Brakes Huffy Cranbrook Coaster Hub

[tnjeff]

Happy New Year. I'm prepping a Cranbrook for a motor (1st build) and thought I might take the rear hub apart for a grease and adjust. Never done this on a bicycle before. I could not get the lock nuts off. They seem to be very tight. I was working from the sprocket side with the other locknut in a vise. Flipped it around and the same thing. Lock nuts won't budge. What am I missing?
I should mention that I am going to replace the Cranbrook hub with this Shimano hub, but I thought I might take the Cranbrook hub apart and see if I could clean, grease and adjust it.
Any body have any idea how this hub comes apart? Thanks.

 

[Wolfshoes]

If the bike was used, locktite may have been used on the nuts. Bicycle extra thin 14 & 15 mm flat wrenches do not get the bolts that tight. The Chinese factory made stamped part the brake arm attaches to may not be that accurate round to the axle and force the bearing cages to run eccentric. This, in my opinion, loosens the bearings from the cage. If you open the assembly, the bearings will fall out of the cages into the hollow grease filled hub making reassembly difficult. This could be a situation that if it is not broke, don't fix it. If the nuts are locktited; it may be possible to destroy the adhesive grip by using a propane torch to the nuts.

 

[tnjeff]

Thanks Wolfshoes. It's probably not necessary to take it apart since I'm going to replace it anyway. The bearings do seem pretty loose though, so if I was going to use it, I would definitely have to fix it. I might have to resort to the torch. I'm curious now as to just what it will take to get it apart.

 

[tnjeff]

Well, I got it apart. Used a length of pvc to hold the brake arm and a long 1/2" breaker bar with a 17mm socket to loosen the nut. The lock nut and the cone nut are still on the opposite side of the axle. Now I just have to clean it up, re-grease and see if I can get it back together.

 

[Nanonevol]

Nice thing about the Huffy Cranbrook is the heavy spoke gauge. Especially important I would think if you're going to attach the drive sprocket with what's called here a "rag mount" I believe - spokes clamped in between two pieces of recycled tire rubber. Something to consider as you replace that stubborn hub.