Front hub (rookie mistake)
 

I was servicing my hubs for the first time ever and managed to do rookie mistake. I measured ball bearings from the back and it was 1/4. So I didn´t check front hub bearings and changed them as well to 1/4. I already got rid of the old bearings and realized afterwards, that front hub might be using 3/16 bearings? Is there any possibility that front hubs uses 1/4 bearings ever? My bike is Felt Verza Speed 20, model year 2017 and it has "noname" brandless hubs.

Not likely the front takes 1/4" balls but can't say for sure and I can't find any info on what the hubs are. Try contacting Felt directly as they should have that info.

You've had the hub apart? You changed the balls out? If you don't mind taking it back apart (no big deal) you can take the cone you removed from the axle and see if it seats into the bearings correctly or not. if the bearing hits the center of the cone race with the bearings in the hub, they are most likely correct. if the cone doesn't drop in and the bearings just ride the edge of the cone, you need a smaller bearing size.

Very little chance that a front hub would use 1/4" bearings. 3/16 or 7/32 are typical.

What is the front hub? Most fronts are 3/16".

​​​​​​https://bike.bikegremlin.com/2255/st...ng-ball-sizes/

​​​​​​https://wheelsmfg.com/hub-parts#front_road

OP states "No Name" found on the hub... Probably a Formula.. they make the majority of "no name hubs".

cchki ... 3/16" balls, ten per side, is the safe guess. If it's a QR type hub, leave a tiny amount of play in the Bearing adjustment.

Thank you all for the answers, I will take the hub apart and check it.

The Felt 2017 catalog (available online here) indicates that the hubs on the 2017 Verza Speed 20 were "Felt, sealed mech, 32H." You might reach out to them and see what they have to say regarding bearing ball size and number for your hubs, and if they might have manuals/drawings/specification for those hubs.

Felt also has a support page for customer contacts, as well as a Knowledge Base. Didn't see a toll free telephone number.

I believe I did see elsewhere on their website that they try to answer customer contacts within 1 or 2 days.

You don't have to take anything apart, the hub will tell you.

If you used the wrong balls, the axle length, lockout to lockout will now be longer. So a simple measurement will tell you where you stand.

Do you mean OLD? It should be 100mm, so if it´s longer, then I know?

Yes. Larger balls push the cones out, so if you use all the original parts, the OLD will be greater than before

I took the measurements with the caliber and it was exactly 100mm. But I was thinking that I put 9pc 1/4 bearings and 3/16 bearings you need 10pc. You think it should still be more than 100mm if bearings are not correct now? Everyone is telling, that there is no such hub existing, that take 1/4 bearings in front hub.

not completely true... i've had two through my place in the last year's time..... fairly old MTB bikes may have them, and i'd imagine some BMX bikes might use them too..... Still, they are extremely rare!

oops, hadn't made it to your latest post... if the 1/4" balls fit, the axle turns smoothly with no Notchiness, and the O.L.D. you have now measured is correct... run it! :thumb:

the oddest hub i have here is a nutted axle with an 80mm O.L.D.... off some old Huffy or something. I don't toss it out of curiosity.

No one stated that 1/4" ball front hubs Don't Exist... but they are RARE. Last bike i recall having the 1/4 ball front hub was a Columbia Women-specific "Trail Head" MTB... they were 4 bolt Disc hubs... yes... FOUR bolt discs. alas, the rear hub used odd Cones that are badly trashed/pitted, i had none in stock..... rims/spokes were fine... i replaced both hubs... the front hub is in a stock bin now... after some serious upgrades, the bike now weighs 26 lbs. and is a blast to ride!

It's not the number of balls, it's the diameter. So larger balls would push the cones out, the same way smaller or no balls would let them in deeper

So, correct OLD confirms correct size balls. Keep in mind that we're talking about a small difference, so accurate measurement is required.

key factors to consider... "2017"... and "No Name Hub"
guess away.

assuming that the axle set Parts weren't changed or some spacers weren't left on the bench........ If the O.L.D. is good, and the axle spins fine....

run it.

i've ranacross a couple front hubs that had 1/4" balls installed by mistake or bad rumors(BMX world!)... they were not a happy setup... crunchy, damaged, and notchy as hell come to mind.... and the OLDs were all over the proverbial map.

one customer said his buddy told him the 1/4" balls made the hub "beefier"... he also had not put grease in since grease "would slow the bike down.".........

it's an oddball looking hub. Def. does look like a formula hub
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...13a66e40a6.jpg