How many bearings?

Steph Peters said:

I replaced my broken back axle this afternoon. The number
of bearings was the maximum that would fit into the space
for them. I had to use the clamping the wheel in the bike
trick to do it up again, using the front drop outs. While
I had the front wheel off I gave it a spin, and could feel
graunching as it spun. So I took the front axle out in
order to put some extra grease in. This is a front wheel
that's only a few months old, and has certainly not been
off the bike since I bought the wheel. So I was surprised
to find that the number of bearings looks too few compared
with the rear. There is enough space to add at least one
more bearing on each side, and still not be completely
full. Is this right, or should I put more bearings in? I
can't put the front wheel back together again until I can
buy a new cone spanner anyway, so I might as well sort the
bearings out while it's in bits.

Most front hubs take 10 three-sixteenth- inch balls per
side. Almost all rear hubs take nine 1/4 inch balls per
side. It usually looks like there should be one more but
there shouldn't. Time to go back and count how many you put
in the rear hub ;-(

Tony

Tony Raven said:

Steph Peters said:

I replaced my broken back axle this afternoon. The number
of bearings was the maximum that would fit into the space
for them. I had to use the clamping the wheel in the bike
trick to do it up again, using the front drop outs. While
I had the front wheel off I gave it a spin, and could
feel graunching as it spun. So I took the front axle out
in order to put some extra grease in. This is a front
wheel that's only a few months old, and has certainly not
been off the bike since I bought the wheel. So I was
surprised to find that the number of bearings looks too
few compared with the rear. There is enough space to add
at least one more bearing on each side, and still not be
completely full. Is this right, or should I put more
bearings in? I can't put the front wheel back together
again until I can buy a new cone spanner anyway, so I
might as well sort the bearings out while it's in bits.

Most front hubs take 10 three-sixteenth- inch balls per
side. Almost all rear hubs take nine 1/4 inch balls per
side. It usually looks like there should be one more but
there shouldn't. Time to go back and count how many you
put in the rear hub ;-(

Tony

Yup thats exactly what my Ultegra hubs need though the front
will accept 11 balls

Tony Raven' of said:

Most front hubs take 10 three-sixteenth- inch balls per
side. Almost all rear hubs take nine 1/4 inch balls per
side. It usually looks like there should be one more but
there shouldn't. Time to go back and count how many you put
in the rear hub ;-(

Didn't open the front hub until I'd finished the rear. The
rear definitely ended up with exactly the same set of
bearings in as it had before I started.
--
Health consists of having the same diseases as one's neighbours. Quentin Crisp
Steph Peters delete invalid from [email hidden]
Tatting, lace & stitching page <sandbenders.demon.co.ukindex.htmOpen ↗

Steph Peters said:

Tony Raven' of said:

Most front hubs take 10 three-sixteenth- inch balls per
side. Almost all rear hubs take nine 1/4 inch balls per
side. It usually looks like there should be one more but
there shouldn't. Time to go back and count how many you
put in the rear hub ;-(

Didn't open the front hub until I'd finished the rear. The
rear definitely ended up with exactly the same set of
bearings in as it had before I started.

That should be OK then unless the person before you added in
an extra one. Its just your comment that it was the maximum
that would fit in the space implied it was one more than it
was supposed to be AFAIR

Tony

Simon Brooke said:

So it would. You _must_ _not_ fill the ball race with
balls - if they don't have room to turn independently the
bearing doesn't work and you get hugely accelerated wear.
The correct number of balls is the (the number that will
fit) minus one.

Also bear in mind that a reassembled race can look
fuller/emptier than it really is until you actually screw
the cone in and push the bearings into their correct track.

Simon Brooke of gradually deteriorating said:

in message
<[email hidden]>, Steph

Peters (') said:

I replaced my broken back axle this afternoon. The number
of bearings was the maximum that would fit into the space
for them. I had to use the clamping the wheel in the bike
trick to do it up again, using the front drop outs. While
I had the front wheel off I gave it a spin, and could
feel graunching as it spun.

So it would. You _must_ _not_ fill the ball race with balls
- if they don't have room to turn independently the bearing
doesn't work and you get hugely accelerated wear. The
correct number of balls is the (the number that will fit)
minus one.

I returned the original bearings to the rear wheel, and it
spins fine. The front wheel happened to be off the bike, so
I spun it and it felt graunchy. On taking it apart I found
that the front has enough room for one and a bit bearings.
So I haven't overfilled either of them.
--
Health consists of having the same diseases as one's neighbours. Quentin Crisp
Steph Peters delete invalid from [email hidden]
Tatting, lace & stitching page <sandbenders.demon.co.ukindex.htmOpen ↗