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Wheel bearings longevity ?
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Tell me about wheel bearings.

My wheels are Hed Stinger 9 (Flamme Rouge ?). Those bearings should be effective for how many miles ? I rode them full time for the last 4 seasons (4 IM prep, +- 4000 miles annually).

How do we know it's time to change them ? I don't feel any creaking. Do they need greasing or special care ?

Thanks for teaching me :)
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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [Hoodoo] [ In reply to ]
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When they start to get wobbly when you move the wheel from side to side in the drop out then it is time to replace them.

Most of the ones I have are removed by taking the end caps off and tapping the bearing out with a drift pin. The first one generally comes out by tapping the axle with a plastic hammer.

For replacement I use a socket with the same diameter as the outside race of the bearing and just carefully tap it in. You can buy a special kit for pressing bearings back in.

Once the bearing is removed and cleaned I snap a picture of it with my phone and blow it up so I can read the identifying number on the bearing and just order some more. Seems like most of these bicycle bearings are made by a company called Enduro

The end caps usually have some kind of adjustability so you can put preload on to the bearings just tighten them enough so it doesn't wobble don't go nuts

You can't lube or service these bearings but put a little dab of Grease on the outer part of the bearing when you press it into the hub
Last edited by: jroden: Feb 26, 19 13:47
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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [jroden] [ In reply to ]
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Do these wheels definitely use sealed bearings?

I didn't find anything concrete but I did see mentions of loose ball bearing type hubs. Just that if they are loose ball bearings then preventative maintenance is what you want. Once they go off they start scoring the race surface and that is a wheel rebuild with new hubs if you are lucky enough for that to be cost effective.

If they are sealed bearings then ignore me (which is a good general rule anyway).
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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [OddSlug] [ In reply to ]
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Yes if they are the cup and cone type bearings then you will need some special wrenches to adjust. In general you take them apart clean them up put fresh grease in and put them back together. It helps to have a tool called an axle vise for adjusting them. My post above was generic instructions for cartridge type bearings
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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [Hoodoo] [ In reply to ]
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HED. Wheels are build with industrial standardized ABEG5 (quality norm) cartridge bearings .. these are sealed and greased for (their) lifetime and there is nothing to adjust .. just ride them .. mine do not even make vibrations on the handlebar or frame when the wheels running freely .. after 25k mls ..

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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [Hoodoo] [ In reply to ]
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Hoodoo wrote:
How do we know it's time to change them ?
The best test is to get some nuts that just fit over the axle ends and clamp them with your QR. Check by spinning the axle-QR assembly with your fingers.
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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [sausskross] [ In reply to ]
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sausskross wrote:
HED. Wheels are build with industrial standardized ABEG5 (quality norm) cartridge bearings .. these are sealed and greased for (their) lifetime and there is nothing to adjust .. just ride them .. mine do not even make vibrations on the handlebar or frame when the wheels running freely .. after 25k mls ..

Well, on the other hand I had a Jet front wheel some 10 years ago where the bearings wore out within a few hundred miles. Admittedly this was during a stage race with brutal weather and pouring rain day after day. One day one of the top riders on another team rode up next to me and said something like "I know when it's you on my wheel because I can hear you". It didn't make sense at the time but a day later I happened to swap front wheels and realized that my front wheel bearings were seized so tight that I could barely turn them with my fingers. My wheel sounded different than the others due to bad bearings.

Yeah, ABEC 5 bearings are sealed for a lifetime but that lifetime might only be a long weekend if you're racing in pouring rain on gritty roads. For what it's worth I wore out an Ultegra chain in just a few hundred miles over those same few days. And barely staved off hypothermia for that matter.
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Re: Wheel bearings longevity ? [eb] [ In reply to ]
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Spin the wheel in your hand and if it is rough, new bearings.
You should just feel silky smoothness.
Tapping new bearings in with a socket is a great way to get them crooked and distort the housing.
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