Rear hub service..

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Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
My back wheel has developed a little lateral movement after 1100 miles.

No problem, thinks I, I will get some cone spanners & nip up the cones.

But LBS helpfully advises me that I'd also need to take off the freehub too, which I don't have the tools for, and they can service the thing for £15.00 sometime in September - which sounds like a better plan to me.
 

Sittingduck

Legendary Member
Location
Somewhere flat
I have just noticed something similar on my Aksiums. I may have to have a fettle in the next couple of days, although I'm a bit inexperienced with cones (of the un-ice-cream-filled variety).
 

Kiwiavenger

im a little tea pot
i have play too. changed the bearings etc but my freehub has play in it so will need that out this weekend so i can commute on it still!

The amount ive spent sorting these wheels out could have bought me a new shiny set by now!!!
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Cup/cone you don't have to take the freehub off at all (certainly for Shimano and compatible hubs). To remove a freehub, you just need a 10mm (12mm for some copies) hex key.

The Aksium was mentioned - this takes cartridge bearings and you can adjust the pre-load much in the same way as traditional cup/cone, but you can't really service the bearings (you can but you need tools to extract the cartridge). Only a very slight adjustment should see them tight again.

Freehubs with play - check the retaining bolt (if it takes one - may depend upon hub) is tight. If it is secure, you may need a new freehub.
 
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Arjimlad

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
The back axle started to make some horrible noises this evening. So I watched a Youtube video about stripping a Shimano freehub axle, took the cassette off, stripped my axle down, took the freehub off with a 12mm allen key held in a vice, and gave it all a good blast out clean with gt85. The drive side bearings were a little rusty and the freehub wasn't running smooth, but it soon fettled up OK with the relube.

I then relubed it all up again with oil and grease. I think I got the cones tight enough again when reassembling - finger tight enough to run smooth but not loose enough to wobble - and perhaps I should get some new bearings for another time.

Not difficult.. I hope..!
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
I think I got the cones tight enough again when reassembling - finger tight enough to run smooth but not loose enough to wobble - and perhaps I should get some new bearings for another time.

Not difficult.. I hope..!

If you leave a *bit* of play / wobble when you're adjusting the bearings you should find that the QR takes it out when you refit the wheel to the bike.
 
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Arjimlad

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
Thanks.. I left it so it all ran really smooth. There were a lot of flat threads on the axle, I take it that's normal ?
 
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Arjimlad

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
It's all back together now but looking at pictures of other axles, they all seem to have flat bits, either no threads or flattened ones.

Mine looked like this one http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-fh-4500-rear-complete-hub-axle-assembly-3cr-9802-prod22702/

I tightened the cones up by hand, so that the wheel still ran freely, but with no play, then tightened the lock nut into place. If I overtightened the cones the wheel was really rough. There's less play now - pretty much none at all - than there was before I started. I will get some new bearings soon.

Thanks for all the help !
 
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