How to Overhaul a Bike's Hub

Don't ignore your hubs. Well maintained hubs will provide many miles of smooth riding. These instructions are for standard cup and cone style hubs.

Instructions

1. Assemble the correct tools. You'll need the right size cone wrenches, plus some open end wrenches or an adjustable wrench.

2. Remove the wheel.

3. Remove the quick release skewer or the nuts and washers that secure the bike to the frame.

4. Remove the rubber seal if necessary (many modern Shimano mountain bike hubs).

5. Slide the correct cone wrench onto the wrench flat of the hub. Most hubs these days will accept a 13, 14 or 15mm cone wrench. Put the correct open ended wrench or an adjustable wrench on the lock nut. For a rear wheel, you will usually want to work on the side of the hub opposite the cassette or freewheel.

6. Loosen the locknut while holding the cone wrench in place. This may require quite a bit of force.

7. Unscrew the locknut, spacers and the cone and set them aside. You may have to hold the opposite locknut in place with a wrench.

8. Pull the axle out of the hub. You won't need to unthread the cone and locknut on the other side of the axle. Be careful not to let any bearings fall out.

9. Remove the bearings from both sides of the hub and put them aside.

10. Remove the seals on either side of the hub. These are often made out of plastic, and if the hub is older, they can be brittle. Do it carefully with a screwdriver.

11. Clean out the hub with a clean rag and inspect the bearing surfaces. If they are deeply pitted, your hub may be on its way out.

12. Clean off the cones and inspect them. If they are deeply pitted, you should replace them. Most bike shops will stock replacement parts for most hubs.

13. Clean the bearing in a jar with solvent. You might want to replace them with new ones.

14. Grease the bearing races of the hub and press the seals back into the hub.

15. Fit the bearings back into the hub. Make sure you put as many bearings in as you took out.

16. Slide the axle back into the hub.

17. Thread on the cone, spacers and the locknut.

18. Adjust the hub. See related eHow "Adjust a Bike Hub."