The MAX

I'm pretty close to finishing the overhaul on a 1983 Raleigh Condor.


(before pic)

Nothing fancy like new paint or anything. Just a new cartridge BB to replace the old one, and cleaned and regreased everything.

I'm having some trouble with the rear wheel. I've taken apart and repacked a few wheels now for restores, and this is the first time I've had an issue. The cone on the drive side of the rear wheel has a little pit along the bearing race. Upon repacking and doing the hub adjustment I could not get the sweet spot. It was either too sloppy, or it was grinding just enough to not be okay. I attributed this to the small bad spot on the one cone. Now, I have been reusing old bearings in some of the old bikes after inspecting them to make sure they were in okay condition.

Anyway, I decide to head to my local bike co-op to see if I can't find a suitable replacement cone. However I can't get anything to thread onto the axle. So either they're all stripped or I have something funky going on with my axle.

And now I don't know where to go from here.

I'm not really sure what the deal is with cones/hubs. Are specific cones matched to hubs? or can you use anything as long you make sure the spacing is the same so you don't have to redish?

Buy a new cone/axle and/or new bearings? Suck it up and buy new (used) 27" or try and fit 700c wheels?

Any help would be appreciated.

DiegoFrogs

I don't have anything useful to add, except that:

1. That is an extremely beautiful bicycle. I really like that and wish I could find one like it.
2. Sunshine hubs are well made. I'd do my best to save it. The hubs on that bicycle are probably something like Pro-Am's, which I adore.

I'm not much help on the threading issue. Campy cones may work.

leecycle

IIRC, there are 2 different threading standards commonly used for the axles, so that might explain why none of the replacement cones worked. About 2 years ago I was able to find replacement cones for my Sunshine/Sansin hubs at my LBS, so they are available. If you can't find a replacement cone, then you can get a replacement axle with cones set.

Unapomer

I suggest you buy new bearings for both sides and install. I would also look at the pit with an eye loupe or magnifying lens. If there are any sharp edges, I would gently polish with a dremel tool, keyword is gently, you just want to knockoff a sharp edge. After a light polish, I would move that cone to the nondrive side (less load). I would also suggest a good quality grease. Adjust the cones with just a tich of play, as when the quick release is tightened it makes a slight change in the adjustment.
I've used this method on many older hubs that I was too cheap to replace the cones, the gentle polish with the dremel really helps and definitely use new bearings. Let us know how it works.

rothenfield1

This 'is' one beautiful bike! I'd put the same question on the mechanics forum if I were you. Although there are better C&V specific mechanics on this forum, they don't seem to appear very often. Maybe they are too busy working on bikes. I just went through a similar experience and will tell you what I 'think' I know. I just rebuilt a wheelset form a '79 bike that had a broken axle and one pitted cone on both the front and rear. The hub cups were fine thankfully. I initially thought that the cone shape i.e. angle of the curve had to match the size of the bearings, but apparently they don't. It does make a difference in the thickness of the tip of the cone as it has to allow enough room for the bearings. Some are thicker then others. I also found out about the differences in axle threading. By going to every LBS in my area, I was able to piece together 2 new axles and cones. The cones were especially hard to find because the bearing on my hubs are 1/4" which is much larger than most. Many cones I tried were just to thick at the tip to allow enough room for the bearings when tightened down.

So, I wouldn't give up yet. I think this bike deserves new bearings and cones if the cups are smooth.

BigPolishJimmy

Beautiful Bike! I would try to buy new bearings and new cones. I would only try to polish out cone pitting on a dept store bike or a bike I really didn't care about. If the bearings are at all discolored they are bad, they are also cheap so why not buy new ones.

bikemore 

Every hub manufacturer makes there cones different sizes. I have a Sutherland's at home that list them (someone recently posted a page from an online source). Sutherland's
has a list of cone threading and I think cone sizes (front to back and diameter). I have box of old axles with cones and some NOS. PM me if you want more info.

bikemore 

I did look in my Sutherland's. List Japanese rear hollow axes as 10x1mm. Same as Campy. Does say much about the cone sizes.

bikemore 

I knew I've seen a chart with lots of different size cones. Modern - so probably doesn't cover Sunshine.

https://wheelsmfg.com/tech/PDF/wheels_cone_chart.pdf

More here:
https://wheelsmfg.com/tech/PDF/hub_cone_chart.pdf

rothenfield1

Good stuff Bikemore! The question I would have is how to pick the right one from all those choices to match a particular bearing size. I guess you have to have a micrometer to measure the old. I ended up taking my pitted one around to every parts bin in my area and trying to match by eyeball the length and cone shape the best I could. I'm pleased with the adjustment I achieved with the ones I found.

ironwood

Are Sanshin, Sunshine and Suntour hubs more or less the same?

Loose Screws, www.loosescrews.com sometimes has suntour or sanshin cones.