Help!!! After advice with hubs rebuilds.

[Danone]

I'm always fearful of a worn hub, particularly cup and cone types. Much of my time in bicycle repairs have been spent on wheels, mostly hubs.

Are there equal amount of ball bearings on each side? I had a similar problem with a swerving cassette when i serviced my hub and discovering one less ball bearing on the drive side, thus resulting in uneven wear on the bearing cup.

Hubs deserve more attention, at least in my case anyway, they must be adjusted correctly and well greased or they wear quickly.

 

[alans27]

Hello!! I took it apart and double checked the amount of bearings. Nine either side. They are brand new bearings and the free hub which is the side thats causing me bother is brand new too. The other side when I tighten the bearings up seems to fit quite happily. It's the free hub side that has the play. It can only be the axle surely? Mind you soon find out as a replacement one is due tomorrow. I got a weldtite axle instead of shimano but that should do the job I hope.

 

[retroyetirigid]

Make sure the freehub body bolt is tight. That could cause all sorts of issues.
Also make sure that the dust sheild on the freehub body is the same as the old one.

 

[FluffyChicken]

A quick re-read through.
First Hub make and model ? You must know as you had the part list.


Wobble in the freehub is there normally on Shimano hubs. Probably about 1mm.
Another reason cogs wobble around is the lockring has come loose and just needs tightening or a newer cassette has been put on an older freehub and 1mm spacer behind it hasn't been used.

If the bearings are binding when you set it up, then it's too tight, there should be a tiny amount of play with Q/R axles when not in the bike.

The weldtite might be fine, I don't think the cones are very good though, not ground and polished from what I've seen.
You may lose the seal setup as well.


9x 1/4" bearings is normal for the rear hub.

Of course some, like M900, used 11x 1/4" bearing each side


Do you have any pictures of you cones, hub etc ?
It helps to see what we're chatting about.

hope the axle fixes it. If the old cones are good though, I would change it all over and just use the weldtite axle.

 

[alans27]

Hello, it's an Mc18 which I think is an old Alivio or stx hub.
I've defo got nine bearings each side of the correct size. On the none drive side it all fits perfect and there's no play at allwhilst on the drive side there is significant play there. I'm guessing there must be a slight bend in the axle causing the drive side cones to not sit flush with the bearings. I hope I'm right, will soon find out when I change the axle over. Fingers crossed lol.

 

[alans27]

So made up!! Got a new axle for it and also on close inspection one of the cones looked ropey so I changed that too and now it's as smooth as can be! No play either! Was worried I was doing to have to replace the wheel because this bike I'm restoring is eventually going to be a present for someone and it's cost me a fortune already! Lol! Thanks for your input everyone.