Rear Wheel Lateral Movement

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

akb

Veteran
I was adjusting some bits on the bike last night and noticed that there was quite a lot of 'side-to-side play' in the rear wheel. Is this common and is there a fix that I could do? Or does it sound like an expensive LBS jobby?

The bike is a 2 year old Trek Hybrid commuter with Bontrager wheels. The commute is a bit of road and a bit of bumpy track, 20 mile round trip, 4 days a week.

Any ideas? Money is a ballache at the minute so would rather fix it myself and use the MTB as my back up commuter. But if I need to take it to an LBS then so be it; just wont be able to until payday at the end of the month :sad:
 

Jimmy Doug

If you know what's good for you ...
Sounds like you need to tighten your cones.
 

paul04

Über Member
My back wheel was the same, took me 5 minutes to fix. I just put a spanner on both sides of the hub and gave it 1/4 of a turn. have a quick look on google if you need to see a video to guide you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: akb

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
Thanks jimmy. Is it as easy as it sounds?

Your axle will have a cone and a locknut on each side of the wheel. The spanner flats on these are really quite thin, so you'll either need some cheap pressed steel spanners, or specific cone spanners to be able to tighten them up against each other.

Start by loosening off slightly (only a turn or two) the cone and locknut to give you a starting point.

Tighten the cone up to the bearings until play is removed from the hubs but the axle still spins smoothly/freely, then tighten it up just a little bit extra so the tension on the bearings is slightly too much, but only very slightly.

Then bring the locknut up snug against the cone and (holding the locknut with one spanner and the cone with another) tighten the cone back against the locknut, so it's firmly locked in to place. If you set the initial tension on the bearings correctly then this should loosen it off, so it is no longer over-tight, leaving the bearings to spin freely and no play in the hub.

By doing it this way (tightening the cone against the locknut), and not just turning both the cone and locknut clockwise to tighten them up against the bearings, you're making sure that the cone is locked in to place and won't come loose again.

It's a bit fiddly, but not really hard at all. On your first attempt it may take a few goes before you get the tension just right, but persevere and you'll get there.
 

HovR

Über Member
Location
Plymouth
No problem! Re-reading my post I thought I'd just clarify, when I said:

Start by loosening off slightly (only a turn or two) the cone and locknut to give you a starting point.

You only need to loosen off the cone and locknut on one side of the wheel. If it's a rear wheel then it's easier on the non-drive side. It's also beneficial to ensure that the cone and locknut on the side that you are not loosening are nice and tight against each other.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
If your checking axle tightness you night as well loosen them off enough to squeeze some grease in their as well.
I had the same problem with my front wheel and i used a mini grease gun that you can screw a tube of grease onto to squirt a good dollop of grease into the cones either side , not a full hub service where i would take the cones off , check for pitting and wear etc and repack the whole lot but it is good enough to lube it up a bit.
 

Supersuperleeds

Legendary Member
Location
Leicester
If your checking axle tightness you night as well loosen them off enough to squeeze some grease in their as well.
I had the same problem with my front wheel and i used a mini grease gun that you can screw a tube of grease onto to squirt a good dollop of grease into the cones either side , not a full hub service where i would take the cones off , check for pitting and wear etc and repack the whole lot but it is good enough to lube it up a bit.

Go on then, but I am a numpty so can you recommend some grease I should get, I am hoping to go into the LBS tomorrow. I'd prefer to get some grease I can use on the pedals as well as I am about to get another bike and will be switching the pedals myself.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Go on then, but I am a numpty so can you recommend some grease I should get, I am hoping to go into the LBS tomorrow. I'd prefer to get some grease I can use on the pedals as well as I am about to get another bike and will be switching the pedals myself.
I use halford stuff, i am sure theres better but it works ok, and it fits onto the grease gun ..
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_715185_langId_-1_categoryId_228374
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_525661_langId_-1_categoryId_242558
 
Top Bottom