De-greased Cassette - would this affect the hub?

m14eyd
m14eyd Posts: 23
edited July 2015 in Workshop
Hey guys

Cleaned up the drive train last night using de-greaser and just want to make sure that I wont have de-greased my rear hub!

I do my bike maintenance in the living room so there was no spraying of water.

I used Muc-Off Step 2 Chain and Gears Degreaser, first on the chain and chainset, then popped the rear wheel off and set to the cassette with a brush to apply the degreaser and then numerous cloths between all the cogs to remove it. Wheel back on and then about 10 minutes of running the chain backwards through various cloths to get as much crap off as I could.

It was then lubricated with Morgan Blue Syn Lube.

The wheels are Campagnolo Khamsins, I guess the rear hub is sealed? or should I be popping some grease in anyway after doing the above just in case - I havent ridden the bike yet, but due out tonight so any advice appreciated.

Comments

  • dgunthor
    dgunthor Posts: 644
    should be fine, rear hubs are sealed

    i use paraffin and a nail brush attached to a long hinge - takes 5 mins to clean the drive chain (no wheel removal or cloths needed) and rinse with water to leave spotless - may be an easier option in future
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Much easier/better to take the cassette and chain off for cleaning - takes seconds, gives better access, better cleaning, less mess and no risk of cleaning fluid going where it shouldnt.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Much easier/better to take the cassette and chain off for cleaning - takes seconds, gives better access, better cleaning, less mess and no risk of cleaning fluid going where it shouldnt.

    Takes seconds? Less mess? You've got to be kidding right?
  • m14eyd
    m14eyd Posts: 23
    Much easier/better to take the cassette and chain off for cleaning - takes seconds, gives better access, better cleaning, less mess and no risk of cleaning fluid going where it shouldnt.

    I would love to take the chain off for cleaning, but my head is melted with talk of 'proper' joining links, aftermarket joining links and the maximum amount of time you can break links.

    I'm using 11 speed Athena, if you have suggestions for a link that can be broken every 4 weeks or so without consequence, well that would be awesome :-)
  • m14eyd
    m14eyd Posts: 23
    should be fine, rear hubs are sealed

    Superb, thank you!
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Much easier/better to take the cassette and chain off for cleaning - takes seconds, gives better access, better cleaning, less mess and no risk of cleaning fluid going where it shouldnt.

    Takes seconds? Less mess? You've got to be kidding right?

    Using KMC reusable links, pinch chain, apply pliers to open link, pull chain off.
    With rear wheel removed (OP is doing this already), apply chain whip to cassette, unscrew retaining ring, lift off.

    Seconds - literally.

    And you can scrub them in a bucket or washing up bowl so no spillage as opposed to scrubbing them still mounted on the wheel/frame.

    Then when they are clean, use Squirt lubricant and clean them far less often in future...
  • m14eyd
    m14eyd Posts: 23
    Using KMC reusable links

    Are these compatible with Campag chains and how many times can you break them safely?

    This is the bit that always worries me;

    Top Features of the KMC 11 Speed Chain Links
    Card of two links
    Non Re-usable
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    No problem with reusing for just about everyone - the odd scare story but there are scare stories about forks and frames braking on the internet too!

    viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12975387
  • dgunthor
    dgunthor Posts: 644
    Much easier/better to take the cassette and chain off for cleaning - takes seconds, gives better access, better cleaning, less mess and no risk of cleaning fluid going where it shouldnt.

    Takes seconds? Less mess? You've got to be kidding right?

    +1, have seen a friend taking his chainset and chainrings apart to clean also, no need, keep it simple!
  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    As long as you're not dousing the area around seal with degreaser there should be no problem. Trying to keep degreaser away from any areas where it can seep into bearings is a good general rule. My friend used to just slather his entire drivetrain including the areas around the BB and hub seals with spray on degreaser. Fortunately we checked them out after only about 1k dry miles since the last greasing and both were almost dry.
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    With 11 speed, I would bother breaking the chain - just clean it and the cassette like this:
    (you don't need to clean with the degreaser - just put on and rinse off to remove the grease - then wash with soap).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf80DnCgHRQ
  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    I wouldn't make a habit of degreasing the cassette while it is on the hub as degreaser can find its way into the hub eventually.

    I hold this mechanism responsible for the pitting of my 105 rear hub after less than 1 year of use. The front hub which was the same age and had seen the same use was perfect but as my thread from the time shows the cup and cone in the rear hub was badly pitted.

    My hypothesis is that regular use of degreaser on the cassette meant that it got into the hub and washed out the grease and allowed the cup and cones to become pitted. The front hub is never exposed to degreaser and it was perfect.
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Only worth removing chain and cassette for cleaning if they have been neglected and are totally clagged up with copious mud and oil. Otherwise just run the chain through a rag after each ride and rub the rag between the sprockets. The jockey wheels are usually where the muck accumulates in my experience and these are quickly cleaned.

    I have used the chain cleaning machines from Park - they work pretty well too.
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D