Jonat165

Hello, i am new to this Forum and very exited to be here as i hope you guys can give me some advice. I have a Jamis Trail X1 MTB and my rear wheel is a freewheel with ball bearing with hubs and cones. I noticed some play in the cones and bearings so i adjusted them with cone wrenches and the lock nuts as shown in many videos online. I also replaced my bearings as it was recommended. Both my cones are in good condition with no pitting. My problem is,
even though after getting the adjustments perfect so there is no play but also no friction, a little bit of play will come back after a day's worth of trail riding. I have spent hours making sure the hub/cone adjustments are perfect which they were until i rode in the trails all day. I noticed my hubs are a little pitted and cracked. See the Pictures below.

Is this the reason why my adjustments never stay permanently? And will i ever be able to have perfect permanent adjustments with pitted hubs or do i need to change them to get rid of this problem?
Please Help, I do not want to buy a whole new rear wheel if it is not needed.
Thanks in Advance, and looking forward to your comments

Andrew R Stewart 

You'll be replacing the wheel ASAP. Photos 2&3 show classic bearing race cracking. There's no replacing these race cups. You can tighten the cones/readjust the hub but the bearing cup will continue to break down and the wheel will loosen further.

When you replace the wheel I would tension and true the wheel, add lube to the bearings and adjust the bearing preload. Then after a few hundred miles do all over again. Andy.

Jonat165

Thanks for the help i really appreciate it, i guess i will have to get a new rear wheel as soon as i can, any advice on a solid but affordable rear wheel model or brand?.

HillRider

Almost any decent modern replacement wheel will have a freehub and take cassettes, not a feewheel. What is your bikes rear drop out spacing and how many speeds did the freewheel have?

Mauriceloridans

There's a good chance you can find a "donor" bike on craigslist etc for less than a wheel at a bikeshop.

Jonat165

My bike is a Jamis Trail X1 which isnt the most reliable bike but it is holding up ok for starting out in the trails. Are you saying id be better off finding a suitable used replacement wheel from another bike and put it on in the mean time instead of buying an expensive replacement wheel from a bike shop, and then switch to a better bike all together with a rear wheel that takes a freehub and cassettes (as you noted if i wanted something decent, it only comes with freehub/cassettes)?

And ill measure the spacing this afternoon but it is a shimano freewheel 7 speed

reptilezs

a replacement 26 freewheel wheel is like 55 bucks

Bill Kapaun

My bike shop has inexpensive Free Hub wheels for about $50.
Spaced 135mm (which your bike is "likely" sized at since it appears to be a 2011 model) w/ 8/9 speed free hub.
You'd have to buy a 7 speed cassette AND a 4.5mm spacer (to take up the room for the extra cog.

IF you're simply looking for cheap, use you Google foo-

https://www.niagaracycle.com/categori...ck-black-steel

Jonat165

@Mauriceloridans i searched online for a decent donor bike as you mentioned but all i could find was rusty and childrens bikes for free. I feel like putting on a wheel from an old and rusty bike will be worse than my somewhat decent wheel with slight wobble dont you think?
Thanks

Jonat165

When you say they are inexpensive does that mean they are not meant to hold up in trails? And also how much would a 7 speed cassette would be on top of the 50$ wheel? thanks @BillKapaun

Bill Kapaun

A $50 wheel can hardly be considered expensive! The bare rim on my "grocery getter" was $90 + hub, spokes, nipples & rim tape.
IF you want a better quality wheel, get a double wall rim. It doesn't appear the rim was your problem though vs lack of maintenance.

You can GOOGLE 7 SPEED CASSETTE & 4.5mm spacer. You aren't that helpless are you?

Mauriceloridans

Jona, I don't mean you should go all the way down to a wheel with structural rust. Just that used bikes with suitable wheels (7 speed freewheel) are very common. You may have to ride what you have till you run across one but check nearby craigslist cities and local garage sales and one will probably turn up. I say all this because budget seems to be your tightest constraint.

Jonat165

No not at all but I was asking if I were to buy it from your website, so I figured Ud have an estimate in mind since it's your shop. But I saw some low priced hubs on your website, would it be possible to just change the hub and keep my spokes, rim, and tire?
Thanks

Jonat165

Oh okk I see what you mean, do u think there are any drawbacks while riding if I keep using my rear wheel with minor wobble? Like what I'm Asking is if it's going to decrease my performance while riding and I should just get a new wheel or is it alright to ride like that for a couple months until I stumble upon a replacement?? Thanks @Mauriceloridans

Mauriceloridans

I'd ride what you have but look for a donor bike actively, even put your own "bike wanted" add on nearby Craigslist. The 26" wheel with freewheel cogs is very common to mtn bikes and hybrids. I see them all the time and I'm not in a big market. If you travel to a big market, check their Craigslist and bring a bike carrier.

Bill Kapaun

I have neither a shop nor a website.

You could just change the hub, but the labor will probably cost more than a complete cheaper wheel.
You would still have cheaper spokes & rim.
You'd be lucky to get a rear hub for <$20 delivered to your door.
IF you are dealing with old, corroded spokes, they are a pain to properly tension. Even using new nipples (about $4)
I've swapped wheel parts for CL flippers, but I have a truing stand, tension meter etc. and a LOT of time. It's still not a task I relish, since it's about 4X the work as building a new wheel.
You'd be better off to put a wanted ad on CL for a 7 speed MT. bike wheel.

Jonat165

Sorry about that i misread thinking you were the owner of the website, but i appreciate the advice concerning just replacing a hub. I figured out im going to buy a new complete wheel. My new issue is how do i find out the width of my current rim? I have been searching online for tips but i am still confused as some people to say to measure the inner rim, some say measure the outer rim.
I have measured the rim with the tire still on which is 2.5cm or .95 inches can you help me determine the exact width size and if i need to measure the inner rim, do i measure from wall to wall or just where the rim protection strap would fit?
Thank you

Bill Kapaun

Usually when you see wheels online, they are outside width. Inner will be "about" 5mm less.

So, stay around the 25mm range. (23mm seems common, and that may be what you have)
IF you deviate too much from that, you may have issues with the brakes. Too wide and the rim won't fit between the pads.
I built a set of "skinny" wheels for my hybrid and had to move/add a lot of spacer to get the brake pads closer to the rim. Almost to the point that I have probably a less than ideal amount of threads for the nut to gain purchase.

These (I think) are your rims.
https://www.amazon.com/Alex-C1000-Rim.../dp/B003ZM9RW2

Just look for a wheel listed as 26X1.5" (or close) and you should be good.

Jonat165

Sweet thanks alot for all the info, im just gonna go with that, buying a new complete wheel. ALthought after my last cone and lock nut adjustment i left the bearings with a little friction because they alway get a little loose due to the pitted hubs, and now i have no play and no friction. Just throwing it out there for people with the same problems and ill do fine while i get my new wheel.

dabac

You may try to knock the damaged bearing cup out and replace it with one from another hub. I don't think I've ever seen more than two different dimensions for rear wheels.