What sizes Cone wrenches
 

I am hoping someone will have an answer. I want to buy some Park cone wrenches to rebuilt my ultegra 6600 hubs, both the front and rear. Does anyone know the size for the cone and the locknut? And are they the same size for the front/rear? I know I could just take the wheels off and haul them down to the LBS or REI, but if someone knows that would be great? Thanks.

All my cone wrenches came in sets. Usually you need something like a 13mm and a 15mm, but I don't know what you need for your hub. I'm no help at all.

Shimano hubs are usually 15mm for the cone, and 17mm for the locknut, but I would just buy the set.

13, 15, 17 and you will be able to rebuild nearly any hub. For the locknut though I usually use a 17mm box wrench or a standard open end wrench for a little more grip.

Shimano hubs require 13, 14 and 15 mm cone wrenches and 14 or 17 mm locknut wrenches depending on model.

Most older hubs need a 13 mm cone wrench for the front hub, a 15 mm for the rear and a 17 mm locknuts wrench for both. The 17 can be a regular open end or box wrench.

My older 9-speed Dura Ace hubs take a 13mm cone wrench for the front and a 14 mm cone wrench for the rear and a 14 mm cone wrench for both hub's locknuts. So I need two 14mm cone wrenches to service these.

Conclusion: Buy 13, 14, 15 mm cone wrenches and you should be ok but you may have to double up on one size. Good cone wrenches aren't expensive and you should be able to service nearly any hub with these.

Another point to consider with Ultegra hubs is that the cone's "flats" are vey narrow and require a thinner wrench. I used a sharpening stone to reduce the thickness (aproximately .004" ) of a Park Cone wrench for my Ultegra 6500s.

My experience with two generations of Ultegra (6400 and 6500), 105, Dura Ace, Acera, Deore LX and RSX hubs and several other brands is that my Park cone wrenches fit them all as received. I've never had to grind or thin any of their wrenches to fit the cones.

I don't know if the hubs vary or Park's wrenches vary but I've never had a problem.

i've encounter a few shimano hubs where oddly only the crummier old stamped park cone wrenches would fit.

bicycle research makes an "idiot" cone wrench, which has 13-,14-,15-, and 16-mm fittings. it's ok for occassional use, but they aren't terribly comfortable and deform easily. would make more sense if they made the 16 a 17, it's pretty rare you're going to need a 16 mm.

Thanks everyone. On my old shimano hub I could use a standard open end wrench, but the new ultegra hubs are so narrow that you must use a cone wrench on the locknut. I have something called a fishbone wrench, (cheap thin wrench with multiple openings), that has all different sizes, but it doesn't have any specific sizes stamped on the wrench. I will buy a 13, 14, 15, & 17mm from Park tools.

I am pretty sure you need just 14 and 15.

No, you will also need a 13 mm for the front cone.

Also, if the new Ultegra hubs follow the pattern of the previous 9-speed Dura Ace, you will need 13 and 14 mm cone wrenches for the front and two 14 mm cone wrenches for the rear. These Shimano hubs have thin lock nuts that require cone wrenches.

Beg to differ just checked my tool box two 14mm for front 14 and 15 for rear. I have Ultegra hubs 6600 as far as I know

Brian

OK, I said "IF they follow the Dura Ace pattern". I guess Shimano changed the sizes.

If ya a really poor you can buy one cone wrench for the cone nut, an use an adjustable cresent wrench for the locknut.
Park's cheaper cone wrenches cost $3-5, and are double ended, so you have 2 wrenches in one!

That won't work on the newer Shimano hubs. The locknuts have the same thin recessed slots that the cones do and you NEED a cone wrench to work on them. Older hubs with 17 mm hex locknuts can be serviced with any type of wrench, even a socket or Vice-Grips. :)

Actually I looked a bit closer and the hubs are 6500 not 6600. Not sure if that makes a difference. Can't use a cresent or open end type wrench on these hubs. Looks like I'll need to get a 13, 14, and 15. Performance has the nice single handled Park tool ones on sale right now. Then maybe a couple of double ended ones to complete the set. I do not want to buy 2 of each size if I didn't have to.

You don't need two of each size. The only duplicate I know of is the 14 mm.

The double-ended Park cone wrenches are pretty flimsy and good only for occasional use. I started out with them and replaced them with the newer black single size Park wrenches very quickly. Buy one 13, two 14s and one 15 and you should be able to work on almost anything. The 17 is not needed in cone wrench format and I've never come across any need for a 16 anywhere.

For me its usually the 15 and 17.

Thanks Hillrider. I thought the double ended ones from Park tools were a bit weak, compared to the single handed. The spin doctor double ended wrenches from Performance are really filmy. I will head over to Performance and get these and make this my weekend project, (after the club ride).