Adjusting hubs with quick release
 

So im still having trouble adjusting the hubs for a wheel with a quick release.

I just feel like im not getting it, i read and reread sheldon's article.

am i just putting pressure on the axle? and then just adjusting the hub. This doesn't seem right to me.

thanx for the help.


- james

It's far easier to do w/ one side of the axle cones and locknuts immobilized; some use a bench vise, but you can also use the bike and q/r without springs.

This Parktool article's actually a bit more thorough than Sheldon's for cone/hub adjustment. For adjustment with q/r scroll down to the section with the pictures featuring the red bike frame.

you adjust your hubs off the bike with just the slightest play.

when you put them on the bike and tighten the qr, it should be snug (no play) with as little drag as possible. for me, the front is easier than the rear. just be patient and don't give up until you get it right.

Not sure what you are referring to, but if it's the method of leaving just a tiny bit of "shake" in the bearing preload to be taken up by the pressure of the Q/R then it's quite simple. But only really works well on very high quality hubs like older Campagnolo. And is only suitable for older steel skewers being used in horizotal drop-outs where you need to tighten them down quite a bit.

But if this what you are trying to do. Adjust your bearing preload on the hub as close to zero lash (no play) with everything locked down and tight. Then using a cone wrench on each side at the same time back off the cone nuts just a hair until there's just a tiny bit of play in the axle. You should barely be able to perceive this until the wheel is in the bike. Put the wheel in the drops and just lightly snug down the Q/R. Now you should be able to wiggle the wheel and feel just a tiny bit of play. Now tighten the skewer tight and said play should be gone and the wheel should spin for hours with just a moth flapping its wings nearby. If there's still shake in the bearings start over and do it right this time.

Again, if you're trying to this with less than stellar parts it aint going to work out.

FWIW that's how I do it. But I'm on old Campagnolo almost exclusively.

Same technique for sealed bearing hubs? Ex. mid 80's Cyclone or Specialized hubs

Yes.

Following the Parktool article I linked above is a lot easier than working both sides at once. The problem there is that once you've loosened locknuts and cones on both sides, it's just a lot harder to keep things from moving around on the axle once you've got the cones adjusted just so. I used to do both sides, then learned to do it with the bike frame, and it takes 1/4 the time with better results.

Another bonus is you only need one cone and one wrench.

right on!
thanks for this, this totally made sense.

guess ill be busy this weekend.

Thanx for the help with this, It was really helpful and worked,
Took about ten minutes for me to figure out what i needed to do and then got it.

Ummm.....no.

I'm nominating this for quote of the day.

do tell....

well-packed and adjusted wheels will move almost constantly due to air movement in the room...I dig that.

Sealed bearing axle move left to right versus up and down when loose. To check for play in sealed bearing hub you have to remove the wheel from the bike and push on the axle left to right versus wiggling it up and down. Sealed hubs dont have 'cones' but for the purposes of this discussion you'd loosen the 'cones so there's some left to right movement when the wheels out of the bike which should disappear when the skewers clamped.

Unfortunately its very difficult to tell if your adjustment out of the bike is too loose once the skewer is clamped. I usually adjust these types of hubs so the heavy spot oscillates a few times at the bottom

Yep +1. I adjust my hubs in the bike and the adjustment of my cup/cone bikes is so close to perfect that I can adjust the final amount of play by tweaking the tightness of the skewer.

1. Set skewer tightnenss to appropriate tightness.
2. Open skewer lever 3/4 of the way.
3. Loosen cones with 2 cone wrenches so there's some play.
4. Tighten skewer

If play goes away repeat steps 2 and 3.

5. Open skewer arm 1/4 of the way.
6. Axle play should be present
7. close skewer and play should go away.

Wow thanks!^ I know what I'll be doing tomorrow, readjusting my sealed Cyclone hubs, then perhaps my Normandy Competitions....