Weird noise from front hub, I think

[slowmotion]

I would be grateful for advice about a strange problem.

I spent last Friday riding in Holland, Hook of Holland to Amsterdam, one way, on my Dawes Discovery 501 hybrid. The route went North along the coast on the LF1 cycle path, and turned East at Zandvoort onto the LF20.

It was quite windy on the LF1 in the dunes and there was a bit of sand on the path on the way. Getting home early this morning, I squirted some water at the bike to remove the sand . I think I was gentle with the hose-pipe, and avoided jets into the important bearings, but there were strange noises from the front wheel when I then rode to work for five miles.

It might best be described as a kind of tumbling/tinkling that had no particular relationship, to wheel rotation , but varied with speed. Not a steady roughness.

I took off the wheel and tyre/tube and there was nothing inside the rim. There didn't seem to any appreciable moisure inside the rubber boots that protect the hub bearings next to the QR axle, but when the wheel was rotated with the axle vertical, it was silent. When the axle was horizontal, the noise came back. All the evidence so far points towards a dodgy bearing, but it just didn't sound like one. Could it be a spoke problem or something?

Please help...I'm lost!

Thank-you.

 

[battered]

Dodgy bearing is my guess. It was silent when vertical as there was no load. I would strip and clean it, takes 20 minutes. If it's goosed, you will know. In fact I'd slam new balls in there on principle, they cost buttons and it's as easy to drop new in as inspect old.

 

[slowmotion]

Dodgy bearing is my guess. It was silent when vertical as there was no load. I would strip and clean it, takes 20 minutes. If it's goosed, you will know. In fact I'd slam new balls in there on principle, they cost buttons and it's as easy to drop new in as inspect old.

battered,

Can you give me a link on how to do that? Cycle Tutor or something ? I have a workshop, but it isn't bike-specific. Loads of tools otherwise.

Many thanks.

 

[slowmotion]

Sorry battered, that was appallingly lazy of me! I found a topic on Bicycle Tutor that clearly explains what needs to be done.

Here it is...

http://bicycletutor.com/overhaul-wheel-bearings/

 

[palinurus]

Wheel bearings can make a tinkling or ting-ting type sound when they are on the way out.

 

[battered]

I never imagined there was a video on how-to! It's very easy, all you have to remember to understand how it works is that you have fixed cups inside the hub and you are tghtening cones against them. Take it to bits from one side, then the only clever bit is tightening the cones up until it neither binds nor is loose, then do up the locknut. Easy. You will probably need cone spanners, they are thinner than standard ones.

 

[slowmotion]

You will probably need cone spanners, they are thinner than standard ones.

I attacked a standard spanner with my grinding wheel and made my own cone one....

If I want to replace the balls, is Grade 100 OK, or should I use Grade 25 or better? Thanks.

 

[battered]

Blimey, the bloke's making his own tools and wants MY advice on a bearing rebuild?

I don't know about bearing grades. What I do know is that bike loadings are buttons compared to most engineering applications so I can't see you having a problem. Let's be honest, the things turn at a few hundred RPM, at best, loading is minimal even if you are a big lad, they don't get hot and they are packed with grease so I'd use anything that fits.