Newbie wheel bearing replacement - Help!

[squelch41@hotmail.com]

Hi,

I am trying to replace my rear wheel bearings but I am really not sure
how to do it! I took the axle out and I can see the bearings which
appear to just be loose - ie. not in a race.

Where can I get replacement bearings that are appropriate? Are they a
standard size and to replace them, do I just scrape the old ones out,
de-grease, put the new ones in and re-grease?

Thanks!
Matt

[Werehatrack]

On 9 Mar 2005 09:29:08 -0800, may have said:

>Hi,
>
>I am trying to replace my rear wheel bearings but I am really not sure
>how to do it! I took the axle out and I can see the bearings which
>appear to just be loose - ie. not in a race.

Correct.

>Where can I get replacement bearings that are appropriate?

Many places; take one along to your local bike shop and they'll be
embarrassed not to have some. To get a better deal, look in your
yellow pages for "Bearings"; you may be able to buy a bag of 100 of
them for less at a bearing supply house than you can get one bike's
worth at the bike shop. Use any wheel bearing grease as lubricant;
auto parts stores sell it cheap. Clean the cups and cones thoroughly,
and inspect the cones to see if the shiny line where the balls contact
has any pitted or chipped-looking spots. If you find some, you'll
need to replace the cones. Some bike shops aren't too helpful with
finding replacements for cones, but with a little shopping around,
you'll probably find somebody who can fix you up with some that will
work.

>Are they a standard size

They will be one of a small number of standard sizes.

>and to replace them, do I just scrape the old ones out,
>de-grease, put the new ones in and re-grease?

Yup. That pretty much covers it.

Adjusting them on reassembly is the part that needs the greatest care;
tips can be found at http://sheldonbrown.com/cone-adjustment.html and
http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_hub.shtml

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[A Muzi]

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am trying to replace my rear wheel bearings but I am really not sure
> how to do it! I took the axle out and I can see the bearings which
> appear to just be loose - ie. not in a race.
>
> Where can I get replacement bearings that are appropriate? Are they a
> standard size and to replace them, do I just scrape the old ones out,
> de-grease, put the new ones in and re-grease?

The bearing race (the steel cup pressed into your hubshell)
stay right where it is.

The loose balls are easily replaced and readily available at
high quality and low price, for example:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/hardware.html

Some assemblies use ball bearings held in a nylon or steel
clip, also called a bearing retainer. Most bicycle hubs
don't use them - although there are exceptions both at the
low ( Wald) and high (Campagnolo) ends.

Cleanliness is critical to this job. Disturbing the
accumulated grit and knocking some of it into the bearing
path can leave the system much worse than you found it.
Clean thoroughly. A toothbrush is a useful tool for this job
and compressed air is also handy.

You might also do well to check out the relevant sections of
our FAQ:
http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/index.html

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[John Everett]

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 12:07:44 -0600, Werehatrack
> wrote:

>On 9 Mar 2005 09:29:08 -0800, may have said:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I am trying to replace my rear wheel bearings but I am really not sure
>>how to do it! I took the axle out and I can see the bearings which
>>appear to just be loose - ie. not in a race.
>
>Correct.
>
>>Where can I get replacement bearings that are appropriate?
>
>Many places; take one along to your local bike shop and they'll be
>embarrassed not to have some. To get a better deal, look in your
>yellow pages for "Bearings"; you may be able to buy a bag of 100 of
>them for less at a bearing supply house than you can get one bike's
>worth at the bike shop.

Be sure to ask for "Grade 25", chromium steel balls. BTW, "Grade 25"
refers to the sphericity of the balls in millionths of an inch. For a
chart of the AFBMA standards for bearing balls see:

http://www.salemball.com/ballgrad.htm

> Use any wheel bearing grease as lubricant;auto parts stores sell it cheap.

Good advice.

>Clean the cups and cones thoroughly,
>and inspect the cones to see if the shiny line where the balls contact
>has any pitted or chipped-looking spots. If you find some, you'll
>need to replace the cones. Some bike shops aren't too helpful with
>finding replacements for cones, but with a little shopping around,
>you'll probably find somebody who can fix you up with some that will
>work.
>
>>Are they a standard size
>
>They will be one of a small number of standard sizes.

For a rear hub they are almost surely 1/4" balls.

>>and to replace them, do I just scrape the old ones out,
>>de-grease, put the new ones in and re-grease?
>
>Yup. That pretty much covers it.

On better quality hubs it's pretty easy to pry out the seals to allow
a more thorough cleaning. On cheaper hubs (the ones that probably need
more thorough maintenance) the seals will be destroyed in the effort
to remove them. :-( Use your best judgement.

>Adjusting them on reassembly is the part that needs the greatest care;
>tips can be found at http://sheldonbrown.com/cone-adjustment.html and
>http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_hub.shtml

This is where a good set of cone wrenches will come in handy. Trying
to do the job with automotive tools and/or adjustable wrenches is
problematic.


jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

[Matt]

Thanks very much for all your help - will attempt the job tommorow :)
Matt