Ratlling hub bearings

[Michael]

I've got a front road wheel with an Ultegra hub that's making a racket. It's a "clacking" noise,
like a rattling. It gets progressively worse with speed, and gets instantly twice as bad when I
apply the front brake. The wheel is 4 years old but has only been used ocassionally and has less
than 1500 miles on it. It's been repacked several times.

I recently readjusted the hub. It was adjusted a little loose, so I took the cones off, cleaned out
the hub and bearings, repacked it with Phil Wood grease, and tightened the cones to that point where
there's no play in the axle but the wheel still turns freely with no binding. Unfortunately I forgot
to check the cones and races for pitting or wear.

Didn't help - if anything it's worse now. Will new bearings solve the problem?

 

[Ted Bennett]

[email protected] (Michael) wrote:

> I've got a front road wheel with an Ultegra hub that's making a racket. It's a "clacking" noise,
> like a rattling. It gets progressively worse with speed, and gets instantly twice as bad when I
> apply the front brake. The wheel is 4 years old but has only been used ocassionally and has less
> than 1500 miles on it. It's been repacked several times.
>
> I recently readjusted the hub. It was adjusted a little loose, so I took the cones off, cleaned
> out the hub and bearings, repacked it with Phil Wood grease, and tightened the cones to that point
> where there's no play in the axle but the wheel still turns freely with no binding. Unfortunately
> I forgot to check the cones and races for pitting or wear.
>
> Didn't help - if anything it's worse now. Will new bearings solve the problem?

I can't see your hub from here, but I will tell you what solved a similar problem I had: a new rim.

Cracks around the spoke holes caused a fairly loud clicking sound that became much louder with
higher loads, either by leaning forward or by braking.

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

michael-<< It's a "clacking" noise, like a rattling.

Which rim? If an Open Pro, may be that the wedge that holds the rim together for welding has come
loose. Really annoying. A small drill and a little glue in there can stop it.

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

 

[Michael]

> Which rim? If an Open Pro, may be that the wedge that holds the rim together for welding has come
> loose. Really annoying. A small drill and a little glue in there can stop it.

Interesting. It is an Open Pro. Why would that noise get worse when the brake's applied?

Drill where - from the "underside" of the rim, where the rim tape goes?

 

[Michael]

> I can't see your hub from here, but I will tell you what solved a similar problem I had: a
> new rim.
>
> Cracks around the spoke holes caused a fairly loud clicking sound that became much louder with
> higher loads, either by leaning forward or by braking.

I've inspected the rim, and there's no sign of cracks or bulges at the nipples. Were your
cracks visible?

 

[Ted Bennett]

[email protected] (Michael) wrote:

> > I can't see your hub from here, but I will tell you what solved a similar problem I had: a
> > new rim.
> >
> > Cracks around the spoke holes caused a fairly loud clicking sound that became much louder with
> > higher loads, either by leaning forward or by braking.
>
> I've inspected the rim, and there's no sign of cracks or bulges at the nipples. Were your cracks
> visible?

Yes, but it took fairly close inspection, and even then I was skeptical, since I was fixeted on the
idea of spokes rubbing at their crossings. But the problem went away with a new rim.

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR