# Schwinn crank issue for dx



## rollfaster (Oct 21, 2015)

This is strange, but I'm noticing that a 46 crank doesn't clear the chain stay on a 48 dx. Did schwinn make a wider or dogleg crank for the 48 frame? I thought most heavyweight schwinn cranks were the same. Very frustrated. Thanks, rob.


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## dougfisk (Oct 21, 2015)

rollfaster said:


> This is strange, but I'm noticing that a 46 crank doesn't clear the chain stay on a 48 dx. Did schwinn make a wider or dogleg crank for the 48 frame? I thought most heavyweight schwinn cranks were the same. Very frustrated. Thanks, rob.




A) which side hits?
B) Is it bent?
C) Is it spaced over too far to right with washer behind chainwheel?


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## rollfaster (Oct 21, 2015)

Perfectly straight crank, hits the drive side chain stay and has one washer/ spacer behind the stationary cone.


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## bricycle (Oct 21, 2015)

probably need to add a washer.....


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## dougfisk (Oct 21, 2015)

rollfaster said:


> Perfectly straight crank, hits the drive side chain stay and has one washer/ spacer behind the stationary cone.




D) Does the 46 crank work in any other frame?
E) Do you have any other crank that works in your 48DX frame?
F) Could the rear triangle of the DX frame be displaced, bent, offset to the drive side?
G) Could the bottom bracket of the DX frame be welded in cockeyed, angling toward right?


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## rollfaster (Oct 21, 2015)

Hard to say anything about frame issues, all appears normal. Tried a late heavyweight crank and it has the same issue. Maybe they used a dogleg in 48?


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Oct 21, 2015)

Your frame is twisted. Take string, tie it to one drop out. Then take it around headtube and tie to other drop out. Make sure you run it on the inside of the rear triangle. Check clearance of seat mast tube on either side by looking at distance of string from the tube ... I had this issue with a 46 frame. I just bent it over tell it didn't hit anymore. It seems to me that one side always kinda runs closer then the other. 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## rollfaster (Oct 21, 2015)

Good point Jason. Never thought about that. I'll give it a whirl.


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## dougfisk (Oct 21, 2015)

When building up a bike, I love to check the straight, true, square, plumb dimensions of the frame & fork.  It is my idea of fun.  

I have NO IDEA what the jigs or fixtures that Schwinn used to build up these frames looked like.  I know that many postwar frames (most?) are mis-aligned according the the traditional "head tube, seat tube, rear dropout" test.  I know that when we all true them up, we bend the rear triangle.  I think sometimes we would do better to bend the front triangle, but we have no good mechanism to do so.  I say this because I have observed cases where after you "align" the head tube, seat tube, & rear triangle, the bottom bracket tube is no longer in alignment with the rear dropouts.  I also have at least one frame where the seat tube is not square (perpendicular) to the bottom bracket tube.  The head tube / seat tube alignment is almost always good on the postwar Schwinn ballooners, but often bad on the girls lightweights (in my experience).


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## rollfaster (Oct 21, 2015)

*Schwinn crank issues*

I'll try this when I get time. I'd really like to save this frame, it's a special factory order paint scheme. Light red on black. I sold my 46 frame to build this one. Here's a pic of both bikes.


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## dougfisk (Oct 21, 2015)

Nice, I like it.  I wonder how the bike has functioned for the past 67 years?  I gather it was not complete and operational when you got it.

Is the clearance between crank and chain stay on the left side really excessive?  Frame issues aside, there is always more than one way to skin a cat.  Perhaps more spacers behind the chainwheel will do the trick (as Brian suggested)... or bend the crank outward on the right side a little, or a combination of both.  If you don't like the feel (pedaling) of a bent crank, you can bent the pedal shaft to compensate.  Although I find that you will quickly adjust to the feel of a bent crank.


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## rollfaster (Oct 21, 2015)

When I got the frame it was completly bare. Then took every thing off of the 46 and reinstalled it onto this one. Painted fenders, Chainguard and fork. The distance on the left side looks normal when comparing it to my 46 BFg dx. I think I'll try and find a couple more spacers and see what happens.


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## Larmo63 (Oct 23, 2015)




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## Ozark Flyer (Oct 24, 2015)

Both cool bikes, faster.


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## rollfaster (Oct 24, 2015)

Thanks man. I'm going to try a couple more cranks next week. I thought about using a non schwinn dogleg but I think it would be sacrilege.


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