Can A Repair Damage A Wheel Bearing

In this commodity I'm going to explain how to easily repair damaged and pitted hub cones.

Hub cones are extremely decumbent to damage. As the hubs are exposed to the elements, and especially in moisture conditions, corrosion starts eating abroad at the bearings and the begetting race (the place where the bearings make contact with the hub). The issue is a less than shine rotation of the cycle and an accelerated degradation of your bicycle's hubs, with a worth case scenario of replacing your wheels.

Any bike restoration I've undertaken necessitated the overhaul of the wheel hubs. After 20 or more years of utilise without any significant maintenance the grease in the bearings dries out, h2o seeps in, corrosion occurs, and damaged is sustained.

Though ball bearings can be obtained easily enough, this is no longer the case with vintage hub cones. I recently went to my local bike store and he no longer had cones in stock. And though they're non the most expensive parts on your bike, knowing the right measurements and waiting for them to arrive can exist a hassle.

Luckily pitted hub cones can be repaired easily plenty with tools everyone probably has laying around.

YouTube Tutorial

Step one. Removing the hub spindle

Since the begetting race of the cone is located inside the wheel hub, you'll demand to disassemble information technology to reach it. I've written an article about this detail procedure. You lot don't need a special tool besides a spanner wrench to detach the hub. Tightening the cone when you're done all the same, necessitates a special cone wrench to exercise so.

Step 2. Sanding the pitted hub cones

Removing the pits from the cones is done by sanding them while the axle rotates. I place a standard drill in a workmate (y'all can also utilise a vice) and identify the axle with the cone in information technology. The cone is every bit close to the drill's opening so it doesn't wobble while rotating. And I too tighten the cone just as y'all would when overhauling your wheel hub.

I offset with an 80 grit sandpaper and go all the way upward to 1200. If you want to exist able to apply more force per unit area you can fold the sandpaper around a screwdriver. Apply strength to the side of the cone then you don't press the drill out of the workmate.

Don't over-sand the cone. Y'all'll touch its shape if you practise, and its power to seal off the hub. And sanding any type of metal ordinarily removes its hardened surface, decreasing its ability to prevent corrosion in the time to come. So performing such an operation is a merchandise-off to a certain extend.

And that's how you repair damaged and pitted hub cones ! If you like this article requite it a thumbs up. If y'all have any questions or suggestions for new articles, let me know in the comments below. Cheers.

FAQ

Q: My race (cup) is corroded. Practice i demand to do this as well as the cone?

A: Yes, but you can't use this setup obviously. You'll need a dremel tool to shine a bearing race.