Broken rear axle, what to do next?

anton1r

So yesterday cycling home i noticed my rear wheel was wobbling looked down to see ball bearings on show on the non cassette side of my rear wheel.
So i stopped had a look and tried to push the end cap that was loose back into place. Thought all was ok enough to continue and gingerly cycled off again only for the wheel to go completely not very much later.

Anyway I ended up walking home with the bike over my shoulder. :oops:

So i've snapped the axle and lost some bearings. My question is what do I do next?!

New hub? New, QR Skewer, axle and bearings? New wheel?

I've enclosed some pic's so that people can see what im on about.
FYI it was a Quando Alloy Hub

Broken Axle


Bent QR Skewer and BB


Missing BB's


Cassette side some missing BB's here too


Cheers,

Tony

redvee

A new axle and bearings can be had for around £10, Shimano will be a little more and look at around another tenner for the LBS to fit providing the bearing surfaces in the hub ain't pitted.

anton1r

Cheers redvee so that's it then? New axle, bearings and QR skewer it is.

I guess i just measure the old parts and find new ones the same size?

Cheers fella.

redvee

New axle and bearings and QR if that is KO'd. In reality you can get away with the new axle as long it matches the diameter of the broken one then you can reuse the cones etc so that they fit the hub better then the replacement. When you do replace the axle, make a note of how far the drive side cone & lockbut are from the end of the axle as otherwise you'll spend ages getting the wheel central and the indexing correct otherwise.

anton1r

Cheers fella, hopefully get it all sorted tonight/tomorrow night!

bicyclepirate

i had this problem last week and found it suprisingly easy to fix, axle cost £10 from halfrauds of all places! also as said above you need to make sure that you measure the ends before you change it. Mine broke pretty much as yours did and by laying out the non drive side over the new axle it was easy to ensure a correct set-up. there is also a really useful video on bicycle tutor.

good luck

bice

You had better replace the missing spoke, and check the one above too, as it looks damaged.

desweller

Make sure you replace ALL the ball bearings, not just the missing ones. They are precision parts and should only be run with other balls from the same batch or slight size variation will cause uneven stress distribution amongst the bearings.

Gussio

Cassette looks ripe for changing soon (the biggest ring appears to be quite worn).

anton1r

bicyclepirate wrote:

i had this problem last week and found it suprisingly easy to fix, axle cost £10 from halfrauds of all places! also as said above you need to make sure that you measure the ends before you change it. Mine broke pretty much as yours did and by laying out the non drive side over the new axle it was easy to ensure a correct set-up. there is also a really useful video on bicycle tutor.

good luck

Yeah ive got what i need to do sussed now, i've already watched the bicycle tutor video too and all seems fairly straight forward. Was gonna get to Halfords at the weekend now that i've measured it all up, i just need to get the bits and get on with it now.

bice wrote:

You had better replace the missing spoke, and check the one above too, as it looks damaged.

Jeeeesus i never noticed that I was missing a spoke/it's broken, see it now though! :oops:

DesWeller wrote:

Make sure you replace ALL the ball bearings, not just the missing ones. They are precision parts and should only be run with other balls from the same batch or slight size variation will cause uneven stress distribution amongst the bearings.

Yeah fella that was the plan. Last night I noticed my cones are pretty pitted too so new ones for those.

Gussio wrote:

Cassette looks ripe for changing soon (the biggest ring appears to be quite worn).

Ok, i've no idea how you can tell this from that picture? I've not noticed any slipping or other problems as of yet.
Any guides or info on how one can tell when the cassette are worn? A side by side of a worn and the same cassette but new would be ideal.

Cheers lads. 8)

anton1r

Actually here's a question...

Since i'm missing a spoke as well as having a shot axle would I be just as well getting a new wheel and shifting the cassette over?

Was thinking of something from one of these (lower end ones)

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f_ProductID=0&f_WebLinkID=3535&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003154c003137c003535

bice

Unless the broken axle has damaged the bearing cups, which I doubt, then the wheel is fine. Replace the spoke for pence and either true up the wheel yourself - plenty on net for this including the divine Sheldon Brown - or get a shop to do it.

The broken spoke may have made this wheel so soft it broke the axle, perhaps? Not sure, as I have never managed to break an axle.

anton1r

Cheers bice, i'll report back once ive sorted it all.

supersonic

That is not a cassette - it is a freewheel [block]. So if if you go for a new wheel then it must be for a screw on block.

Fractured axles are most common on this design.

anton1r

supersonic wrote:

That is not a cassette - it is a freewheel [block]. So if if you go for a new wheel then it must be for a screw on block.

Ahh that explains why my cassette removal tool wouldn't fit it last night. Here was me putting it down to dodgy Halford's tools again! Cheers SS.

supersonic

And you don't need a chain whip either - just insert the tool and turn, or put the tool in a vice.

anton1r

Though i do already have a chain whip.
Why is it i NEVER have the right tool for the job!