Wheel problems

[Ihatehills]

I have a specialised sirrus with a rear hub that was becoming noisy and developing some play, I removed the axle to clean and re grease and discovered that the bearings on the freehubside were really discoloured and rusty, due to overzealous hose use I would guess ( which is weird as I hardly wash it) are the cup and cone replaceable ? The cup kinda looks like it might screw in ? I have regreased and reassembled but it feels fairly gritty.

Secondly,
I attempted to just replace the wheel, and have since found out that road wheels and mountain bike / hybrid wheels are different dimensions between the rear dropouts, hybrid wheels do not seem to be that common or am I searching incorrectly?
Thanks for any help given

 

[mjr]

It depends on the bike (most variations are probably out there somewhere and there's always people springing steel frames both ways) and hybrids are usually MTB in my experience, but here's a spacing cribsheet: http://sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html

Could be hose use but it's probably some sort of water ingress and insufficient regreasing. Cones are definitely replaceable. Some cups are, but it's probably a good idea to tell people what hubs or wheels they are, so someone who has the same might know with more certainty. Can you see dents/pitting in them? That'll make even clean bearings feel jaggy.

 

[Nibor]

Your hybrid wheel is most likely a 135mm spacing the same as mountain bikes roads generally have 130mm spacing unless they have disc brakes which are 135mm spacing too

 

[Ihatehills]

@mjray Wheels are what came on the bike

www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/fitness/sirrus-sport/106264

@Nibor yes they are 135mm as I found after ordering road wheels that didn't fit, I've since ordered a hybrid wheel which came out of true ( which I trued up ) before discovering that it doesn't sit in the centre of the dropouts.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The only replaceable cup I know of is that on high-end Campagnolo wheels. The rest are all fitted for life. Life is not that long. Hose spray is definitely not recommended on hubs. Grease is not a waterproofing agent. It readily emulsifies and traps the water which cannot evaporate but still do it's damage.

Replace the cones and live with rough wheels.

 

[gbb]

In the short term...and maybe longer term, I'd go with yellow saddle. Ive overhauled some really cheap nasty hubs, strip, inspect the cones, they may be ok, clean, grease, rebuild. It may be they'll last reasonably well...ive had some do ok in the past.

 

[mjr]

Grease is not a waterproofing agent. It readily emulsifies and traps the water which cannot evaporate but still do it's damage.

Is that true even of Aquaslip-like water-resistant grease?

 

[Crandoggler]

I'd blast the grease out, use a water disperser and then regrease.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Is that true even of Aquaslip-like water-resistant grease?

Yes. There is no such thing as waterproof grease, even if the tin says so. Grease readily emulsifies. This is true even if the tin says boat grease, submarine grease, deep sea underwater explorer rig grease, marine grease, rain proof grease or just, grease.

Marine grease is made from calcium "soap" rather than lithium soap which has a bit more resistance to breaking down in the presence of salt. This does not mean it is water proof. If grease was waterproof you 'd never be able to make mayonnaise.