How to replace and install BMX cranks

Learn how to replace and install BMX cranks and learn all about what to look for when buying aftermarket BMX cranks. In my opinion a rider has to be able to repair his own BMX bike and with that comes the basic knowledge on use of tools and fundamentals like using grease during a BMX build.
#bmx #cranks

[@preacher1775]

As a kid growing up< I worked on and built MANY bicycles. All the kids in my neighborhood pitched in to help each pther. We got so adept at bike repairs and building that we could almost do anything and everything blindfolded. Now, however, I'm 71 years old and haven't worked on a bike in around 50 years! I bought a BMX bike for my Grandson's birthday but was a little disappointed at some of the features. So, I decided to " customize" this brand new BMX bike. Among other changes was the peddle crank. I couldn't remember the intricacies of some areas, the peddle crank, mainly. This video reminded me of how much fun we kids had building our own bikes, completely customized to our own specs. Consequently, it is VERY informative and tp the point! It made my work MCH easier! Thanks a MIL!

[@stuartgibson]

I love this comment! Made my day reading it. Glad it was informative for you and happy to hear you have a grandson riding BMX!

[@willhooke]

Thank you - that was easy to follow with no filler 👍

[@stuartgibson]

Glad it helped!

[@fransuke12]

I was planning to replace my bike's crank. This is really helpful!

[@stuartgibson]

Glad I could help!

[@AmazingChinaToday]

Splined cranks should come with a mounting tool, and a removal tool, so we don't need to butcher our aluminum washer or use a hammer. I'm loving the spline drive sprocket, bye bye sprocket bolt.

[@stuartgibson]

Some cranks do come with mounting tools! Removal tools are handy and one size fits most so useful just getting one for in your toolbox 😉

[@AmazingChinaToday]

@@stuartgibson I do have the removal tool, $10 on Amazon and works great. Any idea which mounting tool (to push the crank on) will fit a "Premium 1948" crank? The cranks are made by Haro, 19mm spindle. I was looking at the Profile GDH mounting tool, but not sure if it fits and it's pricey. For initial install I used the crank arm bolt itself to mount the arm, and it thrashed the aluminum washer the bolts sits in.

[@philipmaffia2406]

Well done video, no BS explained everything easily 👍

[@stuartgibson]

Much appreciated!

[@RubyMVmistress]

OMG, I wish I would've found this before hand. I took my bike to Scheels because I didn't know how to realigned the cranks. I though it would have two bolts, from your video it only has one, and I'm sure mine did as well. I'm hoping they don't try to rip me off, because I didn't know.

[@stuartgibson]

How did it go?!

[@RubyMVmistress]

@@stuartgibson So, they charged me $25. It's probably something I could've fixed, but I'm a wreck I accidentally blew a tire while trying to pump it up. It said up to 60 psi, It got to like 50 then the inner tube blew up. 😂 I'm probably not destined to do freestyle bmx.

[@CeleronS1]

Yo, nice video! I didn't know that spline drives existed, what nice and simple design! Thanks!

[@stuartgibson]

Happy to help! Best kind of sprockets in my opinion, makes them last for a long time too

[@AdrianRodriguez-qc7lw]

Great video love it going back to riding time to get it out the store lol 🔥

[@stuartgibson]

Thank you! Have fun riding!

[@skyelee9398]

Great video mate. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@stuartgibson]

Thank you! I hope to visit Brazil in the near future!

[@dereksreviews-collectables7185]

I have an old bully bmx and I’m new to this stuff,how do I work out what crank size to purchase is there a number somewhere or do u measure it etc?should I replace sprocket too,can u buy a complete set

[@wildglizzy1679]

Crank size is on the back of the crank. Hope this helps

[@jacobsweat9484]

Taking mine off to drill the arms to shave weight

[@stuartgibson]

I hope you’re kidding? haha

[@Danielxperez14]

Can I measure my axel size with a measuring tape or do I need a specific tool, also can you make a video on top 5/top 10 best budget parts or upgrades

[@stuartgibson]

You could best use a calliper to measure the thickness of your axle! I will see what I can do about your video request!

[@Danielxperez14]

@@stuartgibson thank you!

[@draught]

What do I do if my crank arm and the sprocket is extremely tight?

[@NuteIlaTaco]

Are the bolts reverse threaded?

[@stuartgibson]

No, only the left pedal is if I'm not mistaken

[@kieranjones457]

Hey man, I’ve just gotten back into riding after about 8 years! I’ve got a subrosa frame with the standard cranks on and want to swap them out for the chrome version of these colony ones, I’m hoping it would be just a case of swapping them over, how do I determine axle size to know wether I’m ordering the correct parts, thanks in advance, your videos are super helpful.

[@stuartgibson]

Kieran Jones you could use a caliper to measure the subrosa crank axle and check that way is you’d be able to just swap out the cranks. Welcome back on the bike!

[@orangeblue3531]

So how old were the old cranks? On average, how long do you ride parts till you replace them with new ones?

[@stuartgibson]

The cranks were roughly two years old. I start looking to switch things out between 1.5 and 2 years at the most however a lot of stuff can last way longer or isn’t a safety issue if the part were to fail so I don’t replace on a time schedule really however I do look things over regularly.

[@orangeblue3531]

@@stuartgibsonCool, now the wife can't make me feel guilty for getting new parts💪💪💪. I remember Taj use to do something similar. He often replaced the whole front end (bars, fork and stem). Seems expensive but not as expensive (or painful) as getting new teeth and facial reconstruction surgery.

[@stuartgibson]

Orange Blue I completely agree, avoiding accidents by replacing parts on time is a very smart thing to do. Bet your wife agrees!

[@YnGCorza]

Thoughts on wtp legacy cranks? I destroyed my old Sunday saker pair 8 spline and I'm deciding to upgrade to 48 spline 👍

[@stuartgibson]

I like them! Wethepeople generally makes good stuff anyway! Only downside with 2.5 piece cranks is not being able to have a spline drive sprocket when riding right-side drive. Solid upgrade!

[@YnGCorza]

@@stuartgibson thanks bro 👍

[@YnGCorza]

@@stuartgibson I instead bought colony venators couldn't resist they looked beautiful in chrome

[@my32pints]

what size wrench did you use

[@stuartgibson]

The bolt on my cranks need a 8mm key. Could be different for you.

[@cerocastillo3634]

What brands are good acutally,

[@stuartgibson]

That is so hard to answer! I think there is little difference these days honestly. It also really depends on your preferences and what you are expecting from a crank to be truly happy with it.

[@annaplank654]

I have a midschool haro its in really good condition the only problem is the bolt that holds the arm to the axle keeps workin itself loose ? What could b rong with ith thanx

[@stuartgibson]

It's probably shaking itself loose. Maybe try some medium strength blue loctite

[@salvaangelo1983]

Thanks for the advised.

[@stuartgibson]

Any time!

[@apollo_baby_brown1393]

Great video but my crank is stuck tighter than a nuns chuff. Any suggestions? Ive got a rubber mallet but not to sure if i will mess things up?

[@stuartgibson]

Rubber mallet works very well. There are also tools for the job but mallets are easiest

[@a.e.p.9818]

How tight do u screw the bolt in the crank arm? Im not sure the feel of tightness it should be?

[@stuartgibson]

Due to the combination of spacers on my cranks I’m able to tighten the bolt all the way until it can’t go further. If that’s not an option you should base it around how much friction you want your cranks to have. Loose enough for crankflips or tight enough that they stay in the same spot when you take your feet off in the air.

[@a.e.p.9818]

Stuart Gibson thnk u that was very helpful :)

[@jaybekillingyu3944]

Nice thank you..

[@stuartgibson]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it!

[@andrewstrobert5840]

Is it possible to update a 19mm crank and spindle to a 22mm (sealed mid BB)? You just need a new 22mm BB right? Didn’t know if it had to do with frame or if just a bearing and BB replacement. Thanks

[@stuartgibson]

Correct! You can change the size of your cranks if you get the matching bearings that fit those cranks and your frame

[@andrewstrobert5840]

Thank you. Much appreciated

[@TheBryceJohnston]

my cranks are really tight on and hard to get off since i havnt greased em in a while and i still can’t get them off 😑

[@stuartgibson]

It helps to apply some heat to them and spray WD-40 in between before taking to it with a rubber hammer

[@boxcarracer10]

@@stuartgibson This ^^^

[@javiergomezlicona9059]

Hey! I have a fixed gear bike its based on a Fairdale Coaster the Crank arm system is like bmx style with the 48 t sprocket attached to the crank arm with one bolt, due to usage the hole in the sprocket where the bolt connects the crank arm is bigger than it is suposed causing my chain to slip from time to time and the bolt becomes loose very easily. Any suggestion? Thanks!!

[@stuartgibson]

I hate to say it but best thing would be a new sprocket in this case. You could put a washer between the bolt and the sprocket so the bolt is pressing against a larger surface and put some loctite on the bolt threads to prevent it from coming loose easily. That’s all I can think of now.

[@javiergomezlicona9059]

Stuart Gibson Thank you I will give it a Try!

[@bdzon813]

what pedals are those? and do they have those in blue

[@stuartgibson]

Odyssey Twisted pedals and yes they come in blue!

[@beneaton91nexus]

I'm replacing my sprocket but, probably from previous attempts.., the nut for the sprocket to pedal has rounded. How would you suggest going on from here? 😂🤣

[@stuartgibson]

That's the worst! Maybe you can use an angle grinder to put a slot in the bolt big enough for a large flathead screwdriver? Make sure you spray WD-40 around the bolt and have it soak for a minute before you start turning! Won't have a lot of attempts to do stuff like that, it's a last resort thing.

[@beneaton91nexus]

@@stuartgibson thanks for the reply! Definitely an idea worth trying as I'm desperate 🤬. Only other option is potentially angle grind from the outside into the bolt to remove it completely. I'm obviously not reusing the current sprocket. As long as I can get the crank arms and spindle off undamaged it's another option. Grinding a slot for a flathead is neatest option so will try that 1st .. thanks again!

[@loonylinn8824]

Does a shimano xtr m9100 fit in bmx bottom bracket?

[@stuartgibson]

Good question! It should fit in a 24mm bmx bottom bracket, however.. no idea if the axle is long enough.

[@apollo_baby_brown1393]

I wish mine came apart that easy....

[@stuartgibson]

Take it apart more often? haha

[@apollo_baby_brown1393]

@@stuartgibson i will be from now, plus i got new parts coming so i can make sure all is correct. 👍

[@elyahiroma7567]

where did you buy those maxxis tires? Donde compraste esas llantas maxxis. Están increíbles. Thanks.

[@stuartgibson]

Just my local BMX store. You can find the Maxxis tires online with a quick search

[@andulasis6283]

quick question. im building my first custom bmx right now. and when it came i asked them to install as much as possible. so 1 crank + BB was already installed. i still gotta do the sprocket and right crank. but as soon as i put it all on, it seems like the crank is only like 50-70% on the middle part thing. is that enough or do i risk breaking that part?

[@stuartgibson]

Andulas is, the axle in the middle does not go all the way to the end of the crank arm in most cases. About 75% in sounds just about right, no risk of breaking it with a margin like that.

[@andulasis6283]

@@stuartgibson ah ok, good to know. In my case it's just 40-50% tho. I measured it out. Now I gotta try to fix it somehow without tools

[@therealpinkguy2772]

@@stuartgibson hey I have a question I bought a bike off my friend and I put a different rim qnd put it on and my chain keeps falling of does this mean I need a new crank or do I just need to put a new chain on If not pleasesplease explain

[@stuartgibson]

​@@therealpinkguy2772 It is almost never the crank causing those issues. Often it's something with the sprockets alignment or maybe a tooth or the chain itself is broken. However I think your chain might just be too loose. Might want to look at the tension of that first.

[@therealpinkguy2772]

@@stuartgibson thank you I think I'll check that out

[@Vandal_wreishe]

What happens if I not gonna put grease on them?

[@stuartgibson]

For starters you could possibly hearing creaking noises coming from your cranks after a while or you could have a lot of trouble removing the arms from the axle

[@Vandal_wreishe]

@@stuartgibson okay thx

[@HeyMickeyMovies]

What size are you using when you're loosening and tightening your cranks?

[@stuartgibson]

You mean the tool I use? It's an 8mm but that differs per brand cranks I guess

[@masonhicksbmx5402]

really helped

[@stuartgibson]

Very glad to hear it did!

[@stuartgibson]

Glad it did!

[@kylensmith7441]

I have a 19 fit hango will odyssey thunderbolt cranks fit my bike

[@stuartgibson]

The new Thunderbolt cranks come with bearings so you should have no issues as far as I know! Just make sure you pay attention to left side or right side drive cranks!

[@Moon_youtuber]

keep it up yo!

[@stuartgibson]

Thank you!

[@davidcoelho7712]

Can anyone tell me what product did he put on the cranks? Grisp?

[@stuartgibson]

Grease

[@ousalzohbi6185]

Does any crank fit in any bmx bike?

[@stuartgibson]

Ous Alzohbi if its a bmx specific crank yes it should but always check which bearings you need.

[@ousalzohbi6185]

Stuart Gibson well my bearings are super rusty which bearing you advise me to get?

[@stuartgibson]

They are basically almost all the same. There are very few bearing manufacturers in the world so lots of brands actually have the same bearings.

[@ousalzohbi6185]

Stuart Gibson man idk how to thank you I’ve been so desperate to fix my bmx thank you again man!

[@awesomeperson8092]

Can you put the link for the bike cranks and sprocket

[@stuartgibson]

Colony 22's cranks and Tree Lite splined sprocket

[@ta8269]

If the one of the crank arms have different gap where chainstay is as the other arm is that normal?

[@stuartgibson]

Yes it’s pretty normal as it’s difficult and takes a long time to get them equally spaced

[@estabanb55]

What size Allen wrench?

[@stuartgibson]

In my case it was an 8mm allen but depends on the cranks of course

[@niolp3227]

hey what grease do you use?

[@stuartgibson]

Just regular bearing grease, nothing fancy.

[@nohesitation2739]

I have a redline bmx I have the cranks and the péselas but I don’t have the bairing and bolt thing to connect them how do I get one and how do I find the size

[@stuartgibson]

I'm clueless what you need too. Maybe visit your local bike shop?

[@HeroBeatbox]

Can anybody help? My cranks keep getting lose by themself. No matter how many time i put them back with full strength. After one day of riding they are lose again.

[@stuartgibson]

Maybe give blue loc-tite on the bolts a try?

[@stanL9]

Can a road bike crank be fitted to a bmx ?

[@stuartgibson]

It would be extremely complicated and I don't recommend trying to do so either

[@shawnwilkerson5190]

Do I have to take the pedals off to take the cranks off

[@stuartgibson]

No you don’t. But just a heads-up if you plan on taking the pedals off eventually it’ll be way easier to take them off when the cranks are still on the bike.

[@shawnwilkerson5190]

@@stuartgibson I’m really just trying to figure out why my cranks keep locking up, I’m trying to see if I need new bearings or bracket set or a chain bc it’s all kinds rusted and I’m just now figuring out I have to use grease in the cranks and stuff

[@eviebee4]

thanks! really helpful video.

[@stuartgibson]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@trickswithjp]

Brand new sprocket but it looks like it's tilted when I spin the wheel. Any tips?

[@stuartgibson]

I’d have to see it, could be a number of things really!

[@akazbiga5607]

Hey man,im having some problems with my cranks i cant get them off.. i hit them with a hammer and they are still attached tightly to the spindle even tho all the bolts are off,can anyone help me please?

[@stuartgibson]

Have you managed by now? Otherwise try some penetrating oil, and maybe heat the crank arm up before you try knocking it off again

[@akazbiga5607]

@@stuartgibson how do i heat up the crank?

[@emokidpinky]

Hell I am kinda new to this but the sprocket ( chain wheel ) what the tooth number from the frount one and back one

[@stuartgibson]

On my bike it's 28-tooth up front and 9-tooth in the back. Also common would be 25-9. It all comes down to personal preference. Obviously the bigger the difference between the numbers the heavier it will feel to pedal around but will give you a higher top speed.

[@carsonkelly8611]

My crank bolts won’t come off they are like stuck

[@stuartgibson]

Try applying heat and spraying lots of WD-40 around the crank bolts

[@tommyb959]

How do you get off the bearings inside after you take the cranks out

[@stuartgibson]

I usually just hit them out with a hammer and screwdriver but can’t reuse them after

[@tommyb959]

@@stuartgibson mm okay thank you

[@vengefulsniper2052]

So my crank arm connected to the sproket is hitting my gram when I pedal any solutions?

[@stuartgibson]

Add spacers!

[@MallyTee]

Yea I think I'm just take it to a bike shop

[@stuartgibson]

Haha no hard feelings

[@Kiyoshit]

What size of bb?

[@stuartgibson]

I have a 22mm Mid BB

[@RMancilla10]

What are those cranks? Brand and model please.

[@stuartgibson]

The cranks are Colony BMX 22's!

[@RMancilla10]

Okay thanks. I just measured my spindle but it’s a 19mm.

[@stuartgibson]

Rigo Mancilla you can always get new bottom bracket bearings that allow for a 22mm axle if you’d really want to ride those cranks

[@RMancilla10]

I measure the actual diameter of the bearing and it’s like a rough 22mm. Kinda like 21.5mm. So I think I’m going to do that. Would you recommend these cranks?

[@stuartgibson]

Rigo Mancilla I do yes! Great cranks! If your old cranks have a 19mm spindle, you’ll 100% need different bearings.

[@SlurpyDave123]

Great

[@t6_pvpchannel882]

I have a kink whip and whenever I try to slide the peddle off and it won't come off at all, it's like the krank is stuck

[@stuartgibson]

Get some penetrating oil in there, maybe heat up the crank arm with a heat gun if you have that and smack it off with a mallet

[@drewrobinson1839]

Hey my bmx bike makes a wear klink/klank noise after a peddle or two do I need new cranks?

[@stuartgibson]

Very hard to say without taking a look. By the sound of it, it could also just be a bearing issue.

[@drewrobinson1839]

Stuart Gibson yea dude I honestly don’t know I fixed my chain did everything perfect. So now when ever I go to put weight on the first peddle it makes the noise it’s like the crank can’t handle all my weight pushing down on it to get it started

[@stuartgibson]

Drew Robinson do you by any chance have a new chain on an old sprocket or the other way around?

[@drewrobinson1839]

Stuart Gibson new chain on old sprocket

[@stuartgibson]

Drew Robinson that’s probably what’s making the sound. New chain on old sprockets tend to do that as the sprocket is worn down to match the stretched old chain putting a new chain on just doesn’t fit right. It will eventually go away.

[@solosamuraiz1526]

Zero mention of the lock bolts on most bmx cranks !? Why !?

[@stuartgibson]

@@solosamuraiz1526 because in this day and age most bmx cranks no longer have lock bolts.

[@j.m.5995]

When speaking of diameters is a good idea to clarify if we're talking about ID or OD... Haha

[@stuartgibson]

Haha you are correct! Although these mm sizes are pretty much industry standard so shouldn’t be any surprises when shopping for parts

[@j.m.5995]

@@stuartgibson Yup Yup but there ton's of newbs out there

[@san7939]

One of my crank screws is stripped how can i get it off?

[@chlorineeyez]

ive done this with other screws but if you put super glue on the top of the screw and leave the screwdriver inside till it dries, it’ll harden and you can just unscrew as normal

[@jamiecox2506]

never seen crank arms come off so easy. I think most people will need a hammer

[@stuartgibson]

The first time always sucks, after that it's a lot easier. Besides a bit of grease helps too!

[@Joshreeves115]

I just got these colony 22 cranks and my bike is rhd, i can not for the life of me get my bolt on sprocket to go straight with them 😭 ive replaced everything just for it not to work lol

[@stuartgibson]

Sorry to hear that! Very frustrating trying to solve stuff like that! I gave up and just always choose to run spline drive sprockets.

[@Joshreeves115]

Yeah i think my next step is to try that, only thing is that i need to convert to LHD to do so because the colony 22 cranks only have splines on the left side of the spindle

[@stuartgibson]

josh reeves that seems like a very costly way to solve the problem

[@Joshreeves115]

Yeah thats the only downfall about the cranks in my opinion

[@fn4lx293]

I cant unscrew my cranks my bolts are sooo tight any help?

[@stuartgibson]

Firstly are you turning them in the right direction? Second, maybe try some wd-40 or penetrating oil around the bolts and allow it some time to work. Third, you could try to put a pipe on your allen key giving you more leverage

[@fn4lx293]

@@stuartgibson i will try that tomorov but the direction is right i think

[@dylanw6427]

I would recommend a torque tench or something better than an Allen key that u can grab with 2 hands

[@fn4lx293]

@@dylanw6427 i unscrewed the screw yestarday, it was stuck there was a crack and then it came out

[@christianpananganan9485]

Nice

[@user-nr6be4ht7p]

Ho😊

[@blakis8857]

2:53 the fucking tutorial starts

[@erickivanlayno9665]

Man can i ask that cranks i only have one piece cranks for my bmx cuz 3piece is too expensive here i cabt afford it from philippines with love

[@stuartgibson]

I don't think I'd be able to afford new cranks right now either! Just work, save up and upgrade your bike whenever you can.

[@kevinbregna4694]

3:30 I can’t slide it off

[@stuartgibson]

Might need to grab a mallet and use some force. Just don't hit the sprocket itself, don't want to bend that.

[@stuartgibson]

Rasian the axle or crank arm that’s still on there.

[@fernandosanchez2349]

3:00

[@juansaladzar]

Pop a wheelie on that motorbike brah

[@stuartgibson]

I wish! Thing is very front heavy and under powered. Want to try?

[@h0nkykong902]

Pop a wheelie Motorbike 🤣

[@gets187]

I bought a basic like new haro for $75 and the cranks are so cheap its a damn shame might use this vid for later thanks oh yeah that music sucks

[@stuartgibson]

Have any music suggestions for a next one?

[@frankcastle3827]

Dude I got cranks that are over 10 years old and they work just fine.... You got issues lol

[@stuartgibson]

Rather buy new cranks and prevent potential problems

[@frankcastle3827]

@@stuartgibson I see you got holes in your brain lol there's nothing wrong with using old cranks dude... I been biking for 20 years with older bikes and bike parts and never had issues...

[@1kShojo]

Haha u still got the old cranks? I’ll take them for free!

[@stuartgibson]

Haha of course you would! Sold them already tho!

[@1kShojo]

@@stuartgibson oh haha! Just needed some cranks for my bike!, you got any spare cranks you don’t need? I’ll take them!

[@stuartgibson]

Not anytime soon I'm afraid! Need a frame? I'm doing a give away on a different video.

[@1kShojo]

@@stuartgibson haha hell ya

[@masonhicksbmx5402]

can u pleas send me those old cranks i have a really hard time getting money and my bmx needs new cranks plz

[@stuartgibson]

Wish I could, but the old cranks are no longer in my possession.

[@KingRenZy98]

POV:you have a Walmart bike and ur cranks suck😢

[@stuartgibson]

Just slowly upgrade and in time you'll have a full custom bike

[@Irideunited13]

Spindle* lol had to

[@anthonyvestal1]

2 piece cranks

[@stuartgibson]

You bet! Love them!

[@Sur640]

Dude you looked like Maralyn Manson with his make up off

[@timothyeichinger3592]

It’s called a spline. So you have a spline drive sprocket. You’re leaving out too many details for a how to video

[@stuartgibson]

I look forward to watching your video about it!

[@cjbell1015]

Hey can you send me those I need cranks

[@kickz2828]

Sheesh, get rid of the obnoxious music

[@stuartgibson]

Can’t change it anymore now!

[@willreilly7120]

A little harsh

[@zoolfreaky5304]

give me the old bearing pleaasseee :(