Grab the crank (not the pedal) and then push and pull on the crank. If
you feel movement then the crank is loose.
You can tighten the crank using a 14mm socket wrench. The crank nuts
should be tightened to about 35 or 40 foot-pounds of torque. That's
pretty tight. It's the equivalent of hanging a 40 pound weight at the
end of a 1 foot long socket wrench (or an 80 pound weight at the end of
a 6 inch long socket wrench). Have your dad tighten the crank nuts and
try to estimate about 40 pounds of force at the end of the socket
wrench. Even better would be to get a torque wrench so you'll know for
sure how tight it is. Give your dad an excuse to buy some new tools
(dad's like tools).
To remove the cranks you'll need a crank puller like this one: 'Park
crank puller' (http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=421). If
you don't have the tool you'll need to go to a bike shop to buy one, or
you can just have them take the old cranks off and install the news
ones. It would probably be about $5 labor to do the crank change.
With your new aluminum cranks it is much more important to pay attention
to the cranks being tight enough. If aluminum cranks get loose they
will damage the taper sooner (because aluminum is softer than steel).
Just riding around for just a short bit with a loose crank can ruin the
crank.
--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo
john_childs (att) hotmail (dott) com
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