My rear hub has quite a bit of play and so have been researching how to replace the bearings. I now understand about sealed cartridge hubs, cone spanners, freewheels and pawls etc by watching loads of youtube videos. However when I went to do the job on my wheel it was like nothing I have seen anywhere. What is this black magic?

The wheels are Bontrager Rhythm Elite off a 2009 Trek Rumblefish Elite.


There was no thread on the axle, nothing to fit a spanner too, it just pulled apart by twisting of off.


I got the freewheel and drive side end of the hub off, but there is no obvious way to pull the other end through. I even whacked it with a mallet (not hard enough maybe?)


There are cartridge bearings in freewheel.


I have no idea where the play is coming from, and whether it actually matters. I can't get the cartridge bearings out of the wheel as I can't get the axle out. Anyway, I cleaned it up, re-greased it and put it back together without having any parts left over. Still has lots of play though.

Anyone got any advice?

Thanks for your interest.
Simon

Tw4t the axle with a mallet (copper or nylon faced) and the whole thing should fly out (axle, bearing and dust seal).

It'll look a bit like this when apart (without the threaded bit and different diameter axles)

As Zippy says, remove the axle.
It'll be slightly seized in so may take a but of persuading, but once out you'll ge able to get at the bearings.

Chew, perhaps you could lend him your special screwdriver
Seriously, before you start twatting, give it all a good clean and soak in plus gas or similar, then check that the bearings are not held in the hub by circlips as many On Ones are, twatting a bearing which is held by a circlip will definitely end in tears.

See if that end cap pulls off...long nose pliers wrapped in a bit of rag and be gentle when pulling/twisting...failing that, have a good look down the axle and make sure it doesn't use a big F-off Allen key, a 12 or something.

If nothing doing, support where the disc bolts on and some firm twats with the persuader!

It's only freehubs that need a big allen key to get off, shimano and joytech as found on specialised wheelsets. The OP has removed the freehub which is an external rachet and pawl type a la Hope. From the photos it looks very likely that the twatting with a copper faced or better a fibre faced mallet will do the trick. When doing this I lie the hub on a roll of gaffer tape or similar to avoid the risk of snapping one of the disc mounts off with the shock of hitting it, lying the wheel down also minimises the risk of bending the rim as wheels aren't particularly laterally strong.

ok guys, thanks for the wealth of quality advice, as per usual. You have given me the confidence to give it a stronger whack. I like the idea of using a roll of tape for support.

Whacking the old bearings out is one thing. Getting the new ones in, quite another.
Drifts, sockets the right size, old bearings all may be useful.