone wrenches.

the hub in the pictures is the Shimano CB-E110, but the same principal applies to every hub i can think of, or have worked on.