Help with understanding cone sizes please

[Slimtim]

Hello

I am trying to save a pair of wheels and need to buy some new cones and ball bearings. The cups in the hub shell look good, at least better than I expected!

The current (nine on each side) ball bearings are 6.3mm in diametre (I assume 1/4 inch size) and the solid rod axle is 9mm in diametre and 175mm long.

I have looked on ebay and can see the sort of basic qualify item I need but only in 3/8 or 5/16 size.

Please can anyone advise if, for example, 5/16 size will be OK?

I made a bad purchase with the wheels and am trying to rectify the mistake for as few £££s as possible - this is simply new territory for me.

On a related note, I also need three of the rubber seals that fit over the lock nuts and butt up against a sing that holds the ball bearings in place - the ones i need have a diametre of 31.5mm on the wide end that butts against the ring. I'm not sure what this part is called or where to find them.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[hamster]

This is a total minefield, but assuming you have Shimano hubs the best place to look is the Shimano tech docs and then SJS Cycles. They carry a huge range. Fortunately also they kept diameters the same, so you can fit the rubber seals and caps from (say) a 1996 STX-RC into a 1991 M650. Shimnao also fiddled around a LOT with the seal diameters on freehub bodies, it may end up easier to swap the body at the same time.

FInally, the cheap Cyclo ones on ebay will fit, but usually the seal detail is not solved. I have fitted small plumber's O rings in the past.

 

[Slimtim]

Re:

Many thanks for the response. It is a subject that should be simple but is unreasonably complex!

I have ordered a couple of cheap axles online and some new ball bearings and will have some fun seeing if they work together. As you say, the unknown quantity is whether the seals will fit!

Luckily, I'm really just trying to get the wheels fit for basic service rather than Tour de France so good enough will be good enough.

I suspect that this will be a classic case of 'buy cheap buy twice'!