HELP! Noisy bearigns after overhaul.

Help...this is driving me nuts...

My Ultegra hubs were perfectly silent. I have two bikes with Ultegra. I decided to overhaul the hubs
with new bearings and grease after about 3500 miles of use.

Took the hubs apart, carefully cleaned out all the old grease, discarded the old ball bearings. Used
new grade 25 ball bearings,
1/4" for the rear x 9 each side, 3/16" for the front x 10 each side. Used lots of Finish Line
grease. Retightened the cones for a teeny amt. of play, which disappears when the QR is closed.

Now, on both bikes, there is the sound of "bearing flop" from the rear wheels, a metallic clicking
once per revolution. I know it is the rear because I swapped the front fron another bike and the
noise persisted. I re-did the rear hubs again, couldn't see a thing I had done wrong with either
one, and the noise persists. Tried various degrees of tightening the cones, again no change.

This makes no sense to me. I've done the same procedure numerous times in the past on other bikes
with no problem. Only think I can think of is maybe the ball bearings were not manufactured to
tolerance and that is somehow doing it.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

TG

 

Tony-<< Anyone have any ideas?

Use more and a thicker grease(?)..

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

"tony the tiger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Now, on both bikes, there is the sound of "bearing flop" from the rear wheels, a metallic clicking
> once per revolution. I

> Only think I can think of is maybe the ball bearings were not manufactured to tolerance and that
> is somehow doing it.

Or just one (wrong size ball). I'd just swap the batch for a new set.

 

"tony the tiger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Help...this is driving me nuts...
>
> My Ultegra hubs were perfectly silent. I have two bikes with Ultegra. I decided to overhaul the
> hubs with new bearings and grease after about 3500 miles of use.
>
> Took the hubs apart, carefully cleaned out all the old grease, discarded the old ball bearings.
> Used new grade 25 ball bearings,
> 1/4" for the rear x 9 each side, 3/16" for the front x 10 each side. Used lots of Finish Line
> grease. Retightened the cones for a teeny amt. of play, which disappears when the QR is closed.
>
> Now, on both bikes, there is the sound of "bearing flop" from the rear wheels, a metallic clicking
> once per revolution. I know it is the rear because I swapped the front fron another bike and the
> noise persisted. I re-did the rear hubs again, couldn't see a thing I had done wrong with either
> one, and the noise persists. Tried various degrees of tightening the cones, again no change.
>
> This makes no sense to me. I've done the same procedure numerous times in the past on other bikes
> with no problem. Only think I can think of is maybe the ball bearings were not manufactured to
> tolerance and that is somehow doing it.

When you turn just the axle with the wheel out of the bike, any error in the bearing adjustment
(overly tight or loose) or assembly ( ball out of place) should be obvious. Perhaps the cassette
lockring is not tight? Did you ensure the cassette body is tight to the hubshell? The right side
dustcap is notoriously difficult to remove and reinstall without damage. Was it troublesome to you?
It's highly unlikely a ball is at fault.
--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

On Fri, 09 May 2003 13:49:06 GMT, "Peter Cole" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"tony the tiger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>> Now, on both bikes, there is the sound of "bearing flop" from the rear wheels, a metallic
>> clicking once per revolution. I
>
>> Only think I can think of is maybe the ball bearings were not manufactured to tolerance and that
>> is somehow doing it.
>
>Or just one (wrong size ball). I'd just swap the batch for a new set.
>
Not meant to be insulting but I've seen this a lot....

do you have a computer sensor/magnet on the real wheel?

 

Sounds to me like a single bad bearing.

 

On 9 May 2003 03:10:03 -0700, [email protected] (tony the tiger) wrote:

>Help...this is driving me nuts...
<snip>
>Only think I can think of is maybe the ball bearings were not manufactured to tolerance and that is
>somehow doing it.

My only experience with not-to-spec balls did not result in a clicking noise. A number of years ago
I needed some balls to rebuild a front hub so I stopped at an LBS. I bought two dozen 3/16" balls
(nothing more frustrating than dropping a new ball on the floor and having it roll into an alternate
universe when you only have the exact right number).

After rebuilding I just couldn't get the hub adjusted properly. I'd get it feeling right and then
go for a ride and when I'd get home there would be some play. For some reason I can't now recall I
mic'ed one of the balls and it was a few thousandths shy of 3/16". Turns out they all were the
same size.

I then went to a local bearing specialty shop and bought a "Mini-Pack" of 3/16" Grade 25 Chrome
Steel Balls. I rebuilt the hub with these and it's been fine ever since.

I took the balls back to the LBS (the owner was and remains a friend) and turns out his bulk bottle
of front hub balls was all the same size. He said he'd been using them for a couple of years with no
complaints. :-(

BTW, that started my dealing only with bearing specialty shops for bearing balls. Coincidentally I
just picked up a Mini-Pack of 100 1/4" for $5.25 just two days ago. I buy them at Berry Bearings, a
division of Motion Industries, which claims to have over 500 outlets. See:

http://www.motionindustries.com

Since I've wandered pretty far from the original subject; to get back on topic, one possible source
of the clicking would be if in the process of disassembling the hub an old ball fell into the hub
body. I always count the balls that fall out and if it's not the right number I check the interior
with a flashlight. I've found balls stuck in the grease in there. Actually I'd be surprised if this
is the cause since it's happening with two hubs. That would be an incredible coincidence.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

"A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
> When you turn just the axle with the wheel out of the bike, any error in the bearing adjustment
> (overly tight or loose) or assembly ( ball out of place) should be obvious. Perhaps the cassette
> lockring is not tight? Did you ensure the cassette body is tight to the hubshell? The right side
> dustcap is notoriously difficult to remove and reinstall without damage. Was it troublesome to
> you? It's highly unlikely a ball is at fault.

I actually did not remove the dustcaps, as I knew they are easy to wreck, just used a cloth to get
the grease out as best I could after gently coaxing the bearings out with a screwdriver and gravity.

Theory of the cassette lockring is interesting, as I usually undertighten them a bit - I think
Shimano says 30 N-M and I usually tighten to just 20 N-M due to past experiences with lockrings that
were tough to get off. Perhaps I'll try tightening the cassettes a bit more and see if that helps.
I'll re-post after doing this tomorrow.

TG

 

John Everett <[email protected]> wrote in message

> BTW, that started my dealing only with bearing specialty shops for bearing balls. Coincidentally I
> just picked up a Mini-Pack of 100 1/4" for $5.25 just two days ago.

i popped over to the local bearing supply and was surprised by how expensive they were. was your
'mini-pack' grade 25?

thanks,

anthony

 

[email protected] (tony the tiger) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> > Perhaps the cassette lockring is not tight?

Well, I tightened the Lockrings to ~35 nm today...and the noise disappeared!

I owe Mr. Muzi a beer.

Thanks, TG

 

> > "A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> >> > Perhaps the cassette lockring is not tight?

> Well, I tightened the Lockrings to ~35 nm today...and the noise
disappeared!

"tony the tiger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] (tony the tiger) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> I owe Mr. Muzi a beer. Thanks, TG

You're welcome! I don't drink the stuff but I sure buy my staff a lot of Guinness!

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

On 9 May 2003 23:23:05 -0700, [email protected] (ant) wrote:

>John Everett <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
>> BTW, that started my dealing only with bearing specialty shops for bearing balls. Coincidentally
>> I just picked up a Mini-Pack of 100 1/4" for $5.25 just two days ago.
>
>i popped over to the local bearing supply and was surprised by how expensive they were. was your
>'mini-pack' grade 25?

From the box's label:

"Ball Size - 1/4, Grade AFBMA 25, Quantity 100, Material (AISI) 52100 Chrome Alloy, 722B44305,
Motion Industries"

I'm guessing the "722B44305" is a batch code. I sort of lied about the price. The receipt shows it
was $5.32; $5.00 plus Illinois sales tax.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3