Hub bearings...

[Edwardoka]

Yesterday on a ride where my bike got caught in the rain and where I ended up doing a spot of inadvertent CX, my rear hub started making an alarming noise like a bag of spanners, first when freewheeling and later all the time.

I know the hub races and bearings will need inspection and at a bare minimum the bearings will need replaced and regreased but I'm wondering if it's likely that the hub will be done in if it's already at the stage of making clunking noises?

 

[raleighnut]

What type of hub bearings, TBH a bit of water shouldn't cause problems instantly.

 

[Edwardoka]

What type of hub bearings, TBH a bit of water shouldn't cause problems instantly.

Cup and cone, presumably. It's a shimano r500 wheel circa 2014. Not done that many miles on it (1500-2000 max), but also haven't ever had the hub serviced.

Wouldn't imagine that the damage was down to yesterday's deluge, more likely that it was coincidence or the straw on the camel's back - the bike had barely been ridden for months until a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Cycleops]

You said it started freewheeling. Could that not indicate a problem with the freehub?

 

[Shadow121]

A small amount of moisture in bearings being used every day could run for long enough,
same amount of moisture in a bearing that sits a while will wipe it out when the rust or
corrosion that got a chance to form begins to grind up the bearings.

Time to strip your hub and have a look.

 

[Edwardoka]

You said it started freewheeling. Could that not indicate a problem with the freehub?

It's possible though I've never had a freehub issue happen that isn't resolved by steady pedalling - but I don't know enough to say for sure. The frequency of the clunks is higher when freewheeling, but not eliminated by pedalling.

A small amount of moisture in bearings being used every day could run for long enough,
same amount of moisture in a bearing that sits a while will wipe it out when the rust or
corrosion that got a chance to form begins to grind up the bearings.

Time to strip your hub and have a look.

Yeah, this was my thought, it was a winter hack that has sat mostly untouched, while my first thought was the deluge and the mud it makes more sense that it's a latent issue.

Thanks all, it's going into the LBS tomorrow, I just wanted to get an idea about how likely it is that I'm going to get stung for the cost of a new wheel

 

[raleighnut]

It's possible though I've never had a freehub issue happen that isn't resolved by steady pedalling - but I don't know enough to say for sure. The frequency of the clunks is higher when freewheeling, but not eliminated by pedalling.


Yeah, this was my thought, it was a winter hack that has sat mostly untouched, while my first thought was the deluge and the mud it makes more sense that it's a latent issue.

Thanks all, it's going into the LBS tomorrow, I just wanted to get an idea about how likely it is that I'm going to get stung for the cost of a new wheel

It could be one bearing has shattered due to the lubricating effect of the water freeing off one that had corroded into place and was 'stuck'.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I just wanted to get an idea about how likely it is that I'm going to get stung for the cost of a new wheel

As a regular destroyer of wheels, I can tell you it's cheaper to buy a new one instead of getting a new hub to lace your spokes to plus a new rim.
If one has the know how, one should really open up the wheel every 6 months or so, because of our wet weather.
Here's my last destroyed hub, it went with a crunch while I was riding it, lucky just a few yards from home, but the wheel had been wobbly in the frame for quite a while
I kept the wheel with plans to open it up one day, but for now I can't get the cassette off

Note that some of the bearings must be pulverized, I think only 6 fell out after the mighty crunch.

 

[Edwardoka]

Is that a bearing race or a lost piece of the antikythera mechanism? (I jest, I bet that the inside of my hub will look worse)

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Is that a bearing race or a lost piece of the antikythera mechanism? (I jest, I bet that the inside of my hub will look worse)

Until the wheel doesn't move sideways if you push/pull it, I think the wheel will be OK.
Nothing else for it but to open it, or to get the mechanic to do it