cup and cone loose bearings
07-25-16 | 09:54 PM
#1
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cup and cone loose bearings
I am putting new 1/4 bearings in a cup and cone rear hub, I will also need to do a loose bearing bottom bracket.
I usually buy a new tub or two of quantity 25 Grade 25 loose bearings from Wheels Manufacturing when I do these jobs, but I have some partial tubs left over from previous jobs, enough to do at least the hub without getting another new one.
I obviously don't know when these different batches were manufactured, don't even know if all the bearings in one tub come from the same factory run, but being Grade 25 (within 25 millionths of an inch), shouldn't I be able to use these leftovers together?
I am going to get a bottle of 150, just a few bucks more than another tub, but I want to use up the ones I have first.
The question is, can partial quantities of Grade 25 bearings be combined?
I usually buy a new tub or two of quantity 25 Grade 25 loose bearings from Wheels Manufacturing when I do these jobs, but I have some partial tubs left over from previous jobs, enough to do at least the hub without getting another new one.
I obviously don't know when these different batches were manufactured, don't even know if all the bearings in one tub come from the same factory run, but being Grade 25 (within 25 millionths of an inch), shouldn't I be able to use these leftovers together?
I am going to get a bottle of 150, just a few bucks more than another tub, but I want to use up the ones I have first.
The question is, can partial quantities of Grade 25 bearings be combined?
07-25-16 | 09:59 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 126
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From: Pasadena, Ca
Bikes: 1972 Gitane Super Corsa Frankenbike, 1972 Motobecane Le Champion, Motobecane Grand Jubile, 1980 Bianchi Campione di Italia, 1984 Paramount, Trek 620, Trek 720, Cannondale 3.0, Kestrel 200sci, Kestrel 200EMS, Bob Jackson Tandem
Not an expert on this, but the prevailing wisdom I've read says not to mix production runs.
07-26-16 | 08:51 AM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 376
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From: Phoenix AZ
Gotta disagree with that "prevailing wisdom"...
Bearing tolerances are very well controlled these days. Plus, the speeds are very low, and the loading is light, also we're not aiming for extremely tight tolerances on lateral or radial runout. We're not making gyroscopes or telescope mounts or semiconductor manufacturing equipment, we're rolling wheels and crankshafts.
Mix them and don't sweat it.
Bearing tolerances are very well controlled these days. Plus, the speeds are very low, and the loading is light, also we're not aiming for extremely tight tolerances on lateral or radial runout. We're not making gyroscopes or telescope mounts or semiconductor manufacturing equipment, we're rolling wheels and crankshafts.
Mix them and don't sweat it.
07-26-16 | 08:55 AM
#4
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Joined: May 2012
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From: North of Canada, Adirondacks
Bikes: Still a garage full
Gotta disagree with that "prevailing wisdom"...
Bearing tolerances are very well controlled these days. Plus, the speeds are very low, and the loading is light, also we're not aiming for extremely tight tolerances on lateral or radial runout. We're not making gyroscopes or telescope mounts or semiconductor manufacturing equipment, we're rolling wheels and crankshafts.
Mix them and don't sweat it.
Bearing tolerances are very well controlled these days. Plus, the speeds are very low, and the loading is light, also we're not aiming for extremely tight tolerances on lateral or radial runout. We're not making gyroscopes or telescope mounts or semiconductor manufacturing equipment, we're rolling wheels and crankshafts.
Mix them and don't sweat it.
Nor are you approaching 1,000 rpm or more.
07-26-16 | 08:58 AM
#5
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Joined: May 2015
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From: Buffalo, NY
Bikes: s-1
+1 Don't sweat it.
I've even reused bearings from different BIKES when rebuilding a bottom bracket. My current utility bike, which will eventually have a sealed square BB, is running a bottom bracket cobbled together with leftover parts that were in decent shape. The cups and axle are from one bike, the balls are from another, and I removed the cages, so there are couple balls from yet another. They weren't pitted and the cleaned up perfectly, so I just threw them in. The BB has absolutely NO play and spins smoother than any sealed cheapo square taper BB. You would never know it.
I've even reused bearings from different BIKES when rebuilding a bottom bracket. My current utility bike, which will eventually have a sealed square BB, is running a bottom bracket cobbled together with leftover parts that were in decent shape. The cups and axle are from one bike, the balls are from another, and I removed the cages, so there are couple balls from yet another. They weren't pitted and the cleaned up perfectly, so I just threw them in. The BB has absolutely NO play and spins smoother than any sealed cheapo square taper BB. You would never know it.
07-26-16 | 12:05 PM
#6
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I emailed Wheels Mfg with the same question, surprised to see a reply from Dave Batka the founder, telling me the same thing, that bearings from one batch run aren't any closer in size to each other than another batch. He mentioned that Grade 10 could be used for those who want even higher quality.
So I guess I won't worry about it
So I guess I won't worry about it
