When to replace wheel bearings

[Swissrider]

My rear wheel on my 2018 Kenevo has some play. You can push it sideways and it kind of clicks. Actually, it’s had play certainly since about 500k and it hasn’t got any worse. I believe they are sealed cartridge bearings and cannot be adjusted. My LBS said there is always some play with these type of bearings. TBH, I don’t notice it when riding and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the disc rubbing. So, how much play is acceptable and what special tools are needed to replace these bearings (I come from the cup and cone era)?

 

[Mikerb]

No play once mounted in the frame. Bearings are cheap and easy to renew. I change front and rear wheel bearings annually.

 

[Swissrider]

Do you do it yourself? Do you have the tools to get the bearings out and press them in or do you get your LBS to do it? I would prefer to do it myself, but I believe the tools are expensive.

 

[Mikerb]

Do you do it yourself? Do you have the tools to get the bearings out and press them in or do you get your LBS to do it? I would prefer to do it myself, but I believe the tools are expensive.

Just buy the MRP set for whatever bearings you need to change and buy some threaded bar with nuts and washers. I have 2 sets and that covers front and rear hub bearings and freehub bearings. A square edged nail punch is all you need to drive the old bearings out. The press tools are about £17 a set and a punch is about £7.

 

[Swissrob]

Simple check for sealed bearings is to take out the axle or bolt and rotate it with your fingers, if it feels lumpy, notchy or not completely smooth then replace them. Easy job, support hub with a wooden block with a hole in it large enough for the bearings to fit into and tap them out with a punch evenly working from side to side so they come out straight. Get a piece of threaded rod, 2 large washers and wind them in together.

 

[Swissrider]

Simple check for sealed bearings is to take out the axle or bolt and rotate it with your fingers, if it feels lumpy, notchy or not completely smooth then replace them. Easy job, support hub with a wooden block with a hole in it large enough for the bearings to fit into and tap them out with a punch evenly working from side to side so they come out straight. Get a piece of threaded rod, 2 large washers and wind them in together.

Thanks for replies and tips about how to change the bearings. If bearings run smoothly, does a little bit of play matter if you can't feel it and the disc does not rub on cornering (back wheel). It would seem that any play in the front wheel would more likely to cause problems, due to sideways loads when cornering. It makes me wonder how superior sealed cartridge bearings are compared to well maintained loose bearings which at least can be adjusted.

 

[urastus]

I don't have any play in my wheels. I have 5 bikes - my ebike (being the newest) is the only one with sealed bearings. All the others are non sealed. Sealed bearings are much easier to live with. Loose bearings have to be cleaned, greased then adjusted, probably 500 to 1000 km; a lot less if it's wet. I imagine sealed bearings could easily do 5,000 kms unless water gets in. In a car you could expect over 100,000 km.

 

[Swissrider]

Good to know. I've ordered all the tools to change the bearings (from bearing tools.com who seem to have all the tools for dealing with bearings for all makes of bikes - price will be cheaper than the LBS doing it just once!) I checked my bearings which have done about 2500k and they seem to be running smoothly. But if I give the back wheel a good twist when it is on the bike stand, there is a click and it moves -maybe about 3 or 4mm, either sideways or up and down. I was assuming this was the play in the bearings but if I take the wheel off, put the axle in and try and move it, I cannot detect any play - maybe because I can't give enough torque. As I have said above, I cannot detect any movement when I'm riding, nor is their any brake rub on the disk, so I'm not sure what causes this movement.

 

[Mikerb]

If the play is not in the axle/bearings then it is in the rear triangle.

Sealed bearings vary. The better the seal on each side of the bearing the more friction there is so some manufacturers choose to fit bearing with a more effective seal on one side of the bearing race and a somewhat less robust seal on the other. That is exactly what was fitted s standard on my Levo.....why seeing it is an emtb I have no idea! The bearings I replaced them with have the most effective seal on both sides of the bearing race. The letters associated with the bearing number refer to the type of seals used.

 

[cozzy]

They are adjustable. I did my 2019 kenevo expert rear yesterday. Undo the silver left side nut. It was really tight and the cone spanner on the adjuster next to it slipped. Fortunately the right side is an opposite thread so by locking this the left side came loose. Then turn the left cone spanner adjuster in a bit then relock the silver nut.
Yes they are a garbage design.

 

[Mikerb]

I would not call it adjustable! It is set right...or it is set wrong. The nut on the non drive side ensures the square edges on the axle are resting against the bearings. Set to tight and you not only induce a lot of friction but you also start to destroy the bearings. Set too loose and the axle has some side play. So the nut should be tightened until there is no play. I adjust it until I can feel the beginning of some rotational resistance and then back it off by a quarter turn. The outer nut locks against the inner nut to prevent any change to that adjustment. Two good quality cone spanners are required.
It is then necessary to check the drive side. Here there is a single reverse thread nut.

 

[Swissrider]

Makes sense. Thanks. Came across this from a bearing expert “Angular contact bearings can be adjusted which is both a good and bad thing. Good because you can adjust them. Bad because when you tighten your quick release you tighten the adjustment without any final control over the bearing adjustment.
Given the options, almost everyone over tightens bearings in an attempt to adjust out lateral play. To almost everyone, play is bad. But a very slight amount of bearing play is a very good thing because bearings roll better with a slight amount of play.”

 

[urastus]

Makes sense. Thanks. Came across this from a bearing expert “Angular contact bearings can be adjusted which is both a good and bad thing. Good because you can adjust them. Bad because when you tighten your quick release you tighten the adjustment without any final control over the bearing adjustment.
Given the options, almost everyone over tightens bearings in an attempt to adjust out lateral play. To almost everyone, play is bad. But a very slight amount of bearing play is a very good thing because bearings roll better with a slight amount of play.”

There's a couple of things; rear bearings (non sealed) always need servicing before front - they just don't last as long. There will be some flex in your wheel - you can feel loose bearing though. Loose bearings are a pita to adjust too ; it is usually a trial and error thing. I adjust bearings trying to guess the right degree of looseness, then do up the locking nut which will tighten them a bit more. If you adjust them nicely, then do up the lock nut, they are too tight . I think when you look at yours, you'll understand it all. It sounds like you have a handle on it.

 

[Flatslide]

I imagine sealed bearings could easily do 5,000 kms unless water gets in. In a car you could expect over 100,000 km.

My bike has 6500km and the original sealed cartridge bearings in both wheels are still smooth and free of play. It'll be interesting to see how far they can go.