If you ride your cruiser frequently, you may experience your coaster brake starting to get loose and not functioning optimally. You may notice the rear wheel wobbling, which makes riding your cruiser difficult and also dangerous so decided to figure out how to fix this.

Here are the steps on how to adjust the coaster brake on a beach cruiser:

Stabilize your bike
Remove the rear wheel
Tighten the coaster brake
Re-install the rear wheel
Test it out

You can easily fix this problem by making one adjustment to the rear wheel hub. Tightening your coaster brake is very easy to do and I have provided a guide for you in this article. If you are experienced enough, you most likely will not need to remove your wheel.

Tools You Might Need

Before you start, I highly recommend getting a few tools first. I have listed them below:

Adjustable Wrench
Cone Wrenches
Screwdriver

An adjustable wrench is always good to have around and will help tighten and loosen the nuts attaching the coaster brake to your bike frame.

You will also need some cone wrenches to tighten the rear wheel coaster brake hub. These are flat wrenches that enable you to easily access the coaster brake cone.

A standard wrench can be too thick for the hub. Typically, 15mm and 17mm should suffice for most bikes but you can buy a cone wrench set that includes smaller and larger sizes if needed. These specific wrenches will enable you to hold the brake in place while tightening or loosening.

You will also need a screwdriver to detach the metal band that holds the reaction arm to the bike frame.

How To Tighten A Coaster Brake

Here are some simple instructions that will teach you how to adjust your coaster brake hub correctly. This will help fix the wobble your wheel is experiencing and allow your brake to function properly.

While adjusting your coaster brake hub, always remember to take the proper safety precautions first. I highly recommend wearing these latex gloves and safety glasses for your own protection. Adjusting your coaster brake should take no more than 15 minutes, maybe a little longer if it is your first time.

Step 1 – Stabilize Your Bike

Start by flipping your bike upside down so the handlebars and seat rest firmly on a flat surface. This will stabilize your bike so you can freely work on the rear wheel hub. If you have a friend or family member around, you can ask them to hold the bike as well. Be careful not to tip your beach cruiser over.

Step 2 – Removing The Rear Wheel

Detach the metal band that attaches the coaster brake reaction arm to your frame using a screwdriver to remove the bolt. Next, loosen the axle nuts on both sides of the wheel that secure it to the bike frame. You will want to use your adjustable wrench to do this.

Once the wheel becomes loose, you can then disengage the chain from the hub sprocket. Now that the chain is disengaged, you can remove the wheel from the bike frame.

*Note that if you are experienced, you probably will not need to disengage the chain or remove the wheel in order to tighten the coaster brake.

Step 3 – Tighten Your Coaster Brake

How do you tighten a coaster brake hub? You can easily tighten the coaster brake cones using cone wrenches. You want to make sure it is tight but not too tight. If the coaster brake cones are tightened too much the wheel will not rotate properly. If the cones remain too loose, the wheel will continue to wobble.

Step 4 – Installing the Rear Wheel

Once you are satisfied with the coaster brake adjustment, it is time to reinstall the rear wheel.

Place the rear wheel back onto your bike frame.
Fit the chain back over the sprocket.
Attach the reaction arm to the frame by screwing it into the metal band but remember to keep it loose so you can tighten the chain.
Pull the wheel back until there is only a little slack in the chain.
Tighten the axle nuts on both sides of the rear wheel hub to secure it to the frame.
Lastly, tighten the screw holding the reaction arm to the metal band.

If you are confused as to how to reinstall the rear wheel correctly then make sure to check out the video tutorial below for more detail.

Step 5 – Test It

With the bike still flipped upside down, pedal with your hands to make sure the chain remains tight and does not get caught or drop. Also, observe if the wheel wobbles while pedaling.

It is best to view the wheel by standing directly behind it while it spins. You can even try to move it with your hand to make it does not move side-to-side.

When you are satisfied, flip the bike upright and try riding it. If everything works properly you are done! If not, repeat these steps to fine-tune.

Final Thoughts

It can be difficult to achieve the “perfect” tightness when adjusting a coaster brake. It may take a few adjustments to get it right. The more you perform this action the more you will get a feel as to how tight you coaster brake should be. When you attach the rear wheel back onto your bike frame, make sure both axle nuts and reaction arm are securely fastened. The coaster brake will not work if these are bolts loose or not attached to the frame. If this is your first time adjusting a coaster brake, make sure to take your time and follow each step in order to get the best results.