MB Rebel Wide crank shaft nightmare

txcnguy

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I just tried to convert my cruiser crank set using the MB Rebels 13 inch shaft. It was not a pleasant experience and now its worse than it was before. The shaft uses 8mm bolts to hold the pedal arms that the vendor didn't supply the bolts, their website said they are 10mm and they are actually 8mm FINE thread, 1.0 pitch. I had to run around to local bolt shops.

Installing the shaft with their sealed bearings again a nightmare. I am not a mechanic, I didn't use a piece of wood to beat the shaft into the bearings and consequently ruined the ends of the taper so that the pedal arms wouldn't even fit. AND because its a fine thread, it was very easy to cross thread and now the bolts are stripped and won't hold the pedals firmly so they wobble while pedaling.

The sealed bearing kit came with a bunch of spacers with no instructions of where they go, upon querying the vendor it was "oh if you don't need them you don't need to use them" What kind of answer is that?

There was no warning or install instructions, just saying I might have to get a lathe to cut a new snap ring groove. Not a very complete design in my opinion. How many people have a lathe laying around the house?

God this vendor hasn't done any homework at all on their products, just sell sell sell and run away.

So for those considering this conversion, the shaft material is very very soft metal, don't beat the ends of the shaft with a hammer, use a block of wood in between, and use high strength 8mm 1.0 pitch bolts, very difficult to find and not included or even mentioned as required by vendor.

I was looking forward for their nice pretty pictures of a trouble free sealed bearing wide crank for my 4 stroke, but I am severely disappointed with their products. All the emails were upsell upsell upsell.
How about taking care of the problem at hand first?
 
I don't know Mbrebel.coms wie crank kits are great. Yeah they do not come with instructions but they are pretty self explanatory. Just for future reference never use a hammer on the end of a threaded shaft.
 
I just bought one of those kits. What are the spacers for? The two bearing caps on the right side of the pic are both different. Which one goes on what side?
widecrank.jpg
 
Either cone can go on the left. Typically the wider one. The thinner one can go on the right. The other spacers are to fine tune your chain line. I use as few as possible for more spindle engagement.
 
Ok that's what I figured. The snap ring grooves aren't wide enough if I use both of the bearing caps. Should I just use 1 on the side that doesn't have the sprocket and then use the sprocket itself to contain the other side?

Unless the snap ring is supposed to go in between the cover and the bearing? That doesn't seem right I don't think.
 
Last edited:
I just tried to convert my cruiser crank set using the MB Rebels 13 inch shaft. It was not a pleasant experience and now its worse than it was before. The shaft uses 8mm bolts to hold the pedal arms that the vendor didn't supply the bolts, their website said they are 10mm and they are actually 8mm FINE thread, 1.0 pitch. I had to run around to local bolt shops.

Installing the shaft with their sealed bearings again a nightmare. I am not a mechanic, I didn't use a piece of wood to beat the shaft into the bearings and consequently ruined the ends of the taper so that the pedal arms wouldn't even fit. AND because its a fine thread, it was very easy to cross thread and now the bolts are stripped and won't hold the pedals firmly so they wobble while pedaling.

The sealed bearing kit came with a bunch of spacers with no instructions of where they go, upon querying the vendor it was "oh if you don't need them you don't need to use them" What kind of answer is that?

There was no warning or install instructions, just saying I might have to get a lathe to cut a new snap ring groove. Not a very complete design in my opinion. How many people have a lathe laying around the house?

God this vendor hasn't done any homework at all on their products, just sell sell sell and run away.

So for those considering this conversion, the shaft material is very very soft metal, don't beat the ends of the shaft with a hammer, use a block of wood in between, and use high strength 8mm 1.0 pitch bolts, very difficult to find and not included or even mentioned as required by vendor.

I was looking forward for their nice pretty pictures of a trouble free sealed bearing wide crank for my 4 stroke, but I am severely disappointed with their products. All the emails were upsell upsell upsell.
How about taking care of the problem at hand first?

It's not fair to blame the vendor for a botched installation, you ruined the provided components, m8 x 1.0 are not hard to find
 
Ok that's what I figured. The snap ring grooves aren't wide enough if I use both of the bearing caps. Should I just use 1 on the side that doesn't have the sprocket and then use the sprocket itself to contain the other side?

Unless the snap ring is supposed to go in between the cover and the bearing? That doesn't seem right I don't think.
Forgot about the snap rings. However you have to space it really. Just put the spindle in and figure out what combo gets the groves tight to the spacers. A gap will allow the crank set room to move side to side and you will feel it. If needed you can sand the big cone down on the small side. Put the sandpaper on something hard and flat. Doesn't have to be perfect but close.
 
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