mozad655

I just received my new set of wheels. The axles don't seem to turn smoothly. Is this normal? How smooth is it supposed to be?

cny-bikeman

It's normal but not correct. It is not unusual at all for bearings to come too tightly adjusted from the factory. You'll need a cone wrench to adjust them (unless cartridge bearings) and instructions - Google adjust hub - sheldonbrown and parktool sites 1st, then videos.

79pmooney

If your bike is one with quick release levers for the hubs, be aware that the levers act to compress the nuts and bearings. The effect is to tighten the hub bearings beyond what you feel when the wheel is not on the bike. The correct setting of the hub's locknuts is therefore a shade looser than perfect so that the quick release compression brings the adjustment to perfect, not too tight.

Now, if you have nutted axles on your hubs, ignore what I just said. Perfect at the workbench is perfect on the bike.

Edit: And yes, it is common as the poster above said to have the nuts adjusted too tight from the factory. When I was assembling bikes (granted, many years ago but I doubt this has changed) the hubs were usually tighter than perfect off the bike. hence really too tight with quick releases.

Ben

mozad655

Okay I have loosd up the cones on each side by turning them anti-clockwise on both sides at the same time. It seems smooth and I am just starting to feel some minute play. How much play is enough? And should I tighten the lock nut on both sides afterwards even though I loosened the cones?

ThermionicScott 

Cone Adjustment

The hubs themselves are generally adjusted tight from the factory to aid in wheelbuilding, after which they should be readjusted for actual riding.

dsbrantjr

Cone Adjustment

mozad655

Is it okay if I only make the cone adjusments on the non-drive side when adjusting the rear hub? Or is it important that both sides are tightened or loosened equally. I didn't find information on this on sheldon.

ThermionicScott 

If it's a freehub, you have no other choice. The DS cone and locknut should be tight against each other before adding the balls and grease and inserting the axle.

cny-bikeman

The axle goes all the way through, so when you adjust one side you have adjusted the bearing. It is generally not good practice to adjust by just moving the cones. The proper procedure - that you have been pointed to a couple times - is to loosen the locknut, move the cone, then retighten the locknut. As was also pointed out what you need to do is adjust so that there is no play when the wheel is mounted in the bike.

elmore leonard

I suspect the factories use a robot/ air pressure system for making wheels and the bike shop is supposed to do the fine adjustments. I'm sure they make many wheels in a hour in these factories. How else could big box stores sell alloy wheels on bikes for under $100. The price they charge for different wheels is like selling wine. The more they advertise the more they have to charge. Spoke wheels with ball bearing hubs is 100 year old technology.

Andrew R Stewart 

Spoke wheels with ball bearing hubs is 100 year old technology elmore leonard

And an amazing technology they are. Large strength to weight, low cost on manufacturing, serviceable with simple tools. Andy.

CliffordK

I've found several hubs with low quality cones. For example the Shimano RM30 & RM40 lines tend to have very rough cones. You can't adjust away the gravely feeling. As far as I can tell, the races are fairly good.

I've started tearing down the hubs, and polishing the cones on the lathe first with 320 grit sandpaper, then finishing with oiled 600 or 1000 grit. I can get a nice mirror polish on the cones, and it does wonders for the smoothness once reassembled with fresh grease.

You could probably do the same with a drill press, or perhaps even make an adapter to use a hand-held drill.

cny-bikeman

..or you could just maintain the hubs properly and let them wear in till smooth, as has been done for decades

CliffordK

Or until they pit.

cny-bikeman

It is a relatively recent phenomenon for all but the highest quality cones to have fairly smooth surfaces. It's impractical, time-consuming and unnecessary to go through the process you describe when simply maintaining adjustment will allow proper break in and a smooth, even mirror finish on the portion of the cone on which the bearings roll. Besides, the cup is no smoother than the cone, usually less so.

mozad655

Is the rear wheel supposed to feel as smooth as the front? The front is perfectly adjusted, but I can't seem to get the rear remotely close to the front.

RubeRad

rear wheel has a lot more going on (freehub pawls etc) but it should be close enough to the same smoothness that you can't feel a difference in your hand.

You might need to go beyond just tweaking the cone tightness, and actually open it up and get some lube in there.

What kind of bike is this? If it is a bike-shaped-object from walmart, it is absolutely expected for hubs to be misadjusted, and even when adjusted as well as possible, not very good. If it is a 'real' bike, new hubs still might be overtightened, but with proper tension they should be fine.

My rule of thumb for amount of play to shoot for is a few mm wobble at the rim. Tighten that up with quick-release, and it should go away.