shimano hub bearing replacement

gnusmas
gnusmas Posts: 167
edited August 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
need to change bearings in front and rear hubs and was wandering, is there likely to be anything else that might need replacing/worn inside the hub when this gets done? bearings are completely shot (slight side to side wobble and grinding noise)

cheers

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    cones and if badly pitted the hub.

    see Sheldon for more info.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • gnusmas
    gnusmas Posts: 167
    possibly better to replace rather than repair on this occasion then? costs could spiral severely???

    BTW nicklouse, thanx for all your help, had lots of advice from you in the past :)
  • konadawg
    konadawg Posts: 447
    Unfortunately as Nick says your cones are almost certainly toast (at the very least just the cones).

    There are a few ways to go about this:

    Unless totally wrecked - replace bearings, grease up, and assemble allowing a fair bit of play. It's surprising how much more life you can get out of the hubs this way.

    If most certainly just the cones - try to find replacements. From experience the Holy Grail is more likely to end up in your hands than Shimano spare cones, though they theoretically exist. Let alone the correct ones for your hub (they are not all the same).

    Other option: Use generic cones. Usually crappy-ish quality and come with a crappy replacement axle, and you lose the (ahemm) ...."sealing" of the originals. Still if you are not intending to get stuck in the mud too often, worth considering.

    Yet another: Buy the exact same replacement hub and use the cones/bearings off it. The point being you save on re-lacing the wheel. But only do this if the races are 100% although yet again, even the races CAN be knocked out (unscrewed) and replaced (easier said than done) - special tool required.

    The one thing to note when setting up hubs with QR axles - ALWAYS leave a tiny bit of play in the bearings when felt in hand. When you fit the wheel in the frame and tighten the QR the axle actually flexes a bit and the slack is taken up. Omit, and you cramp up the bearings which won't last a couple of rides.
    Giant Reign X1