Cup & cone hub lock nut adjustment woes

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ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
The rear hub on my MTB was sounding a bit rumbly, so I stripped it down and regreased everything today.

Although I'm used to adjusting cup & cone bearings properly, on this wheel I struggled to get the lock nuts tightened against the cones, as the cone disappeared too far into the hub body to allow me to get my cone wrench onto the flats.

At the moment I'm banking on the compression from the quick release skewer holding the lock nut in place, preventing the cone from backing off at all (and I'm further assuming it's unlikely to spontaneously creep inwards binding up the bearings).

Does this sound like it should work OK?

It's still not ideal as I use this bike in the car a lot and have to take off the rear wheel to do so, so I'd be fiddling with the cone adjustment every time I do up the quick release.
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
ps - should have mentioned the drive side lock nut is snugged up against the cone and correctly recessed inside the cassette body. The problem is the non drive side cone, which is too far into the hub for me to get a grip on it.

There is a metal dust cap/seal getting in the way - I tried to remove it but no joy and don't want to destroy it by accident!
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
I'd agree with Skol, without the lockout to hold the cone...its liable to eat itself.
Personally, I'd take off the lockout....try to wedge the cone to stop it turning (screwdriver wedged in there perhaps) and wind out the axle from the drive side and start over.
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
Thanks @I like Skol - wasn't aware the cones could spontaneously tighten but that's definitely worth knowing. I'll have to fix this before taking it for a spin then!

The hubs a shimano one (not sure what model) with loose bearings rather than caged ones (one side had 8 in rather than 9 but that shouldn't be the end of the world).

It did look almost like the bearing cup may be adjustable within the hub which could explain the problem if it's somehow worked inwards a little? I can't think why this would be useful though - maybe to suit different width drop-outs?
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
I'm on it now. Looks like I just have to push the dust cap in a bit more to get a grip with the cone spanner.

Thanks to all those who responded as I was totally going to ride this bike tomorrow on some tricky (for me) trails, which sounds like it could have ended badly!
 

alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
It's still not ideal as I use this bike in the car a lot and have to take off the rear wheel to do so, so I'd be fiddling with the cone adjustment every time I do up the quick release.

As an aside now you've fixed the main problem, I was surprised that you had to take the rear wheel out to get the bike in the car. I can usually manage with no wheel or just the front one.
 
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ChrisEyles

ChrisEyles

Guru
Location
Devon
All sorted now.

@alicat the front brake shoes don't release wife enough to get the front wheel out without deflating the front tyre, hence the back wheel has to come off. My car is pretty small so most of my bikes I have to take both wheels off to get them in!
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
Some cheap hubs have press-fit dustcaps on the cones themselves. If these are dislodged it can be very hard to get them on straight again.
 
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