Sideways wheel movement

Yacoby

I am not quite sure how to explain this. I have a bike very recently used for mountain biking as well as commuting so it has taken a lot of abuse. It is now just on commuting duties, however there seems to be movement in the front hub.

The axle is in place firmly but at the part of the wheel that doesn't rotate and the part that does rotate but there seems to be some play. Hence at the rim there is 1 - 2 mm of movement side to side.

Is it anything to worry about? As said I don't do anything serious on the bike any more, just on roads and maybe off the odd curb.

cooldad

Sounds like the bearings need a service or replacing.

Yacoby

That sounds like fun I will have a play some time and see if I can fix it/avoid messing it up further.

Cheers

supersonic

What is the hub?

Yacoby

supersonic wrote:

What is the hub?

quando

The Rookie

Probably just normal cup and cone, undo the locknut and then the cone on one side, rmove axle and balls carefully, clean and inspect, fresh grease and reassemble, just tightening the cone enough to prevent play.

Simon

Yacoby

Do you know how I would know what size cone spanner I would need? Or is it just take a ruler and guess?

Also, I am assuming any grease works? I have some Teflon stuff that I use for my pedals.

supersonic

Generally a 13mm cone front with 15mm locknut, 15mm cone rear with 17mm locknut.

That grease would be fine.

Yacoby

supersonic wrote:

Generally a 13mm cone front with 15mm locknut, 15mm cone rear with 17mm locknut.

Cheers.

corshamjim

Yacoby wrote:

Do you know how I would know what size cone spanner I would need? Or is it just take a ruler and guess?

I can recommend a cheap vernier caliper for measuring nuts and all sorts of other components. Mine is just a plastic one - not unlike this one:

http://www.toolspot.co.uk/product/150mm-plastic-vernier

As you can see, you can measure depth and inside and outside width.

I found mine handy for measuring one of my then girlfriend's (now wife's) rings before buying another more expensive one and popping the question!

Yacoby

Good call although I actually managed to find a cone spanner with sizes 13-16 for £3 (and a 15 minute cycle) so hopefully I wouldn't need that. Although if I ever need to propose...