Specialized hub flange failure x 2
06-04-17, 11:21 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Specialized hub flange failure x 2
I have two sets of wheels laced to specialized cartridge bearing hubs. One set came off a bike I bought last September. They spent the winter leaning against my work bench. I picked up the rear wheel about six weeks ago and found the broken hub. The other set is on my '84 Supercourse, a friend built those up for me over 30 years ago. Yesterday I was cleaning out the garage, moving the bike to sweep I heard something hit the floor. I looked down to see another broken hub. Who did I piss off?
06-04-17, 11:35 AM
#2
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That looks like the work of rodents. Do they not have means to get out of your basement? Are you not feeding them?
In all seriousness, that is just weird. Same failure on two different wheels. Non drive side and front. I've had Campy NR track hubs do that (well, I replaced them at the first cracking, they didn't get that far. (The second hub a warranty replacement for the first. The Campys were known to do that if you used them on the road. I still have no idea why.) I have had maybe one or two other cheap no-names or of unknown history over the past 50 years fail like yours.
Ben
In all seriousness, that is just weird. Same failure on two different wheels. Non drive side and front. I've had Campy NR track hubs do that (well, I replaced them at the first cracking, they didn't get that far. (The second hub a warranty replacement for the first. The Campys were known to do that if you used them on the road. I still have no idea why.) I have had maybe one or two other cheap no-names or of unknown history over the past 50 years fail like yours.
Ben
06-04-17, 12:15 PM
#3
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Anyone cut the spokes out prior to a rebuild?
Send one back to specialized politely requesting a warranty replacement.... I think they had a lifetime warranty back then.
Send one back to specialized politely requesting a warranty replacement.... I think they had a lifetime warranty back then.
06-04-17, 12:47 PM
#5
Senior Member
I think I would, if only to see what they do. With 14g straight, 40 holes on smallish flange, probably too much tension, and most likely a cast shell of mystery metal; this doesn't entirely surprise me. I always cut spokes out for a rebuild. Knipex ****s. Perhaps metallurgy has improved enough that it's not necessary now? But I am skeptical. I used to rebuild my wheels when the spokes started to pop, and reusing spokes would have been silly. Usually they were notched at the crossings by then.
06-04-17, 02:21 PM
#6
feros ferio
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I had a Shimano high flange front hub start to crack around a couple of adjacent spoke holes, which would have led to a similar failure over time. That's my sole experience with hub flange failures.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
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Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
06-04-17, 03:21 PM
#7
Disraeli Gears
I've had that happen on a 36H Campagnolo Record hub. It was over 20 years old (only owner/rider being me). I attributed it to an instance of chain suck that happened once, jamming chain down by the spoke ends near hubs; but it didn't happen soon after that, much later. Can't tell if your flange failures are both rear wheels or not, but the one in the rear of your photo seems to have broken on the non-drive side, where spokes are not tensioned as high.
06-04-17, 03:23 PM
#8
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I think I would, if only to see what they do. With 14g straight, 40 holes on smallish flange, probably too much tension, and most likely a cast shell of mystery metal; this doesn't entirely surprise me. I always cut spokes out for a rebuild. Knipex ****s. Perhaps metallurgy has improved enough that it's not necessary now? But I am skeptical. I used to rebuild my wheels when the spokes started to pop, and reusing spokes would have been silly. Usually they were notched at the crossings by then.
06-04-17, 03:24 PM
#9
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As I recall it the vendor for these was Sanshin Matsumoto.
Do you happen to live near the ocean?
Were wheels stored near discharge vent for clothes dryer?
-----
As I recall it the vendor for these was Sanshin Matsumoto.
Do you happen to live near the ocean?
Were wheels stored near discharge vent for clothes dryer?
-----
Last edited by juvela; 06-04-17 at 04:24 PM. Reason: addition
06-04-17, 05:04 PM
#11
The Infractionator
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Gee, now you're worrying me. I have one of those 32h front hubs laced radially on my Trek 710. Sure looked like it could handle it, but now I'm not so sure. Got a "ticking" sound that I thought was just a loose-ish spoke (semi-aero rims dont give much radial play, so I wasn't worried...), but now I'm gonna look really close for a cracked flange.
06-04-17, 06:02 PM
#12
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Thread Starter
I'm not going to hold my breath until I get a replacement hub under warranty.
06-04-17, 06:05 PM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I've had that happen on a 36H Campagnolo Record hub. It was over 20 years old (only owner/rider being me). I attributed it to an instance of chain suck that happened once, jamming chain down by the spoke ends near hubs; but it didn't happen soon after that, much later. Can't tell if your flange failures are both rear wheels or not, but the one in the rear of your photo seems to have broken on the non-drive side, where spokes are not tensioned as high.
Both are broken on the non-drive side of the rear wheel.
06-04-17, 06:33 PM
#14
Senior Member
I received my 1984 Expedition with the front wheel hub flange looking exactly the same. I assumed it was from a side impact to the fork, but I have scrutinized that fork, and there is no evidence of damage, no paint wrinkling. The thing is straight as an arrow. I've always been anxious about building it up because I was afraid about the fork failing. Now I'm thinking it's a genetic defect.
06-04-17, 06:51 PM
#15
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Thread Starter
Just remembered, I have a another set of these hubs on a Specialized Hardrock that I use for a beater. I'll have to take a close look at those.
