(Bmx) Bike crank help.

[r-exrider0003]

I recently bought a bike from a friend who got it from dan's comp. its the DK General Lee. http://www.danscomp.com/101063.php?cat=BIKES# anyways, i'm kinda new to biking, but im currently trying to switch all the parts from this bike to a S&M Sabbath frame ive had laying around here for a while. It took me a while, but i finally got the crank & pedals apart from the DK frame. Now i cannot get this back together in the other frame. the bearings and bearing cups are in and they fit fine.
The Problem Is that i once i get the crank all in, the lock nuts ( i guess you'd call them that?) - one on non sprocket side just for adjustments ithink, and one on the sprocket one with a lockwasher type thing. if i keep turing the spindle clockwise and it just turns for awhile then tightens up and locks up, if i turn it counter clockwise it just loosen's all the way up, i cant figure out how to keep the spindle seperated from the lock nuts. and im starting to get frustrated. so anyone with any help, it would be very appreciated. thanks alot.

[WhiteZrider]

Whoa what lol. What size bottom bracket is on the S&M frame?

[r-exrider0003]

well what's the bottom bracket mean? is that where the crank assembly goes thru? just measure it across?

[WhiteZrider]

Yeah


Is it american, mid, spanish, or euro?

[mikeB]

if the bottom bracket has "BALL BEARINGS" then its american.

American is what you have most deff. But to adjust the tightness to the bearings.. if you look at the left side of the bike (wheels down) turn both the Nut thats on there and the cup-nut that has the bearings on it to the left (counter clockwise) it will adjust the tightness.

You may need to hold the cuped-nut with a screwdriver, then tighten the lock nut with an adjustable

you have to make sure that the bottom brackets are the same first off, and if the cranks are for sealed bearings and you have non-sealed it wont work. but if its three piece unsealed cranks then you have the spindle in backwards making it tight on the wrong side. so flip it out and see if that works

[r-exrider0003]

well im pretty sure itll fit, i just am having a hard time with lock nuts or something. its american i guess, as it has unsealed ball bearings that keep falling out of the retainer. im thinking of just ordering a different crank and getting sealed bearings as this one is somewhat bent, but still rideable. how can i tell which cranks will fit and which wont? i'd prefer to just buy a new spindle & sealed bearings and save some money but i dont know how to tell if itll fit my crank legs and everything.
thanks again for the info.