Rear wheel axle minor play - short term options?

[LittleGreyCat]

Quick question pending me reading the books and searching on line.
After some time not riding I have a group ride scheduled next week once the Rule of Six comes back in.

I have the bike up on the Lidl stand (more of that in another thread) and note that there is a little side to side play at the rear axle.

Options:

(1) Do nothing for the moment and full service later.

(2) Gently take up a little slack, then full service later.

(3) Bite the bullet and service now.
[Which usually means loads of unexpected extra things and a bike off the road for a while.]

What does the team think?

[alexnharvey]

How much play? If the bearings are smooth and seem reasonably well lubricated then 2, if not probably 3 while trying to not get sucked down any other rabbit holes.

I find most of the time 2 leads to 3 anyway so maybe skip it

[DevonDamo]

1. Re. the play at the axle. Is this not just bearing play? If so, that can be a very quick thing to adjust - on at least one of my bikes, this can be adjusted with a pair of open-ended spanners without even taking the wheel off. If it is just a wheel bearing adjustment job, your best bet is to watch a YouTube video, e.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEGeLYPmem4 Ideally, though, you'd want to take the wheel off, remove the axle, get the bearings out to clean/inspect everything before repacking with grease. Other sources of play at the rear axle could be your freehub has come loose - again, YouTube. I can't really say anything more specific than that without you providing more details on what type of wheel/hub it is and what type of play you're getting.
(Edit: a loose free-hub or cassette might also account for the drive train 'clonk' you've posted about previously.)

2. Re. your other thread about the Lidl workstand. I've got one, and yes, I found a few of the clamps didn't hold. This was over a year ago so I can't remember the exact details, but the basic problem was the little hexagonal recesses in the plastic fittings which hold the nut had distorted/broke, allowing the nut to turn. The solution was to do away with these recesses and put a big washer in place instead. This allows you to tighten up the fittings as much as you want, although you might need to put a spanner on the nut. (In my case, I now find it still tightens just fine without the need for a spanner.)

[531colin]

If its a regular Shimano cup and cone hub....
1... See if tightening up the Q/R a bit gets rid of the play. If it does, thats job done until you want to service it properly
2.. If tightening up the Q/r doesn't get rid of the play, you might just as well "service" the hub right now.
drop the wheel out. undo the left cone locknut, take the spacers off, back the cone off a long way. Push the axle through so you can get spanners on the right cone and locknut, and lock them up real tight. Real tight. Inject some fresh semi fluid grease into the right bearing. Push the axle the other way, inject fresh grease into the left bearing (not SFG this side) Replace the spacers and locknut on the L. side, adjust the bearing until there is a little bit of play which just disappears when the wheel is in and the Q/R done up.
If you do that every year, your hubs will last indefinitely or mine do anyway.

[LittleGreyCat]

It is a screw on freewheel.

Suntour to the best of my recollection.

[I think the clonk might have been the other bike.]

[531colin]

For a screw-on, its the same procedure, but use regular grease both sides because the right hub bearing doesn't have to supply lubricant to the freewheel pawls.

[bgnukem]

Check how the bearings feel by turning the axle by hand with the wheel removed from the bike. If they are rough the damage is already done and riding it will just continue the damage already caused.