Bicycle Mechanics - want to learn to service hubs

I want to learn to service hubs, and although it doesn't look hard, I don't want to work on my own bike to start. I was thinking of getting some old ones to take apart. But where would I find any?

Anybody have anything laying around I could play with? I'll pay shipping. PM me.

You mean hubs as in axle and bearings? Easy.

Do you have a how-to reference?

Yes to both of those questions.

look in the trash at your LBS....great free source although they may try to run you off, tell them you are an inspector for the EPA and are checking on them for environmental violations.

look in the trash at your LBS....great free source although they may try to run you off, tell them you are an inspector for the EPA and are checking on them for environmental violations.

Or maybe, you could you know just ask them for hubs from broken wheels they don't need anymore.

I wouldn't hesitate to do it on your working hubs. It's really simple. Really. You can't screw it up.

+1 on the start working on yours...if you take your time, and a few notes to remember what you have done, things will go back together just as they should.
peace

Learn the trash collection routes/days in your area.

All good advice. Thanks guys.

I did it for the first time on my commuter a few months ago. Taking it apart and cleaning it is no problem. Getting the adjustment right was tricky. Took me over a dozen tries to get the "play when off the bike but none when the quick release is clamped". The tuff part was holding the cone with one hand and tightening the locknut with the other and not having the axle turn and mess up the adjustment.

I have a question, I'm repacking the bearings in an old LX front hub. Is there supposed to be only 10 balls to each side? That leaves a enough gap to squeeze in anothe ball bearing. I took it apart because it was noisey. How much grease should I use?

http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp?catid=57&imageField2.x=33&imageField2.y=8

Always check this site whenever you do something it rocks. Servicing hubs is super easy, it is scary the first time, but just make sure to check the side to side wheel wobble when you put the wheels back on, AND DO NOT RIDE THEM LOOSE! After doing it once you'll be able to do both in less than 45 minutes, with taking the cassette off and picking your nose a couple times, that grease feels good up there.

I should look like you could squeeze another in, but don't. Slap a fair amount of grease in there. Any excess will just come on out around the cones anyway.

Right. If you're using loose ball bearings, which is preferable to retainer rings, there should be a gap. Most production bikes come with retainer rings which use fewer balls because they're spaced farther apart by the gaps in the ring.

More even than test hubs, you need tools.

1) the appropriate sized cone wrenches - possibly two of each
2) replacement ball bearings (cheap)
3) if you're into cool tools, a bench vice and a Stein axle vise.

30 ft-lb == 40 Nm

Sure you're reading the right scale?
Did you post this in the right thread? None of the postings above refer to a torque spec for anything.

To the OP; stop in any LBS, preferably a well established one, and ask if they have any trashed wheels or hubs? I've had no problem getting old hubs from my LBS for free that were actually quite usable when overhauled. They just give be a large cardboard box of parts and say "take what you want."

Also, be aware there are two types of hub bearings. All Shimano, Campy and several others use loose bearing balls and cup-and-cone races. These are easy to overhaul and relube.

Other hubs use cartridge bearings which are pretty much unservicable. You run them until they are rough and replace the bearing cartridges with new ones from an LBS or bearing supply house.

I wouldn't hesitate to do it on your working hubs. It's really simple. Really. You can't screw it up.

You may not be able to screw it up but... I serviced a half dozen wheels this past winter and had one front wheel that I just could not true up. I would tweak it util it ran smooth though the brakes but as soon as I test rode it, it rubbed the brakes. I finally pulled apart the hub and found an extra bearing on one side and one short on the other! I had pushed a beariing though the hub while installing the axel. Yes you can screw it up, at least I can.

Bent

You may not be able to screw it up but... I serviced a half dozen wheels this past winter and had one front wheel that I just could not true up. I would tweak it util it ran smooth though the brakes but as soon as I test rode it, it rubbed the brakes. I finally pulled apart the hub and found an extra bearing on one side and one short on the other! I had pushed a beariing though the hub while installing the axel. Yes you can screw it up, at least I can.

Bent

pretty sure he is talking about servicing the hubs. not truing the wheels

pretty sure he is talking about servicing the hubs. not truing the wheels

I couldn't true the wheel because I screwed up the hub service. I pushed a ball bearing to the othe side ending up with an extra beaing on one side of the hub and one too few on the other side.

Did you post this in the right thread? None of the postings above refer to a torque spec for anything.

Whoa! You're right. I wonder how I mixed up those threads? Post deleted.