Wheel servicing, How often?

mar_k

Just wondering how often wheel hubs need stripping down and servicing?
What with the wet weather surely the greese gets washed out aswell as grit grinding its way in.

ricardo_smooth

depends on the brand/spec of the hub.

mar_k

XT hubs

tbikeradar

every three months, if it is wet then i service when i get home...once water gets in the seals it very bad news for the whole bike as stress on one part put stresses on another part and then everything creaks and makes funny noises.

mar_k

Thanks, Its easy enough to DIY isn't it?
I used to strip wheels down easily enough years ago, wouldn't have thought much would have changed.

What grease would be best to use? Is white grease suitable?

al2098

I have had mine for three years and they spin smooth as silk..
I would suggest that you not pressure wash them and leave them alone.
I have Hope pro2 hubs but imagine that Shimano are similiar with regard to upkeep.
If you have to service your hubs after every wet ride then somethings wrong.
Every three months? Again it sounds overkill.
Once a year I would say if you feel the need but I will wait until they feel gritty.
You need to replace the race and bearings anyway so why pull them apart every other week....
Spend all your free time maintaining a bike.? Better just ride it.

cooldad

Shimano and Hope are totally different. Shimano are cup and cone. Hope are cartridge.

Chunkers1980

tbikeradar wrote:

every three months, if it is wet then i service when i get home...once water gets in the seals it very bad news for the whole bike as stress on one part put stresses on another part and then everything creaks and makes funny noises.

Now that's not wholly true is it.

cooldad

Service the hubs after every ride? Joking I hope.

Russell160

Like cooldad said, depends on whether cup and cone or cartridge. I think also hard to give a specific interval as it obviously depends on type and volume of usage.. I would say give them a spin out of the frame and you will be able to feel how gritty/rough they feel on the axle. Then it's mater of how keen you are/what you're willing to put up with. On my commuter ridden most days I do them once in Autumn, once in Spring. Rear needs it more than front. Cartridge should probably need less and (arguably) is best left to a shop. Re grease, Parktool do a specific cycle hub grease which is good: cycle grease needs to be more water resistant more than normal car grease, which has to cope with a wider range of temperatures than cycle grease. Folks say new hubs tend to be undergreased, so worth doing soon as first time.

cycleclinic

I would also check the every few rides by spinng the axle with the wheel oout of the bike. At the slightest hinty of roughness, strip, clean and rebuild with new bearings and good grease. The cones should be fine and if not a poair of cones will cost £12 at the most. But most of the time I have found Lx/XT cnoes and hub shells to be quite resistant to wear and brinnelling.

I tend to leave catridge bearings untill they start to run rough and then replace. This can take years or months depending on the quality of the bearing.

mar_k

Thanks for all the advice, since the bike is fairly new I may take a look at the front hub and see how much grease is in them as I have been told that bikes often do not come properly greased.

cooldad

I have original Shimano hubs on an '88 Rockhopper, so they can last a long, long time (along with original chainrings, mechs, etc)

mar_k

cooldad wrote:

I have original Shimano hubs on an '88 Rockhopper, so they can last a long, long time (along with original chainrings, mechs, etc)

Is that without servicing?

Chunkers1980

I'd imagine they've been tinkered a few times. Btw, no need for new bearings each time, just degrease the lot and fresh grease.

supersonic

Open them up after every 500 miles and take a look at the innards.

cooldad

mar_k wrote:

cooldad wrote:

I have original Shimano hubs on an '88 Rockhopper, so they can last a long, long time (along with original chainrings, mechs, etc)

Is that without servicing?

Er no, gets a bit of love now and again, but the stuff is pretty tough.

Giraffoto

cooldad wrote:

Shimano and Hope are totally different. Shimano are cup and cone. Hope are cartridge.

Now, I may be thicker than a whale sandwich but . . . am I right in thinking that there's no adjusting bearings on a cartridge bearing hub? You just put it together and ride away, with no getting it just right like with cup and cone bearings?

mrmonkfinger

yup, adjustment consists of either replacing, or not replacing

cooldad

Mine (cartridge, Fulcrum) are adjustable - preload by means of a collar and a tiny hex bolt.

supersonic

As are many mavic.

ryanincontrol

I have Deore hubs on my commuter bike. They don't have seals similar to xt's. I commute rain or shine and only service them once a year. I use finish line teflon grease although I bought a tub of Shimano grease which I will be using on it's next service.

mrmonkfinger

cooldad wrote:

Mine (cartridge, Fulcrum) are adjustable - preload by means of a collar and a tiny hex bolt.

supersonic wrote:

As are many mavic

Blimey, never knew there were such things.

Do they have angular races then?

supersonic

They do indeed!