joedab

I need some quick advice on this hub I decided to rebuild after spinning the axle with my fingers and sensing the bearings were slightly binding on each other. I started to picture the races quickly becoming pitted, but they were clean and smooth, though as I lined new bearings up of this same size and number as came out, the array seems crowded. I have heard many times that hubs should always be built with one less bearing than the maximum capacity to avoid this problem of binding bearings. However, anything I can discern from a search regarding bearings for this hub calls for 18 total. Does it seem right to leave one of these 1/4" bearings out for a total of 16 due to what I felt as bearing to bearing friction?

Bill Kapaun

1/4" balls, 18 pieces.
When you install the cone, it'll spread them out properly in the race.

dsbrantjr

I suspect that the binding you were feeling was a result of the bearings being adjusted to tight.

HillRider

+1 The photo shows the balls in a smaller circle than they will be when the cone is installed.

davidad

Be sure to adjust the bearings with a small amount of play that will become preload when the QR is closed and the axle is compressed.

joedab

I made a point of spacing the bearings radially as far away from each other without the presence of the cone, but regardless they still seem crowded enough that they would make contact at least occasionally while rolling. Would it hurt to just take one out.

I have thought of doing this because a skewer does place a significant load on the cones, but usually figure if the cones are tightened well enough to their locknuts, the effect of the skewer would be negligible ..

HillRider

They will contact each other occasionally no matter what and it's not a problem. Do not take one out. The hubs were designed for 9x1/4" balls per side and Shimano's engineers know what they are doing.

sweeks

No matter how tight the cones and locknuts are, the axle will compress (shorten) slightly when the QR is closed. It's not much, but it's enough to bring the bearings from *too loose* into *correct* spacing, or from *correct* to *too tight*.

Bill Kapaun

Consider actually clamping down a QR and observing, instead of arguing?

dsbrantjr

It is not negligible.

joedab

so ought most people take into account the compression of the skewer when adjusting their hub bearings? is there a good guage of how much play the bearings should have unmounted?

Bill Kapaun

Just do it a couple times and you'll get the feel.

davidad

I adjust the bearings with a 7/16" nut between the QR and axle. I close the QR with about the same amount of force as it would have on the drop-outs. I then adjust the bearing with a small amount of drag (preload). When I open the QR to a 45 degree angle there is a very small amount of free play and the bearings are properly adjusted. I overhaul my hubs at about 2500 miles and have not had to replace balls or cones for years now,

joedab

I wish upon a video showing what you are describing because I can't totally picture your process. Does this mean you do the final cinching of the locknut to the cone with the quick-release engaged on temporary nuts that extend beyond the ends of the axle to take the place of where the dropouts would be?

At this point this thread should be renamed "proper hub bearing adjustment"

davidad

Jus one nut on the right side. I guess you could use two, but I haven't had to.

sweeks

Sheldon Brown has a good description of the process here: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cone-adjustment.html
Scroll down to "Special Tool..."
There are many ways to do this, but the common feature is that one of the cones and its locknut can be adjusted while the axle is under compressive loading.

davidad

go to the bottom to see one way to simulate QR load. https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/