Replacing bearings on a user-serviceable hub.

[Ken Pisichko]

Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
store?

I would have the bearings with me. The cup-and-cone ones I have done,
but how are the sealed ones "popped out" and then replaced? A link to a
site with pictures would be great. The Shimano and Phil Wood sites don't
seem to have any info on the method for changing the sealed bearings.
The local shops are closed until Tuesday because of the long week end,
otherwise I'd just see how they do Shimano hubs.

I don't want to hear anything about how superior the sealed bearing and
cassette hubs are simply because simplicity is important and Murphy
thrives (in my past experiences with things mechanical) on complicated
things.

Thanks for any information.

Ken
Winnipeg, Canada

 

[Dave Thompson]

"Ken Pisichko" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
> cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
> replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
> there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
> store?
>
> I would have the bearings with me. The cup-and-cone ones I have done,
> but how are the sealed ones "popped out" and then replaced? A link to a
> site with pictures would be great. The Shimano and Phil Wood sites don't
> seem to have any info on the method for changing the sealed bearings.
> The local shops are closed until Tuesday because of the long week end,
> otherwise I'd just see how they do Shimano hubs.
>
> I don't want to hear anything about how superior the sealed bearing and
> cassette hubs are simply because simplicity is important and Murphy
> thrives (in my past experiences with things mechanical) on complicated
> things.
>
> Thanks for any information.
>
> Ken
> Winnipeg, Canada

In my experience sealed bearing are superior and are far far simpler than
cup and cone bearings. Sealed bearings are just that, sealed and require no
service for many 1000's of miles. Whereas cup and cone bearings require
servicing yearly (more if conditions are bad) Phil Wood hubs (as an example
of sealed bearing use) have been reported by many going for 30,000, 40,000
or 50,000 miles with no attention paid them. Cup and cone bearings require
very careful pre-load to them after servicing so the quick-release tension
doesn't over load them and cause an early demise. Sealed bearings are merely
inserted into the hub, bottom bracket or whatever.

I've used sealed bearing for many, many years but I can't tell you how to
remove them. I've never had to.

 

[Collin]

Ken Pisichko wrote:
> Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
> cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
> replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
> there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
> store?
>
> I would have the bearings with me. The cup-and-cone ones I have done,
> but how are the sealed ones "popped out" and then replaced? A link to a
> site with pictures would be great. The Shimano and Phil Wood sites don't
> seem to have any info on the method for changing the sealed bearings.
> The local shops are closed until Tuesday because of the long week end,
> otherwise I'd just see how they do Shimano hubs.
>
> I don't want to hear anything about how superior the sealed bearing and
> cassette hubs are simply because simplicity is important and Murphy
> thrives (in my past experiences with things mechanical) on complicated
> things.
>
> Thanks for any information.
>
> Ken
> Winnipeg, Canada
>

I've only removed mine once becaus I wanted to see how it worked. They
have roughly 3000 miles on them and run like new. Leonard Zinn
describes the process in his book Zinn and the Art of Road Bike
Maintenance. In a nutshell:

Usually the axle has an internal shoulder. If you whack the opposite
end of the axle with a soft mallet, the cartridge will pop out. (I did
exactly this and it worked perfectly) To place them in, stack the new
bearing in its housing and an old cartridge on top of it. Use the soft
mallet to tap the new cartridge into place using the old cartridge as a
formed anvil. (I used a bllock of wood over the cartridge and tapped it in.)

To translate into outback-style touring: how about using a dampening pad
(plastic tire lever? small wood block?) to absorb impact from a rock or
wrench used as a hammer.

On another note, maybe you could just replace them before your trip and
never have to worry about them during the trip.

-Collin

 

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 17:18:30 -0500, Ken Pisichko <[email protected]> wrote:

>Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
>cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
>replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
>there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
>store?

Why would any bearing need to be serviced in the middle of a
long-trip? In the worst case scenario, just ride the thing with rough
bearings. Yes, that may roughen up the bearing races and make the hub
rough forever, but does that really matter? I've got beat-up wheels
that you can hear rumbling when they spin, but it doesn't matter much
at all.

JT

 

[john7114]

Different hubs and headsets and BB's have different ways of removing and replacing the bearings. Some have two piece axles and require you to follow certain steps in order. Some rear hubs have sealed (cartridge) bearings on the non-drive side and loose ball bearings on the drive side. If you have a long trip planned, now is the time to familiarize yourself with the procedure for your components. And it is all for nothing if you don't have spare bearings and any tools you may need including grease or a bearing retainer like loc-tite.

 

[A Muzi]

Ken Pisichko wrote:
> how are the sealed ones "popped out" and then replaced? A link to a
> site with pictures would be great. -snip-

http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfromthepast/HUBCUPTL.JPG

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Dan Daniel]

On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 17:18:30 -0500, Ken Pisichko <[email protected]> wrote:

>Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
>cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
>replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
>there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
>store?
>
>I would have the bearings with me. The cup-and-cone ones I have done,
>but how are the sealed ones "popped out" and then replaced? A link to a
>site with pictures would be great.

A Barnetts Manual discussion of cartridge bearing hub servicing-

http://www.bikeforums.net/barnettes/barnetts_ch13.pdf

 

[Ken Pisichko]

THANK YOU!!! and

Dan, this pdf site is just excellent. I now have a much better understanding
of how the various hubs work. I found it interesting to read that the
comment that these sealed bearings can **** out too - especially where there
is severe service involving water. Also on the Phil wood description pages:
that it is worthwhile to take the new hub apart and grease the hub bearing
mating surfaces - just in case.

Ken

Dan Daniel wrote:

> A Barnetts Manual discussion of cartridge bearing hub servicing-
>
> http://www.bikeforums.net/barnettes/barnetts_ch13.pdf

 

[Dan Daniel]

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 23:41:24 -0500, Ken Pisichko <[email protected]> wrote:

>THANK YOU!!! and
>
>Dan, this pdf site is just excellent. I now have a much better understanding
>of how the various hubs work. I found it interesting to read that the
>comment that these sealed bearings can **** out too - especially where there
>is severe service involving water. Also on the Phil wood description pages:
>that it is worthwhile to take the new hub apart and grease the hub bearing
>mating surfaces - just in case.
>
>Ken
>

There's an FAQ entry on cartridge bearings and sealing by Jobst Brandt
that gives his (informed) reasons on why they are not truly sealed.
Unlike most tech topics here, I don't remember anyone arguing this
with him, although I am sure it has happened if only because of where
we are.....

I wonder if this is something about Phil Wood hubs themselves? Why not
mention it for the other hubs? Maybe because people consider PW hubs
bombproof and don't perform obvious maintenance? Because PW considers
its hubs bombproof and doesn't perform obvious prep work?




>Dan Daniel wrote:
>
>> A Barnetts Manual discussion of cartridge bearing hub servicing-
>>
>> http://www.bikeforums.net/barnettes/barnetts_ch13.pdf

 

[LAN Support]

Funny you should ask that. I can remember replacing my Bullseye hub sealed
bearings in some small Australian country town while I was riding
Sydney-Perth about 20 years ago. The local agricultural hardware store had
the 6001 bearings that I needed, and an allen key was the only tool I needed
to install them.

Nick

"Ken Pisichko" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
> cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
> replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
> there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
> store?

 

[Ken Pisichko]

I think that IF I decide on the sealed bearing route that I WILL carry direct
replacements with me - it will be the same as the weight of a breakfast or
two...

6 of one, half dozen of 't other. Nothing mechanical lasts forever - no matter
what the pundits say!

Thanks for the information that sealed bearings DO fail - in spite of all the
testimonials about their "longevity". Those testimonials are not worth a pinch
of bear **** when it happens 500 km away from the next bearing.

Yes, I think carrying a spare set of bearings is as worthwhile as carrying a
spoke wrench

ken

LAN Support wrote:

> Funny you should ask that. I can remember replacing my Bullseye hub sealed
> bearings in some small Australian country town while I was riding
> Sydney-Perth about 20 years ago. The local agricultural hardware store had
> the 6001 bearings that I needed, and an allen key was the only tool I needed
> to install them.
>
> Nick
>
> "Ken Pisichko" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Lately I have been discussing the pro-cons of sealed bearings versus
> > cup-and-cone bearings in touring hubs. How are these sealed bearings
> > replaced out in the middle of no-where - say outback Australia - where
> > there is a garage, posy office and (more importantly) a pub-general
> > store?