Tightening Axle on Giraffe...

maskedriders said:

*Hi! I was wondering is there anyway to tighten my axle on
my giraffe... it goes back and forth so bad I think that
the only thing that is stopping the cranks from hitting
the sides is the chain on the sprocket.... does anyone
know how to fix this? Also, I just got my new Torker TX
5ft and I haven't put it together yet but in turning the
cranks it seems that they are sticking... anyone know what
this is from and how to fix it? All help is appreciated!
Thanks in advance! *

There are special tools and techniques to adjust your bottom
bracket. Drop by a bike shop that you trust and ask them to
inspect and adjust your bottom bracket.

If you've done a lot of riding with it that way they may
need to replace the cups and cones and bearings, because
they will have worn in places they're not supposed to. Also,
since they are exposed to the air and weather, the
lubrication has been compromised.

Also ask them to adjust your Torker bottom bracket before
you ride it. It's normal for lower-quality bearings like
that to be a little rough at first, because the bearings are
not quite round. However, bb's are often misadjusted
(usually too tight) when they come from the factory, so you
want to have that done to ensure that you are starting with
a reasonable adjustment. After they adjust it it may be
still a little sticky but after a while it will smoothen
some. Then take it back and ask them to readjust it, and
you're good to go.

I've put together quite a few BMX and lower-quality mountain
bikes, and the hubs and bottom brackets are usually too
tight when they come out of the box.

So while they're checking your bb's ask them to inspect and
adjust your hubs too.

--
U-Turn - There has got to be a better way...

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.

'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(unicyclist.comalbup39Open ↗)

'Unatics Website' (newyorkunicycle.comnewyorkunicycle.comOpen ↗)

-- Dave Stockton
------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-Turn's Profile: unicyclist.com691Open ↗
View this thread: unicyclist.com29933Open ↗

For the giraffe with the loos axle it sounds like the bottom
bracket is loose. Take it to a bike shop and they can
tighten it up. It requires a special kind of wrench to
tighten the bottom bracket and the bike shop will have the
tools necessary to fix it.

The bottom bracket is the spot in the frame that the crank
spindle goes through. I'll let others argue whether or not
it should be called a bottom bracket on a giraffe since it's
in the middle of the frame and not at the bottom.

The new Torker giraffe probably has a tight chain. Loosen up
the wheel axle and the chain tensioners down by the wheel
and give the chain a little bit of slack (but not too much
slack). Tighten the wheel axle nuts and then tighten up the
chain tensioners. You want the chain to be tight, but not so
tight that the wheel and cranks don't turn well. You also
don't want the chain so loose that it flops around.

--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
Gallery: '' (unicyclist.comjohn childsOpen ↗)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: unicyclist.com449Open ↗
View this thread: unicyclist.com29933Open ↗

I think you might be referring to what, on a bicycle, would
be called the bottom bracket.

You might want to check out Sheldon Brown's page on bottom-
bracket adjustment.

It's 'here'
(sheldonbrown.combbadj.htmlOpen ↗)

-mg

--
mgrant - Ever hoping for the best!

The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older, shorter of
breath, and one day closer to death.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
mgrant's Profile: unicyclist.com440Open ↗
View this thread: unicyclist.com29933Open ↗

Thanks guys for all the replys!

John, I failed to mention that I dont have the chain on the
torker yet, I just took it out of the box and tried to turn
the cranks and they are sticking while turning them...

Thanks again!

Heather

--
maskedriders - Uni-fied in Christ
------------------------------------------------------------------------
maskedriders's Profile: unicyclist.com4277Open ↗
View this thread: unicyclist.com29933Open ↗

mgrant said:

*I think you might be referring to what, on a bicycle,
would be called the bottom bracket. *

When talking to Sem on the phone, he calls it a "Top
bracket". 😉

--
U-Turn - There has got to be a better way...

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.

'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(unicyclist.comalbup39Open ↗)

'Unatics Website' (newyorkunicycle.comnewyorkunicycle.comOpen ↗)

-- Dave Stockton
------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-Turn's Profile: unicyclist.com691Open ↗
View this thread: unicyclist.com29933Open ↗

Or you could solve all of your problems and buy a shimano
sealed cartridge bottom bracket (like I have on my giraffe
(eloise) pics coming soon)

when you go to the bike shop ask them if it's okay to watch
them so you learn how to do it for yourself. all a bottom
bracket takes is the parts, a cone wrench or two and the know-
how (but I suppose that's just like everything else)

good luck with your giraffes, check the straightness of the
torker frame when you take it out of the box, I know my
savage was bent a little and I have since bent it more.

cheers,

matt

--
hopeful - Street Performer

a sawzall...!? why not just use an axe. -- Jagur

Long live the Lotus -- Mojoe
------------------------------------------------------------------------
hopeful's Profile: unicyclist.com4470Open ↗
View this thread: unicyclist.com29933Open ↗