Squeaky wheel bearing

[justinmg]

I decided to grease my cup and cone bearings. On reassembly it now seems to squeak at anything over a gentle pace. I have stripped and ultrasound cleaned all the components and balls, and the races appear smooth. I have progressively slackened the system but always put plenty of counter tightness on the outside nuts, to the point of having excessive play in the wheel so I don’t think the bearing race interface is the issue ( it’s all smothered in grease anyway).
The one things that affects the squeak is the tightness of the thru axle. If I slacken it off , I get silence. I can not tell which is the articulating surface causing the squeak, and don’t understand how if the outer edges of the hub are fixed in place with cone spanners, how a tight thru axle causes hub noise. It’s driving me insane!!

 

[Ajax Bay]

I offer no advice except that you may wish to consider amending your thread's title. "Mental breakdown" is not a term to be bandied about, even in chat. Hyperbole is great, but not in this spectrum.

 

[fossyant]

Spokes - just had the same. Give each pair of crossed spokes a good squeeze, both sides and see what happens. Mine are hand built by me, and not touched for over two years. Checked mudguards, canti-pad clearance with tyre nothing. Riding got a squeak. Spinning wheel not. Turned bars and rocked bike, squeak. Turned out the spokes hadn't moved much at all on the front in ages and just settled into a certain position. The squeeze sorted it. If it comes back I'll nip up each nipple a 1/4 turn.

 

[fossyant]

Check tyre and brake pad contact too first !

 

[gbb]

Are or do the hubs have rubber seals on the axle, to keep water out etc. They definitely can cause squeaks. Squirt a little oil on the seal/axle interface, that can sort it

 

[Paulus]

With the offending wheel out of the frame and the through axle in place, does the squeak still happen when turning the wheel by hand?