Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - maintaining Paul hubs / sealed bearings

so what do you need to do to maintain sealed bearing hubs?

i feel weird having a component that i can't really do anything to.

I dont know the answer to your question but i do know the feeling. Its like. Shouldnt somthing be breaking? Shouldnt i be fixing cleaning somthing?

like any hub, keep the cones on the hub at the proper pressure so you don't get lateral movement, yet the hubs still spin freely.

otherwise, clean the gunk off the outside of the hubs after wet/dirty rides, then ride till the bearings wear out and then replace them.

so on the drive side of my rear hub there's a noticeable grinding in the cartridge. time for replacing? the other three are perfectly smooth.

sounds like that could be the case.

so how do i get the cartridge out?

so how do i get the cartridge out?
pull it out, blow from side to side, and reinsert back into the nes. cleans the cartridge great and you'll be playing mario in no time.

so how do i get the cartridge out?
take the locknuts off, and use a bearing puller (http://www.beyondbikes.com/BB/ItemDesc.asp?Link=Froogle&IC=QTL8900) to get it out.

how much is replacement bearings for the paul hub??

so on the drive side of my rear hub there's a noticeable grinding in the cartridge. time for replacing? the other three are perfectly smooth.

sure it's not a dirty cog/chain or dirty hub/lockring/cog threads? if the wheel's off the bike and you spin it in yr hands, can you hear the crunching?

sure it's not a dirty cog/chain or dirty hub/lockring/cog threads? if the wheel's off the bike and you spin it in yr hands, can you hear the crunching?

yeah, i broke the hub all the way down, took out the axle, and spun each cartridge independently. the drive side cartridge doesn't rotate smoothly at all and has a good bit of grind/resistance. i put the hub back together with a bit less preload and when i spin the wheel upright or on its side with the drive side down it grinds, but when i spin it with the drive side up so it's not supporting the weight of the wheel it spins smoothly.

oh, and na975 - a replacement cartridge is $11

$11USD seems high. What is the number stamped on the dust shield?

i meant to write that down before packin it back up, but they are 15x28

edit: 6902. found a source (thebikebench.com) to get the regulars for 5 and max's for $7. i'm not sure if the $11 from paul is postage paid or not

Any place that sells cartridge bearings would also be a good source... bike sellers aren't the exclusive dealers.

yeah, im lookin for somewhere locally that sells em and i could just go pick some up

so does phil make there own bearings or do they just re-sell really high grade bearings?

cause i heard you can buy bearings from them for these hubs and that they are the best.

keep us posted on what you do as i soon gotta do the same thing on my paul mtn hubs!

i believe phil just specs high grade bearings from a supplier.

i doubt any bike parts manufacturer would bother making their own bearings.

the phil spec'd bearings for this hub cost $15.

so what would be the difference between buying the bearings from Paul, Phil, and some random bearings people? would there be a difference in quality?

evan i know they make the same bearings in different grades. the higher grade ones should roll smoother and last longer bacause they are machined to tighter tolerances.

but what the numbers mean and who actually has the highest grade bearings for the lowest $$$ are the answers i believe we are both after!

i am sure this has been discussed here before so an all knowing board member might be able to link us to a in depth discussion on this very subject that i am sure has been had here before.

all bike bearings are rather low grade...the load is very small compared to bearing load in much high-speed machinery. If you go to a bearing shop, don't ask for high-grade bearings w/o specifiying that it's for a bike or you could easily find yourself out several hundred dollars.

the phil spec'd bearings for this hub cost $15.

so what would be the difference between buying the bearings from Paul, Phil, and some random bearings people? would there be a difference in quality?

you might pm afterthisnap or go to times-up and ask him there. he knows about bearings. he may also have what yr looking for at work. PM him.

i doubt any bike parts manufacturer would bother making their own bearings.
Chris King makes bearings from scratch.......:)

From CHRISKING.COM:
We manufacture each Chris King headset from materials and components evaluated precisely for use in our headsets. Each headset is developed with every attention to detail and each part of every headset is made by us. We even go so far as to make our own sealed, cartridge style bearings - a practice unheard of in the bike industry.

Our bearings are made from surgical grade stainless steel and are fully serviceable. The constant contact seals are easily removed to allow for user servicing, yet provide an impervious barrier to the worst grit and grime of riding. Our seals protect the bearings so well that we often see headsets 10, and even 15, years old that have never been serviced and still run like new.

chris - thanks for the tip. i dropped him a line and i'm waiting to hear back. i might head over to times up! tonight regardless to true my wheels.

Chris King makes bearings from scratch.......:)

From CHRISKING.COM:


most plain ol' bearings (bicycle or not) are made of stainless steel which could be called surgical grade its really not all that exclusive...