Replacement wheel bearing cone
 

Hi, I've stripped and repacked cup and cone bearings before but never actually had to replace a cone, till now.
The cone is for the rear wheel non-drive side (disc brake side) of a Kona ***** Inc (circa 2011) in a XERO branded hub (model unknown). The cone here has been damaged.
The Kona website models database doesn't go back this far, so I don't know what the hubs actually are.
Can anyone tell me where I could get a replacement cone?
I've looked around on the web but can't seem to find anything that looks quite the same.
It's a QR hub with M10 axle. The cone is 14mm deep with 15mm A/F nut. The dust cover part is 24mm dia.
(I would have included a photo, but I'm new to this forum, but it appears the system won't let me till I've made another 9 posts!)
Many thanks.

Is it just the cone itself that's damaged? What's the condition of the hub's inner cup race? You mention the dust cover being 24mm, is that in good shape?

Having bought a Kona Dew+ last year I've noticed Kona doesn't make it easy to find specs for parts used on their products. Still, there's enough of them out there that somewhere the part you want is waiting for you. My half-century old Motobecane's Campy hubs use M10 axles too, as do many other brand hubs. That you're in London suggests there's got to be a number of bike shops around you that may very well have what you need in their collections of parts.

As for posting images... you can upload images to a Gallery you've set up before you reach than 10-post threshold. Other Forum members can then view your Gallery images at any time.

Yes, it's just the cone. The race in the cup looks to be good still. The dust cover (not sure that's the right term for it) is like a thick washer 2/3 of the way up the cone body.
Have just uploaded some images to the gallery.

https://wheelsmfg.com/

i get replacement cones from Wheels Mfg
No returns on cones and bearings. So if you’ve not ordered from them before maybe work with your bike shop if you have a good relationship with them.

good luck!

Yep, I see now. That cover's a press-fit on your cone nut, something I've not encountered before. Looks to be in OK shape for re-use though once you find a proper replacement cone.

You tried posting a tech support query on Kona's website yet? Or calling / stopping in at a couple of your LBS for their opinions?

Check here. "wheel hub axle cones" - Modern Bike Might take awhile to scroll through all the choices and my search maybe could be a little more precise to eliminate all the non-cone parts. You may be able to find a part number to get from a local shop.

The good news is the dust cover is usually just lightly pressed on and is easily removed by a properly sized socket and hand pressure on a table top. Now you are just looking for the appropriate cone.

Most bike shops have a shoebox full of miscellaneous cones. Bring the old one in to see if they'll let you paw through the box to find a match.

Thanks MRV, Wheels Mfg looks comprehensive. Will browse through and see what fits the bill.

And many thanks Base2 and CrankyCrank. Will check out your suggestions too. Cheers!

It's unusual for just the NDS cone to be damaged - are you sure the axle is straight?

Hi Grumpus, Thanks. Yes, the axle itself rolls on a flat surface well without any sign of misalignment.

aYes. Measure and eyeball the contour of the race carefully. And if you're not sure of the thread pitch, order an axle and locknuts, too.

I struggle with spending so much money on vintage wheels - as an example - I purchased a 27in wheelset so the hub width would match the frame. For $20 I got wheelset, skewers, tires, tubes, and a NOS freewheel. $20 plus chatting for 90 minutes with the seller....

then i just replaced the cones front and rear: $60 !! and like $5 for balls from my LBS.
anyway.... i guess i really want those hubs!! ha!

$65 for parts for overhauling a 27" wheel is insane. Of course your local shop might have cheap axle sets from J&B for $15 that might work. But the days when I could walk into a shop and get a Campagnolo axle set for $20, and balls for 10 cents each, are long gone.

Just find any cone that fits that axle. You can add or remove spacers as needed to get the OLD and wheel centered to the frame.

I had never heard of XERO. But a quick search turned up an old BF thread that said they are Formula.

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...ngs-parts.html

There are a couple of XERO rear hubs on eBay, that my work as donors. If not, go to an LBS and see is they have a similar Formula made hub or Formula cones that match yours.

John

I bought a whole bike for I think £22, initially just for the rims, but then I used most of the wheelset (less tyres and one axle), mudguards, rear carrier, pedals, one of the brakes ...

To get by while you're trying to find a correct replacement (I can't stand being without my bike), part of an article I am writing about bearing adjustment (even sheldonbrown is missing some critical info):

Obviously, best if the cones (inner races) have no pits or spalling, but if it does and you're broke or time-challenged, you can get by, by marking with paint/nail-polish on the outer locknut periphery, the position of that spalling, and install the wheel on the bike with that mark on TOP, because it's the bottom of the cone that is taking most of the load. You'd be surprised how much difference that makes with a damaged cone. If it's rear axle and drive side, orient the spall position on top and slightly forward, as you're getting tension loads from the chain to the aft part of the cone.

Would the term timing have application here?

You're timing your installed bearings to maximize putting clear race surfaces at positions of greatest stress, correct? Interesting concept.

Bike singular? There's a simple solution to that.That's an interesting idea, I may try it. I get more use from a worn hub simply by taking care with bearing adjustment: just set it so it feels OK in the less worn parts and a bit loose in the worse parts, it will run with the occasional clunk but remain serviceable while you're sorting a new wheel (this is probably best avoided in the case of a traditional freewheel rear hub, as those axles tend to break). If you try to adjust out all the movement the bearing will soon fail, possibly catastrophically and miles from home.

Exactly. I think in this case, the term would be "clocked", and not timed. :) Proven on current bike, noticeable difference. Didn't know about the cone spalling until regreasing hubs, discovered, marked and positioned as noted, could feel the improvement in smoothness. I've had it that way for a couple years now, probably 10,000+ miles. I should buy new cones, but it's working for now, and I'm guessing to swap out the wheels this year due to sidewall wear. Note, the spalling may have been caused by my previous wheel bearing adjustments, I used to always leave the tiniest bit of slack in the adjustment. I now know this to be wrong, slack means radial load goes into 2 or 3 bearing balls on each side. No slack, and very slight preload, means load goes into about 180 degrees, or half of the bearing balls, on each side. Vastly improved durability. I did a deep dive on bearing theory.

I have many bikes. But they are all in storage, far away. I live in a tiny room for seniors. I can only fit one bike, a folder that is outfit like a full tourer as my townie.

Sounds like life in university accomodation, I was down to one bike having sold the rest.

Riiiiggghhhhttttt... so tell me how you tell time w/o a clock of some kind? Potato, potahto.

But the practice has merit, I agree 100%! And as for preloading bearings, yes they need to be snug in their races so as to limit any side-to-side deflection that just pounds (peens) races to bits. Even tapered roller bearings need to be snug; leaving any dimension for movement is tantamount to a disaster in waiting.

Roller bearings especially, as any slack can cause edge-loading of the rollers.

The qualifier to the above is headset ball bearings, where if you adjusted it the slightest bit tight, it instantly brinelled (dented) the headset races, and you had lumpy steering. This was very easy to do with headset nuts. Newer designs that clamp the stem around the steering tube are much more foolproof; Push down while tightening the stem clamp. Some use a star nut to pull down on the stem, but it's a small screw, not large nut requiring a big wrench and too much leverage.

I usually associate "timing" with dynamic machines, and "clocking" for stationary positions. But definitely not worth arguing about.