Shimano Front Hub Bearing Size Riddle

[Russell160]

Recently stripped a Shimano front hub with disk fixings off a mountain bike I'm refurbing. It's a Shimano 6061 double sealed alloy, quite a chunky thing.

The riddle is that there are 1/4" bearings fitted in the hub, 8 each side.
Normally as I understand it, front hubs are 3/16" bearing, 9 each side.

So my question is:

-is this correct, are some Shimano hubs fitted with 1/4" on the front?

-is it just an error, someone has fitted 1/4" in the past by mistake?

Thanks.

[Brucey]

shimano hubs don't have things like '6061 double-sealed' writ upon them. I think you might have a different make of hub (that might have a 'shimano centrelock' fitting on it). Plenty of disc brake front hubs with 1/4 ball bearings in; 3/16" ones are not always strong enough for the extra loading on the bearings (which is considerable BTW).

cheers

[Russell160]

Thanks Brucey, that clarifies it. You're right it's not Shimano, my error. The rear hub is a Shimano FH M 475 and I'd just 'assumed' the front was also Shimano but I see now it's unbranded.

So, 1/4" it is then. Back to LBS tomorrow.