How to fix a creaky BMX crank/BB

If you ride BMX, you've probably noticed that 8-spline pinch bolt style cranks are always coming loose and making a ton of noise. It's annoying and can cause a lot of premature wear if not fixed. Luckily BMX bikes are fairly simple and tough enough to survive some experimental repairs, so anyone can get their hands on the proper tools and do this job. Most BMX bikes use this type of crank and BB assembly, but the same theory applies to all the other types too, some of them just work differently by threading, pressing, or otherwise fastening in a different way. Headsets and hubs also run on similar principles to if you can figure this out, you can probably overhaul your whole bike.

[@Khris_Man]

Guy’s I recommend you use a mallet than a hammer. 👍🏻

[@PeterCollinsCycling]

That totally works if it's a really big mallet.

[@matthewdickerman3142]

On an old throw away bearing take the plastic face off one of these bearings cases so you can see the balls, you're not gonna damage anything with a hammer but I like to angle the face of the hammer so I only hit the outer edge of the sealed bearing in a circular tapping pattern.

[@steveninverse9579]

You dont grease the spindle? The bearings are what cause the squeeking?

[@paddingtonsnare987]

First thing I did when I bought my second hand BMX was take apart the whole BB and grease everything and put it all back together. With a bigger sprocket. 30/9 is a great set up. Takes a lot of effort to accelerate and hills are a slow climb unless you got the energy to blast it right to the top😅but yeah the top speed is perfect. 30ish max🤪

[@xSF5150x]

Cool video, thank you for the walk through. I have an issue with my bottom bracket where I feel it pulling forward. I believe it may be because it is a rear cassette (vs freewheel) hub and my chain is a bit loose. I'm hoping once I pull the rear tire back to take out the slake of the chain, she should ride better. If I'm still getting the crank "pulling" forward when I'm not pedalling, what do you think it can be?

[@paddingtonsnare987]

Sounds like Street fighter music in this video ?!