Servicing cup and cone bearings

Roasted

Kona Fan
Done a search and can't find the answers I'm looking for.

I have a few wheels with cup and cone bearings that feel like they're full of sand so going to service them. As I have only ever fiddled with this type of bearing once before I need some advice before I break them.

This rubber seal, can I remove it? I've given it a little yank and it didn't move and I don't want to damage it. It would be easier to get in there if I could take it out. And what grease is best to when putting back together

20210916_124518_copy_1396x785.jpg
 
Yes you can remove the dust shield. A tyre lever is the best tool so you dont damage anything but a fat flat blade screwdriver will do too. Put it though the centre and inder the seal then lever gentle like to pop the shield out.
 
Can be a tricky procedure, especially on the rear wheel. Unless you have the right tools, you often have to grip the drive side of the axle with vice grips, in order to undo the cone on the non-drive side. This can chew the axle to bits.

I use an axle vice nowadays which is really useful, but you ideally need access to a bench mounted vice to use one of these.

https://www.parktool.com/product/axle-vise-av-1
I use a magnetic flat bladed screwdriver to remove the bearings.

Grease I use is Weldtite TF2 lithium grease.

Getting the bearing 'play' right seems to require quite a bit of trial and error. I try and leave a TINY bit of play in the bearing, which is then taken up when the wheel is tightened up in the drop-out.

Joe
 
That's excellent, thanks.

Looking at the balls, they're quite pitted and the races are worn so this hub might not be worth saving. I hope the others are better.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top