HELP ! Stripped threads on Shimano hub lockring/centrelock

cmachine

Help need please! I'm having a bit of a meltdown. I decided to service my bearings on my Shimano rear hub M435. First time I've done this and got through it ok. I had to remove rotor and have never come across the centre lock system before. I put the rotor back on and noticed a bit of play in it after tightening lockring...so loosened...re-tightened...and too much, felt it give, removed lockring cover and threads were in pieces. I didn't realise these needed so little force to tighten.

I'm wondering what my options are? Am I looking at a new hub or wheel rebuild or replacement? I have a spare set of Avid Juicy 3.5 brakes so am not limited to using the Shimano brakes. Would it be possible to buy a centre lock to 6 bolt adapter (for the Avids) and if so...what about the stripped threads on the inside of the hub lockring...what else are these needed for? I really do not want to have to junk this wheel as it's a great light xc wheel.

All suggestions welcome. Cheers!

nicklouse

New hub or wheel.

cmachine

damn was hoping that was not the case. Is it possible the threads are only stripped on the lockring cap and not the hub part? Are they usually both made from aluminium or is the hub part steel. Could try chasing the threads and getting another lockring cap. Clutching at straws here obviously. I guess I'm gonna learn how to build a wheel next...hahaha

majormantra

cmachine wrote:

damn was hoping that was not the case. Is it possible the threads are only stripped on the lockring cap and not the hub part?

Inspect them, should be easy enough to tell. It's unlikely I'd say.

The Rookie

If the disc was obviously loose when the lockring was 'tight', you must have cross threaded it to start with, they are almost impossible to strip when tightening due to the size (diameter), so it's possible it will clean up and be OK, if it's genuinely a fully stripped thread then not a chance.

njee20

^^ this

The lockrings are generally steel, and alu hub shells, so it's the hubs that will give, but as said, if you've screwed it in properly you need a lot of force to strip it, sounds like it was cross-threaded.

cmachine

Yeah, I had never worked with one of these before on the centrelock side so was unsure of how much force needed to secure the rotor...not that much it seems, but maybe cross-threaded like you say. I was just wanting to finish the job quick after doing the bearings. Found some old rims with SM-475 hubs so may be able to pull cassette of the damaged centrelock wheel and put it on the spare wheel. It's a 6-bolt assembly but thankfully I have some spare Avid Juicy 3.5s I can chuck on it. It's annoying cos it is my main commute bike and I am currently without wheels. I have a Giant Anthem but VERY reluctant to grind it down on the daily commute. Thanks all for the help and advice.

The Rookie

No need to swap the brake, just the disc!

njee20

Yep, as long as the disc is the same size it'll work with your brakes.

You don't need to do the rotors up particularly tight, but you should be able to do them very tight without damaging anything, hence the fact I'd be confident that you'd cross threaded it in the first place.

The Rookie

They are marked for 40Nm of torque when used for cassettes (its the same thread) and the threads will probably take over 60Nm, so yes, pretty sure it was crossthreaded.

cmachine

A happy ending to this story....and a n00b mistake. I had been working on the bike for hours and doing the cones/bearings was the last thing. Turns out I had been trying to screw in the cassette side lockring to the disc side...hence why it appeared to strip threads. A small sliver came off the lockring but once I realized my stupid mistake I put the correct lockrings on the correct side and they tightened and locked perfectly...so thread was not stripped at all...may have just been gunk from years of dirt embedded in the thread. How I laughed at my stupidty when discovering this.

Lessons leaned from this: when working on bikes and making frustating mistakes, take a break and have a beer and come back to it fresh.

Thanks again for all the advice!