Servicing Wheel Bearings

[CharleyFarley]

Perhaps everyone here is informed about greasing wheel bearings; I'm still learning.

Almost three years ago I bought a new cruiser from a bike shop. I had put 600 miles on it when, one evening as I rolled it out for a ride, it didn't want to roll. I lifted up the front end and spun the wheel, and it almost immediately stopped. Same with the back wheel. The ball bearings were shot. I cleaned it out all and put new ball bearings in, using White Lightning crystal grease specially formulated for bikes.

Since then I've put another 3,100 miles on the bike, and I wondered about servicing the bearings. Lifting up the front end, the wheel turned easily. Not knowing how often the bearings should be greased I decided to do them whether needed or not. After removing the front wheel I turned the axle by hand and found it 'grumbled' around. Evidently it was very much in need of servicing.

Having done that I searched for info on how often bearings should be cleaned and greased. I found a website where the author said it should be done every year. I was hoping to learn how many miles it should be between services. Anyway, I now know that 3,000 miles is too many, even just riding dry pavement. I also know that just spinning a wheel doesn't tell me enough about the condition of the ball bearings. Perhaps in 18 months (1,500) miles I'll check them again.

 

[Ajax Bay]

What sort of hubs are they (Make/model)? How could you tell the "bearings were shot"?
"Lifting up the front end, the wheel turned easily. . . . Evidently it was very much in need of servicing." I would have thought that the persuasive evidence should be how the wheel (hub under compression from the QR) turned, not what it felt like after removal.
It sounds, to me, as if you are overthinking this, and overdoing it. But your hubs will be top notch.

 

[oldwheels]

I bought a new Brompton and after a couple of hundred miles heard a clicking noise from the front wheel. There was virtually no grease. All the bearings were checked and all the same.
I assumed it would be supplied from new with adequate grease at least for a month or two but I was clearly wrong.
Your case with a different make could well have been the same.

 

[CharleyFarley]

What sort of hubs are they (Make/model)? How could you tell the "bearings were shot"?
"Lifting up the front end, the wheel turned easily. . . . Evidently it was very much in need of servicing." I would have thought that the persuasive evidence should be how the wheel (hub under compression from the QR) turned, not what it felt like after removal.
It sounds, to me, as if you are overthinking this, and overdoing it. But your hubs will be top notch.

In my first paragraph of my O.P. it shows that the bike didn't want to roll. That means the wheel was seizing under pressure. The brakes weren't binding on the wheel rims, so that leaves the bearings as suspect; that was the "persuasive evidence."

I have no idea the make of the wheels or hubs. The bike is an Electra - Lux 7D. It has no QRs, just axle nuts. It was fine for the first 600 miles, then began to grind with a lot of resistance when pushing the bike out of the shed.

The wheels were literally grinding, pointing to a bearing problem. I ordered new ball bearings but while waiting for them, I decided to clean and regrease the existing bearings. The balls looked okay but that doesn't mean that they were. Putting it back together with the old ball bearings cleaned and greased, a pinging noise started. It sounded like small stones being thrown up and hitting the metal fenders. No noise came from the back wheel. The front wheel has 3/16" ball bearings, and the back wheel has 1/4". When the new ball bearings came, I put them in and there was no more noise. For the original ball bearings to make the pinging noise, the sound travelled through the axle, into the fork and then into the fender stays and then to the fenders, either that or the spokes were 'pinging.' That strongly suggests a problem with the original bearings even after being cleaned and re-greased.

Spinning the wheel while it was under compression, indicated no problems. It was when I removed the wheel that the axle was not running smoothly; it was 'grumbling' as I said. I removed it because it was my intention to clean and re-grease the bearings, anyway. That's when I found the axle 'grumbling.' I didn't care to wait until it grinds and seizes the wheel, again before I serviced it. So cleaning and re-greasing the new bearings after 3,100 miles has made it like new, again. That's why I think that 3,000 miles between servicing was too much.

If I'm "overthinking" and "overdoing" this, how come the new ball bearings fixed the problem? I prefer to not wait until something goes bad before I act.

 

[CharleyFarley]

I bought a new Brompton and after a couple of hundred miles heard a clicking noise from the front wheel. There was virtually no grease. All the bearings were checked and all the same.
I assumed it would be supplied from new with adequate grease at least for a month or two but I was clearly wrong.
Your case with a different make could well have been the same.

I believe you are correct about insufficient grease. When I first looked at the defective bearings there was hardly any grease. A couple of years ago I bought new pedals, not the expensive ones, just ordinary ones (for another bike). Soon, one of them began squeaking. I took it apart and dry ball bearings fell out and scattered across the floor. Greasy bearings don't fall out and roll all over the floor. It seems these things are being skimped over by the foreign makers.

I have two bikes and I'm 76 years old, and I doubt I'll be buying any more bikes but if I did, before I got into riding it, I'd check the bearings for grease. In the case of my cruiser bearings failing so soon, I could have taken it back to the shop and had them fix them under warranty but it's a long drive and I'd have to do the trip twice. It was quicker to do it, myself. At least I know it's done right..

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Yep good practice to take hubs apart/check bearings on new wheels. Agree that shouldn't be necessary.

 

[gbb]

One important factor withQR wheels is to get the cone adjustment just right, there should be a little play in the hubs when adjusting is completed, this gets taken up when you clamp the wheel in the frame. If you adjust them with no play then put them in the frame, they will be too tight.
Occasionally if have to adjust mine two other three times until it felt right in the frame.
Also it might be prudent to look at the cups, if they're damaged, scored etc, new balls will prematurely fail anyway

 

[Jameshow]

Looks like your doing some serious milage. Well done.

I'd think you want to be checking them every 1000 miles.

Then you nip issues in the bud.

 

[Tom B]

I don't think it's a case of how often it terms of time but how many miles. But even then it depends on conditions and hub/bearing types and the seals and CONDITIONS.

My Shimano FH475 rear hub has in the last week developed some play. The minus 8 conditions this week have caused the Freehub to quit giving me a long walk home on Tuesday. Probably it's full of water/ice and stiff grease.
I got it going by pouring boiling water over it but it quit after 4miles, the usual trick of peeing on it didn't work, largely due to a pee shortage.

I last stripped it and cleaned it in November 21. It's done about 5500miles since. It goes out most days in all conditions on the road, gritty muddy cycle paths etc.

The wheel and hub has done about 25k the seals are worn and are letting grit and water in. I think I replaced the seals a few years ago. But it's a budget wheel, by the time I've bought quality bearings, a new fh and grease I'm already at the price of a new hub. Once grit and water get in the bearings fail rapidly. Especially if you are using a jet wash or degreaser to clean the bike.

I once replaced the bearings with cheap bearings and they didn't last 2mins now I either buy hideously priced Shimano bearings or buy them from a nearby industrial bearing supplier who do a nice line in bike bits.

A 3 years ago I replaced my front wheel with a sealed bearing Superstar V6 Hub - with SKS bearings. That has been flawless and other than a quick wipeover has been untouched. I'd like to replace the rear hub with a superstar v6 rear or a hope hub. But ££££ always get in the way. It's coming because the spokes are failing.

 

[CharleyFarley]

One important factor withQR wheels is to get the cone adjustment just right, there should be a little play in the hubs when adjusting is completed, this gets taken up when you clamp the wheel in the frame. If you adjust them with no play then put them in the frame, they will be too tight.
Occasionally if have to adjust mine two other three times until it felt right in the frame.
Also it might be prudent to look at the cups, if they're damaged, scored etc, new balls will prematurely fail anyway

If the cones and lock nuts are adjusted properly, I wouldn't think QRs or axle nuts would do anything to tighten the bearings. I have a front QR on my fat bike and axle nuts on the back wheel. My cruiser has all axle nuts.

You're right about looking at the races (cups). I cleaned the old grease out and inspected them to see if there were scratches or dents. They looked fine to me. The front wheel was smooth and quiet when I picked the front up and spun the wheel, but I decided to service the bearings, anyway. By turning the axle with my fingers, that's when I realized that just spinning the wheel doesn't tell you all that you need to know. I think a few guys, here, might be surprised if they took a wheel out and turned the axle with their fingers.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I wouldn't think QRs or axle lock nuts would do anything to tighten the bearings.

Sorry to break it to you (and from my experience of your postings you'll not accept contrary advice but, hey, I'll give it a go),
you think wrong.
As @gbb says (and 'everyone' knows - I thought their comment was a bit condescending but I was worng: you could benefit from their advice) the bearing adjustment needs to be a tad loose, to allow the hub to be just the right amount in compression when the QR (or to a lesser extent axle nuts) is/are tightened.
And btw they're not "lock nuts". Lock nuts lock another nut: axle nuts secure the axle in position by compressing the dropout between the nut and the lock nut (which is on the hub/in side).

 

[CharleyFarley]

As @gbb says (and 'everyone' knows) the bearing adjustment needs to be a tad loose, to allow the hub to be just the right amount in compression when the QR (or to a lesser extent axle nuts) is/are tightened.

That isn't my experience. You're talking about the ability of the axle nuts to squeeze the axle, shortening it so the bearings are too tight.

And btw they're not "lock nuts". Lock nuts lock another nut: axle nuts secure the axle in position by compressing the dropout between the nut and the lock nut (which is on the hub/in side).

The lock nuts lock the cone nuts. No? They do on my bikes. Then the axle nuts squeeze the dropouts up to the lock nut which locks the cone nut. It works for me.

 

[Ajax Bay]

That isn't my experience. You're talking about the ability of the axle nuts to squeeze the axle, shortening it so the bearings are too tight.

Nope - I'm talking about the ability of the axle nuts to apply tension to the axle, compressing the hub so the bearings are just right (because you've left them a tad loose as @gbb suggests).
". . . from my experience of your postings you'll not accept contrary advice"

If the cones and lock nuts are adjusted properly, I wouldn't think QRs or axle lock nuts would do anything to tighten the bearings.

What's an "axle lock nut" to which you refer? An axle nut or a lock nut (the ones that lock the cones)?

 

[CharleyFarley]

I don't think it's a case of how often it terms of time but how many miles. But even then it depends on conditions and hub/bearing types and the seals and CONDITIONS.

Yes, conditions make a lot of difference. Florida doesn't see snow or ice, and I ride on dry pavement. I agree that it's not a matter of time, but of miles and conditions.

My Shimano FH475 rear hub has in the last week developed some play. The minus 8 conditions this week have caused the Freehub to quit giving me a long walk home on Tuesday. Probably it's full of water/ice and stiff grease.

The only trouble I had with a freehub was when I put a new cassette on my fat bike. I don't think I overtighten things, but after tightening the FH lock ring, the cassette didn't want to turn freely. Wheeling the bike out, it was turning the pedals. So I checked it out, and the cassette turned freely until I put the lock ring in. I ended up just doing it finger-tight, like one or two clicks. Any tighter and it was too tight. I got a new free hub and the bike was fine after that. I never did figure out why the lock ring caused a problem

Once grit and water get in the bearings fail rapidly. Especially if you are using a jet wash or degreaser to clean the bike.

I never use a jet wash or degreaser around the bearings. Provided the cogs are not caked with muck, I don't mind the lube on them. If I had to de-grease it, I'd remove it and do it.

I once replaced the bearings with cheap bearings and they didn't last 2mins now I either buy hideously priced Shimano bearings or buy them from a nearby industrial bearing supplier who do a nice line in bike bits.

I've no idea about the quality of the ball bearings I bought. They came from a place that sells that kind of stuff. It seemed a reputable company. I figured it out that eighteen ball bearings per wheel, cost a little under $4. That included the shipping cost when I bought fifty 1/4" and fifty 3/16" balls.

 

[CharleyFarley]

Nope - I'm talking about the ability of the axle nuts to apply tension to the axle, compressing the hub so the bearings are just right (because you've left them a tad loose as @gbb suggests).

I understand you, perfectly, but I disagree with the concept. I've had no problems with the way I do things. Why should I change my ways just because someone else says it needs to be done differently? If things go wrong with my methods, it's my problem and I'll own it and learn from it.

". . . from my experience of your postings you'll not accept contrary advice"

I pay attention to all offered advice. That doesn't mean I'm going to follow it. I take it that you let others tell you exactly how to service your bike. That is not good, because not all advice is good. I've seen all kinds of BS talked in bike forums such as cyclists who, when they get a new bike, the first thing they do is to remove the pie plate. They remove the reflectors. They throw away the Presta valve dust caps.

What's an "axle lock nut" to which you refer? An axle nut or a lock nut (the ones that lock the cones)?

That was my mistake. I'll try to correct it. An axle nut goes on the axle outside the dropout. With a washer under it, of course.