Rear hub bearings
 

I was overhauling my rear hub on a mt bike and couldn't get the freewheel off even though I have the correct tool. But here is the problem I cleaned it all out and regreased and installed bearings in the races. But on the drive side there are 2 races. I calipered it and felt pretty sure the inner race was the correct one for the bearings, based on where the hub should start. I couldn't check where they were originally because they fell out when I was working on removing the freewheel. So is this correct or should they be in the outermost race? I never saw one with 2 races before (that is 2 on the drive side) in addition to the nondrive side. This is probably a totally moronic question but I want to be sure I did it correctly. Here are pictures of the FW

Here - hunt around:

http://bicycletutor.com/

There is only 1 race on each side of the HUB.
They will each take NINE 1/4" BB's.

If you have a whole lot more of smaller BB's, you screwed up and disassembled the FW, not the hub.

http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html#disassembly

No I just put the 8 largest in each side, the question is on the drive side do the bearings go in the innermost or outermost race?, as there appears to be 2 side by side races in the drive side, both the same size and both fit the 8 large bearings

Show pictures of the hub itself. Are there any labels or engraving on the hub giving the make and model number?

First, to get a stuck freewheel off I put the remover on the freewheel, use the skewer to secure it (not completely tight but very close), hold the wheel perpendicular against a wall, put a 10" crescent wrench on the remover and give it a couple of solid whacks with a rubber mallet. This hasn't let me down yet even on 30+ year old neglected freewheels.

As for the 2 races, I believe what you are seeing is the outer shield and the race. Looking through the freewheel they can look similar but they aren't. The bearings go further in than that. You will know they are in the wrong place if you assmble the cones, spacers and nuts on that side and you run out of axle.

OK that's it. I know how to use the tool but can't get it to mesh with the splines. I put bearings in the inner race so should be OK

Are the splines damaged somehow? Otherwise I cannot imagine how the correct tool can fail to mesh.

There are a few styles of freewheel and cassette removers that have very similar patterns (shimano freewheel, shimano cassette, falcon freewheel), but the genuine shimano pattern is by far the most reliable and consistent of all freewheel removers.

FWIW, I have never ever failed to get a Shimano freewheel off (ever) when using the correct tool... and putting the remover in a solidly mounted vice and spinning the wheel counter-clockwise (like a bus driver turning left) is the most effective.

You should be able to look in (with a flashlight) and see where the bearings previously rolled. There should be a pencil thin track. If not, I'm still pretty sure its the outer "race". You don't need to account for where freehub ends and hub "starts," because the race on drive side is actually built into the freehub, not the hub body. If you change out the freehub, you get a new drive side race!

Here's a page w/ diagrams that helps explain where bearing placement is on freewheel vs. shimano cassette hubs:http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/free-k7.html. Seriously, I'm pretty sure you want the outer race, not inner. Think about this, when you tighten in the cone, how will it reach the inner race?!?? And even if it did, the flats would be hidden in the hub and you wouldn't be able to tighten against locknut! If in doubt, call or drop by local shop.

ALSO, in 98% of wheels you want 9 ball bearing on each side of rear hub, 10 in a front hub. You might be missing two. When packed, it should seem like you have just enough space for one more bearing in the race, but if you actually put it in (in most cases a 10th bearing), all the others get displaced.

This hub has a freewheel, it's not a freehub. If you look you will see there is no lockring and I don't think it's one of the first generation freehubs with a threaded small cog.

My mistake. If its a freewheel hub, some of what I said does not apply. In that case, there should be just one race (there's always just one, but some freehubs feel like they have two).

Its best to take freewheel off before overhauling hub, so you can reach. Again, it would still be the outer race. it always is.

I have two removers that have the same diameter, but one has fewer teeth. Could be you have the one that fits the opening but has the wrong number of teeth? I can post pics if it will help.

I put the 8 bearings which fit with 1 empty space. 8 came out of both sides as I had the wheel on a tablecloth. I used a calipers on the cone depth and the races and figured the inner one was correct . It does roll OK but now I think it may be screwed up. I tried several tools the Park FR-5 was a hair too small even after cleaning out the hub grooves real well, I even tried tapping with hammer as a bike mechanic suggested as it was SO close. I have 3 other tools that are close but no go. I am wondering if the FR-1 would do it. The hub says Shimano YB and Singapore. The 34 tooth cog says MB HG 40-7 SIS az 34T YC. It is original on my Giant Mt Bike year 2001. The specs are on bikepedia but it just says rear cogs not whether it's a FW or cassette.
http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...lder&Type=bike

The park FR1 is the correct tool. The FR5 is for cassettes, not freewheels, and trying to remove a freewheel with a cassette remover will mangle the splines on the freewheel or tool probably eight out of ten times. The splines on the FR1 are a similar size and shape (I think) but are much much longer and engage most of the length of the splines in the freewheel.

If you get a proper freewheel remover then you need only slide it into the freewheel splines (pound it in with a hammer if need be), put it in a vise and giv'er a spin.

I think the HG got me off as I thought the Hyperglide was used in cassettes and freewheels in older bikes.

I'm pretty sure that Hyperglide is ONLY freehub/cassette.

That early freehub/casette version HillRider mentioned is Uniglide.

I agree that your setup looks like a freewheel - no clue why HG would be on there.

Nope-

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#7