Before tearing things apart and figuring out the hard ways, hoping someone can short-cut me some info. Have a 2013 TT Tour 2 with Elite drive train (SRAM 9-gear cassette, etc.) with 3000 miles. I just recently gave it a thorough cleaning, discovered that chain was done so replaced it. During this, spinning the rear wheel by hand seems noisier and slows quicker than what I think to be normal. Wondering if there is wear/tear with the rear wheel bearing and/or the cleaning (Simple Green degreaser) might have gotten in the bearing.
I have OK general and bike mechanical abilities but haven't worked on cycle rear bearings. Are these sealed, or can they be cleaned, repacked, etc.? Advice on replacement or regreasing? Thanks.
(Prefer to do this stuff myself at least to become more self sufficient)
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And you should repack your bearings every 300-500 miles.
If I need to replace hub/freehub/wheel, I may just upgrade to 26-inch and change whole drive train (will want to change gearing to keep similar gear-inches so I can continue to climb hills with my arthritic knees and non-athletic engine).
Now what? There is no lock nut or cone nut in view/reach, axel is still within. Looks like perhaps a sealed bearing in view on either side, marked "NBK" and "6000-2RS". Also looks like 2 slots under/outside of the drive-side bearing like old-school free-wheels that took a special tool, like a socket wrench ground down leaving just 2 teeth extended. Anyone know how this comes apart? I haven't found any info that matches. Very frustrating.
TT folks maybe? I believe I'm catching this before it is a serious problem, seems crazy to have to replace the whole wheel just because a little dirt got in and/or lube washed out. I just want to clean & relube the hub if appropriate/possible, and get back on the road. Instead I've been grounded all year.
Re cost, I'd rather pay more than the cost of a new wheel to acquire the tools, parts, know-how, and experience to handle the maint. and repair if it now and later.
I use it for exercise & commuting, no competition or group riding, so eaking out smidgens of performance is much less of priority to reliability (don't want to be 10 miles from home/work with a seized wheel).
3k miles seemed a little short to me; was 1st time checking chain stretch and surprized at wear. I cleaned it less often than desired, but kept it lubed with RockNRoll. It got a little rain, but not much, and stayed on pavement. Just trying to take good proactive care if it, didn't expect hub needs at this point and certainly not a wheel replacement. This ought to be simple, and I think I'm catching symptems early before they become real problems. Just can't believe with all the youtube stuff these days that there isn't a single one re a TT rear hub.
I'm not too bothered by the chain this go round since I haven't changed one before, and is an opportunity to change to a top-of-line KNC which are affordable on ebay (would hurt going list price for 3 lengths). I'm also going to try switching to straight parafin if only for less mess. Different subject.
Went ahead and tried/succeeded in tapping out the cartridge bearings on both sides by hammering on the axle. The axle is machined with stops just inside each bearing, so this was the correct procedure. 1 of the cartridge bearings spins 1-eighth of a revolution and then hard stops. So axle (aluminum alloy?) has been spinning in the seized stainless steel bearing for who knows how long. Fortunately it had managed to get some lube there.
Now on the freehub side the 2-notched fastener I described earlier is next in line: (this is after removal of skewer, cassette & lock ring, collars, seals, cartridge bearings, and axle):
I presume this 2-notched fastener is what holds the freehub to the hub.
Next step planned is to get a Park Tool FR-8 and grind down 2 of the 4 teeth. Saw a reference by someone with a Specialized 142+ hub that looked very similar. He had the same idea. I see some VarTool tools and others that might do the job without mods, but lots of comments about the tool slipping/stripping/breaking; everything I've seen say the Parks hold up. Another important unknown with this is not knowing which way it's threaded; TT, is this really such a terrible secret?????
So I've had a bearing failure at 3k miles or earlier, and I doubt my washing caused that. I'm willing to do maint. work, and replace $5 industry-standard bearings, but having no documentation for that and having to replace wheels every 3k miles is just not reasonable.
Grrr, missing riding all spring so far.
My wife & I struggled to find a Calphalon knife to match a set that we gifted someone with recently. Was out of stock/production for months. They just sent us a free one. And a pleasant experience dealing with them. They've won loyalty and good word-of-mouth even though it's Chinese junk.
FWIW; "some" wheel hubs have 4 cartridge bearings in them; 2 in the free hub it self and tow in the hub itself. DT Swiss has some like that. The free hub in your pic looks like a typical Shimano freehub with tiny little bearings inside it (as shown in a video I enclosed), and the pawls. MOST people when they get crunchy just throw them away and bolt in a new one. I've taken many and flushed the grease and dirt out of them (after taking the "o-ring" which Some have out underneath them); and flushed them in my parts washer, blown all the crap out and then poured either 30 wt motor oil or have used 90 wt gear oil in them and allowed them to soak. Then re-bolted onto the wheel hub body.
Here is a video showing how the freehub body is taken apart. NOTE MOST people if they have a problem in the free hub just hrow it away especially if the little "pawls' inside are broken. You can get a new free hub body at a bike shop or online. Hope this helps.
He'll help you figure this out.
Jeff "Chonk" Yonker
Marketing Dude @TerraTrike
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretsky
Ironman: Thanks for the help. Trust me, I've seen those videos and about a hundred others trying to get real info. I did not have those hub assembly breakout diagrams, but neither matches. No hex 10mm ID hub axel. Looking in that hub axle, it looks hex-ish, but the walls are not flat, rather curved, and a 10 mm wrench spins freely.
chonk, thanks, I will try give Taylor a call this week. But really, months with no response to multiple emails; what's with that?
So in my book, TT has always gone above and beyond to support the customer. Perhaps your email just got lost somehow?