are all Ball bearings created equall?

[Kiwiavenger]

Ive had a bit of play in my rear wheel (lateral movement) so though id check out the bearings.

took the axle out and checked the cones?? which look slightly pitted so will be replacing them along with the Bearings.

i need more grease but is there any real differnce in ball bearings? im taking the old ones into the shop to get the right size but is there any differnce and what types of bb's can i get??

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

This thread should prove useful.

In my experience, AccountantPete and RecordAceFromNew know what they are talking about.

 

[dellzeqq]

Dura-Ace bearings are four times as strong as standard steel bearings. What that means precisely I've no idea, but I've never had one go.

 

[dan_bo]

Dura-Ace bearings are four times as strong as standard steel bearings. What that means precisely I've no idea, but I've never had one go.

I believe DA bearings, cranks etc go through extra annealing processes to lower defect concentration- makes for tough stuff.

 

[byegad]

It's not the strength so much as the roundness. Not all Ball Bearings are as round as each other!

 

[PpPete]

There are various qualities (and prices) but I don't think the difference in quality makes a whole lot of difference compared with the differences coming from the quality of adjustment of the cones and locknuts.

 

[guitarpete247]

Found this ebay shop. Near the bottom of their ad. they have a chart showing the differences between different grades of bearing.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

looks like it may have been a bit loose so muck and water have got in there causing the pitting. will put copious amounts of grease and see what my LBS advise at lunch!!

I'm already pricing up a wheel rebuild around 105 hubs for when i upgrade the rest of the bike bits!

 

[e-rider]

interesting reading - however, when you enter a bike shop and they get some bearings out of a dirty old drawer under the counter, you have no idea what grade they are! I will ask next time though.

Another question though, when I recently re-greased my rear Deore hub I also noticed that the cone was very pitted (not sure how that happened), do shimano sell exact replacements? Tech-docs for part number I guess?

 

[Tim Hall]

Correct. St John Street cycles have an extensive range of cones, once you've identified the part needed.

 

[dellzeqq]

It's not the strength so much as the roundness. Not all Ball Bearings are as round as each other!

Team GB has rounder bearings, apparently, And they wear hot pants.

 

[byegad]

Yes I liked their statement that they weren't using special wheels they are just round. (I.E. Rounder than the opposition's.) In the men's Keiran you could see the German rider's handlebar chattering like mine do on a gravel road. Their wheels are less round than ours.

 

[accountantpete]

You want to look out for Grade 10 ball bearings - the "roundness" is graded so that 1 = really round and 100 which is less round.

This is the grade that Campagnolo use in their Record hubs.

I use Chromed Steel bearings (I'm asssured that they are well strong enough by the suppliers) from Simply Bearings

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=37912

One point to bear in mind though - decent hubs have precision engineered races and cones to match the precision bearings. Lesser hubs will have slightly inferior races/cones and you won't improve matters greatly using top bearings on these races.

 

[Blue Hills]

Correct. St John Street cycles have an extensive range of cones, once you've identified the part needed.

I looked a while ago - identifying the right part seemed a tad tricky. I'm not criticising St John Street Cycles (probably down to Shimano) but I had the idea that it would often make more economic sense to buy a new hub from a good cheapo place and get the other bits as well.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

I took the old axle, cones and bearings in and got like for like replacements. The grease I used feels really viscous but the wheel rolls ok and now has almost a 50/50 mix of black and silver spokes lol. Noticed quite a few spokes had been gouged some how behind my cassette! Next up will be a set of home made hand builts on decent hubs

Sent from the Holodeck on my Tricorder