applebuilder

I have a cone and cup type hub and had questions about the bearings. I read that cone and cups usually have 9 bearings in the rear per side and that they are supposed to be flush with the cup. My bike has 9 per side but they don't lay flush in the cup. When I take one out (8) they all fit and sit nicely with a little space left from the missing bearing. To clarify, if I put the ninth bearing in, it pushes and slighty elevates the rest of the bearings in order to fit. I'm sure all 9 bearings level out with the even pressure of the cone on them, but their bottom won't be in contact with the cup, just their sides. I've tried both the 8 and 9 setup and they both seem to run smoothly, I'm just wondering if not having all the bearings fully seated will wear them out quicker, or visa versa. And a little off note, I have a wax type lubricant and was wondering if I could use that instead of grease for the bearings. Thanks.

operator

Use grease for bearings.

johnknappcc

Grease. Are you sure you have the right size bearings? 3/16 in front generally (10) and 1/4 in back (9). If you do have the right size, I would run with the 8. What make/model are the hubs?

tadawdy

you generally pack it with grease, and place the bearings in the grease. You should see exactly how many will fit in this way. Sorry if you are already considered this. My point is it will look different w/o the greases in there.

0speedbike

better to have 1 too few bearings than 1 too many so you can err on the side of caution that way.
Have you been able to find the specs for the parts on line

operator

The OP Needs to tell us what rear hub it is. Some hubs like campys will have two different size bearings on the rear hub.

applebuilder

Thanks for the grease tip, I'll see how it fits with 8. I too felt less was better than more. I bought the bike used and the bearings could have been swapped out, but they're probably standard. As for the make it's a bit older and a little unique. It's actually a freewheel with a lockring on it. I did a google and I'm pretty sure it's this one https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-350314.html

"I'm fairly certain this is a SunRace M42 13-34 7-speed freewheel, or something similar. It's a cheaper imitation of the popular Shimano MegaDrive freewheel, recognizable by its extremely low first gear"

Quote from the linked forum and I do believe the guy has it right, SunRace M42 or similar. If anyone has any experience with this particular freewheel feel free to share, thanks.

P.S. - I don't know if the hub and freewheel are the same brand, but the front hub says Shimano DEORE HB-MT60 Japan VIA on it. My guess would be that the front and rear hub are the same company, but as for the freewheel I'm fairly certain it's the one on the linked forum. The wheels are on a more than likely stock Specialized Hardrock (older one). Hope that helps identify the hub.

johnknappcc

How many bearings were there before? 8, than use 8, but I would replace them with new bearings, no sense in re-using the old ones. They are cheap, get some good grade 25, should be 1/4 for the back. You can confirm this with a decent dial caliper or micrometer. If in doubt, take it to your LBS when you purchase the bearings.

Panthers007

You need to clean out any old grease in the hubs before you apply new grease and the bearings. A good - and cheap - solvent is charcoal-lighter fluid. Do this outdoors or a well-ventilated space. Once the hub is nice and clean, examine the cups & cones for any signs if pitting. Make a mental note of your findings - this is what you want to find the next time you overhaul the hubs. Then proceed with re-packing and adjusting them.

applebuilder

There were originally 9 bearings, they just don't sit flush in the cup. I'll try cleaning out the old grease, but I have a feeling it still won't be flush. As long as there were originally 9 bearings in the hub than I have no problem using it like that, it seems to run smooth enough. Does anyone have any knowlegdge of this particular hub? Thanks.