Hunt wheel bearing - not the best!

[AlanW]

I replaced both sets of wheel bearings in my (four months old) Hunt Four Season Pro disc wheels, exactly a month ago today in fact. To be honest I was quite disappointed that they had only lasted a few thousand miles and as such I contacted Hunt to express my disappointment. Now to be fair to Hunt wheels, I have always found their customer support to be very proactive, and this instance was no different. I could either return the wheels for inspection/repair or they would send me a set of four bearings FOC for me to replace myself. Needless to say that I opted for the latter option.

The bearings arrived a few days later and were fitted the very same day.

Now the bad news, after just 621 miles the rear ones have gone again! 😡

Once again a another call to Hunt and again they have sent me set of four bearings FOC. But despite the great customer service of Hunt, it really is a ball ache keep replacing wheel bearings and I've lost all confidence in them now.

So I have just had a ride down to the local bearing supplier and purchased a pair of Enduro LLU/LB ABEC 5 bearings instead.

Just finished fitting them and I admit to being really shocked and equally surprised that one of the replacement Hunt bearings was 100% shot, there was so much play in it for a bearing that had only done such low miles??

I just hope that the Enduro bearings last longer!! 🤞

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Deep groove cartridge ball bearings don't perform well in bicycle wheels. These bearings are not designed for lateral loading, which a bicycle does do. Combine that inherent design flaw with flimsty, flexible axles or undersize bearings and you end up where you are.

Putting better quality bearings in there will not make a difference, unless the originals were really rubbish - the application is just wrong. What brand were they?

You didn't describe the failure mode, so I assume it is galling and/or spalling? Water ingress is a different story, but also a by-product of poor design. Let's have some up-close look at those hub, assembled and disassembled and we can take a look.

 

[AlanW]

Deep groove cartridge ball bearings don't perform well in bicycle wheels. These bearings are not designed for lateral loading, which a bicycle does do. Combine that inherent design flaw with flimsty, flexible axles or undersize bearings and you end up where you are.

Putting better quality bearings in there will not make a difference, unless the originals were really rubbish - the application is just wrong. What brand were they?

You didn't describe the failure mode, so I assume it is galling and/or spalling? Water ingress is a different story, but also a by-product of poor design. Let's have some up-close look at those hub, assembled and disassembled and we can take a look.

The was no grinding or noise coming from the wheel, but there was a few millimetes of side to side play when moving the rim backwards and forwards. When l removed the old bearings it was pretty evident that water ingress was the route cause. Even so, to have them fail in such a short amount of time is bad, especially given the fact that the wheels are sold as "Four Season" wheels?

The replacements are as mentioned in my opening, but the full description of them is Enduro MR15267 LLU/LLB ABEC 5.

 

[AlanW]

The above is the only photo l took while replacing the bearings, apart from a picture of the actual bearing.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The above is the only photo l took while replacing the bearings, apart from a picture of the actual bearing.

The photos don't see much. I assume the loose bearing is the water damaged one. No sign of brown ooze there. What I do see though is an aluminium axle - flexible and prone to wear. Not good support for deep groove bearings.
I see no evidence of hub seals protecting the bearings - what does the cap look like that goes adjacent to the bearing ?

MR15267 bearings are too small for the job. Typically found in lightweight wheels.

LLU/LLB 0 simpkly code for rubber seals.


ABEC 5 Grading of ball smoothness, less than 5 micron aspherities on the balls. It is a smooth bearing but undersized for the job.

Shimano cup-ankd-cone bearing balls are 100 micron on cheap hubs and 20n on expensive hubs and both last far, far, far longer than one season. The simple reason is Angular Contact Bearings (ACBs) and contact seals flanked by labyrinth seals.

I see what looks like sections of rouge on the flange where the freewhub sits. It looks to me that the flex makes the hub contacts the wheel, perhaps another sign of a flimsy axle. And whilst I'm on a dissing spree, I may also notice that the wheel has too few spokes and that the spokes were not properly aligned or stress-relieved with the hub at build stage

Boutique wheels put you on a hiding to nowhere other than in the gram-bragging section of the peloton.

 

[I like Skol]

LLU out or LLB out? I have LLU/LLB bearings in my BB and can't remember but have googled it last time I fitted a set.

 

[AlanW]

The photo is with a new bearing fitted, which is why it doesn't show and signs of water damage.

Yes, l am aware of what the codes mean, which are hopefully better than the OEM Hunt ones?

As for the overall design flaws you mention, that's totally out of my control really, that's an issue you might want to take up with Hunt maybe?

Overall, other than this recent bearing issue, l don't have a problem with Hunt wheels

 

[AlanW]

LLU out or LLB out? I have LLU/LLB bearings in my BB and can't remember but have googled it last time I fitted a set.

LLU out

 

[gbb]

Certainly the factory fit bearings in my Fulcrums were of 'modest ' quality.
No bearing cage..ie the balls are loose and it allows ball to ball contact...always the sign of a cheap bearing.
But better bearings if you can, problem solved.

 

[lostinthought]

Certainly the factory fit bearings in my Fulcrums were of 'modest ' quality.
No bearing cage..ie the balls are loose and it allows ball to ball contact...always the sign of a cheap bearing.
But better bearings if you can, problem solved.

Aren't Fulcrum wheels Campagnolo? With cup and cone hubs?

Nothing wrong with individual ball bearings, but I'd expect them always to be fitted with caged bearings from the factory for speed of assembly. Did you buy them new?!

 

[fossyant]

Fulcrum are cartridge. Enduro last reasonably well on my FS MTB.

 

[AlanW]

I was going to buy a couple from Hambini, and while they might be very, very good, the cost was a little steep

 

[lostinthought]

Fulcrum are cartridge. Enduro last reasonably well on my FS MTB.

Eh, shows how behind the curve I am! 😂 Thanks!