Hub bearings loose/cage are they interchangeable ?

[MADJEZ]

Probably a stupid question but according to the 18 y/o at my local Halfords I can replace any
loose ball bearings in a hub with a cage race (which they are happy to supply !

Is this correct and how do the cones fit since surely they are shaped to fit to balls and not the flat
back of a cage.... This is a general query rather than a specific type of hub.

Confused.... :?:

 

[Woz]

Probably...or probably not......but it's a pointless endeavour all the same.

 

[MRGRUMPY]

Re:

Yes you can do it,but don't.
Loose allows you to get more balls in,for greater load bearing strength and the cages always break up and cause premature failure.
Loose with lots of grease is the way to go.

 

[mattr]

And the cage *should* sit in empty space, if the hub is compatible with caged bearings.

(So cages out, in the space between the OD of the cone and the ID of the hub)

Tho as stated above, putting caged bearings in a hub, what a daft idea. Crappy cages like we get in most cycle applications are useless for any sort of high speed applications, like hubs. Just get a bag of loose bearings.

 

[MADJEZ]

Taa, I've always had loose balls (oo-er missus) and lots of grease.
I have seen hubs with cages in, but wasn't sure if you could mix & match.

 

[rooksfoot]

cheap hubs tend to have cages dont let them put cages into anything shimano (modern)
depends on wot hubs u got (age/type/genre) really

 

[drystonepaul]

Re:

He's partly right, but mostly wrong.

As already stated it will only work with some hubs, but won't with Shimano hubs. There is a very sound reason why higher quality hubs don't use caged bearings.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Modern XT hubs use a caged bearing. Most the bearing in cartridge bearing run in cages to. It helps separate them and stop them rubbing against each other in an opposing direction. They're not all bad. You also, if the cage is good, wouldn't get any more in without the cage.

 

[Raging_Bulls]

Re: Re:

It helps separate them and stop them rubbing against each other in an opposing direction.

That's my main gripe with these things. Instead of rubbing against the slippery greased surface of the next ball (which causes absolutely no damage and produces barely any resistance or drag), they are now constantly scraping against rather sharp edges.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Pick one with plastic cages probably ptfe or similar.

The cages in shimanos trusty sealed square taper bottom bracket are plastic.