ClarkinHawaii

OK, so I've got severely pitted cones which should be replaced but it's more hassle than these cheapo wheels are worth, so I just reassembled the hubs with lotsa grease and will run them this way until I get replacements.

As far as hub cone tightness in a case like this . . . I've received 2 conflicting pieces of advice and both seem as though they make sense . . .

First friend tells me:
"With worn cones & bearings, you want to make them slightly on the tight side with no play. Too-tight of bearings will end up wearing into perfect adjustment. Which is better than too-loose in the beginning because that would cause wear in one spot only and lead to the pitting that you saw."

Second friend says:
"Adjust them really loose since they are pitted they might bind and even seize up if not real loose"

What do the EXPERTS say? Thanks!

cycle_maven

You took all the trouble to disassemble and grease your hubs, why not spend an extra 5 bucks and get a new set of cones and bearings? Unless your cups are worn out, too. In which case I tend to agree with friend 2- too tight and you'll just break something. What's the problem of further pitting something that's already pitted and approaching the trash anyway?

ClarkinHawaii

\
Can't find components specific to these hubs and don't know enough to improvise with generic components and tired of screwing around with it and dust cap mangled and the only thing I can buy around here for $5 is the bus ride to lbs where they'll tell me they don't stock stuff like this because there's not enough profit in it., yada,yada. But, like you, it was my first thought.

JanMM

I'd suggest neither too tight nor too loose, but rather, just right, just like you would adjust a hub. Replace the worn bits ASAP.
(not an Expert)

operator

+1

Both your friends are wrong.

1) They aren't going to "wear into perfect adjustment", not for a very long time anyways.
2) A hub isn't going to lose it's adjustment beause it was adjusted tight. It'll only do that if you didn't use sufficient torque to lock the locknuts against the cones on adjustment.

cnnrmccloskey

"As smooth as possible with no play"
This is what i've always been taught, Too tight is not going to "wear into perfect adjustment" would be nice, but thats not true.

ClarkinHawaii

Not too hot, not too cold, but juust right . . . OK, makes sense to me--Thanks.

Kimmo 

If it's not a solid axle, 'just right' is a tiny bit loose; the play goes away when you do up the skewer.

rustybucket

I have buffed the pits out of pitted cones using a dremel. Then got many more miles out of the hubs. If you have a dremel or know someone with one give it a try.

ClarkinHawaii

Jeez, The tips keep on coming!--Thanks, Guys.

DMF 

Beat the dust cover back into shape with something. They get bent and straightened a lot. (Don't whack the lips where it sets into the hub.)