Originally Posted by
Ride_Fast
How bad is wheel play and what's the worst that can happen if you don't fix it? I have slight play on both of my wheels, and I just can't seem to adjust them perfectly. It's either slightly tight or slightly loose, so I chose slightly loose. Do you think that by having it slightly tight it will loosen up the hub over time?
The worst thing that could happen is that you're riding around with a wheel that could be loud, wobbles, and contacts your brake pads. Could that end in catastrophe? Probably not.
There are Youtube videos on how to adjust them, but as RG mentioned, if your cone is pitted it should be replaced. Try cleaning the bearings and regreasing. I assume you have a set of cone wrenches for the job?