How often do you grease your balls? 😳

[Blue Hills]

I always have to double check the grading number system.
Can someone remind me what the weldtite ones are?
What grade are the shimano ones originally fitted in wheel bearings?
I do sometimes see bearings advertised as "shimano" but assume that as branded items they are overpriced.

answering my own question, reminding me, weldtite are grade 1000.
https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=bicycle+ball+bearings+pot
never been sure if there is any real-world advantage in using better for bikes, as am aware that, a la hi-fi, there are some obsessive bike nerds with their own theories.
views welcome.

 

[Vantage]

If it's round and shiny, it's good enough for me.

 

[fossyant]

Every 6 months on the MTB. Doddle as sealed cartridges, so pop off seal and squirt in grease. My Dura Ace hubs have grease ports, twist cap, squirt in grease, job done.

On my fixed commuter, I just changed the cartridge bearings once they developed play. Never regreased as didn't need it.

 

[rogerzilla]

Shimano originals are grade 25, allegedly. I wouldn't go worse than grade 100 for bike bearings. Campag hubs may require grade 25 or better for a decent adjustment to be made.

All ball bearings deform in use, so a grade 100 will achieve the same contact as a grade 10, but there will be a bit more friction and wear.

 

[DRM]

Wasn't it at least once during an apprenticeship, hang on wrong balls

 

[Blue Hills]

Shimano originals are grade 25, allegedly. I wouldn't go worse than grade 100 for bike bearings. Campag hubs may require grade 25 or better for a decent adjustment to be made.

All ball bearings deform in use, so a grade 100 will achieve the same contact as a grade 10, but there will be a bit more friction and wear.

Thanks for that.
So unless there are clear signs of damage, best to keep the original shimano balls in rather than replace with something inferior?
Must admit to being a bit puzzled by shimano's build policy - putting in better bearings than folk might expect but then skimping on the grease they put in the hubs.

 

[rogerzilla]

Grade 10 balls from a bearing supplier are pretty cheap compared to a new hub.

 

[Blue Hills]

Grade 10 balls from a bearing supplier are pretty cheap compared to a new hub.

Do you recommend any supplier?
I know a lot of folk use simply bearings.
If you have lots of bikes i assume it's best to buy in bulk,not only for volume discounts but because they will be from the same graded batch ?

 

[rogerzilla]

Yes, I use Simply Bearings. They deliver quickly and I think it's free post. They don't do grade 10 3/32" for Shimano pedals, though. Grade 100 is probably good enough for those.

 

[Blue Hills]

Grade 10 balls from a bearing supplier are pretty cheap compared to a new hub.

not being funny, but in my researches (major multiple wheel work pending) i found a post from you elsewhere that said grade 10 was overkill for bikes and that grade 100 was fine.
Have you changed your views?

 

[rogerzilla]

not being funny, but in my researches (major multiple wheel work pending) i found a post from you elsewhere that said grade 10 was overkill for bikes and that grade 100 was fine.
Have you changed your views?

No. I doubt you'll notice a difference between grade 10 or 100 (except for those odd cases like the Campag hubs where you might not be able to get a perfect adjustment). in most cases, grade 10 is just an indulgence, like Dura-Ace over Ultegra.

I would absolutely avoid grade 1000. They are ten times worse than grade 100 and shouldn't be in any decent hub or BB.

 

[Blue Hills]

Thanks zilla, helped me make the decision. Big order of bearings afoot. Good investment i think if it means my hubs will keep running. My aim is now to junk no more wheels,just keep hubs running, rerim when necessary. Also allows me to standardise on hubs to a fair extent.

 

[rogerzilla]

If water gets in and pits the races, it's pretty much game over. That's the only reason I'd junk a hub.

 

[Blue Hills]

Final (I think) question - should the bearings be stainless steel or chromium steel?

I have the idea it's the latter but will bow to greater knowledge on here, and am also interested in the reason for the answer.

 

[ConnoisseurEquator]

I don't think that any balls bearing have been changed in any of my Raleigh's. That means between 40-50 years now.
Do the balls come in different sizes?