Wheel bearings for Carrera Subway1?

[steveparry]

Recently bought an old one. On removing the front wheel I can feel the tell-tale 'crunch' of nackered wheel bearings. Does anyone know is it an easy job to replace them? And whether they are in sealed races or individual cup and cone with ball bearings? I haven't tried the back but might try to replace those as well. Also the front changer is grinding against the chain in half the gears but I guess I'll try to tackle that later.

Steve

[Brucey]

IIRC you are looking at Taiwanese hubs that have loose balls in them, so 3/16" at the front and 1/4" at the rear. Screw-on freewheel in most incarnations, I think. Photo of bike/hubs would help.

BTW like most QR hubs they are best set to have a little free play that just disappears when the QR is used to tighten then wheel in the frame. No free play = bearings that are set to tight.

On a used bike it is often too late and the hub has ground itself to atoms. NB if you source replacement cones/axles, be aware that the most common sort (cyclo or weldtite brand) only work properly in a tiny minority of hubs; often the result of fitting them is that the hub really wrecks itself (so that a new hub or a new wheel is needed).

cheers

[steveparry]

Just photographed the front wheel hub. There are no markings on it.

[Brucey]

yep, as per my reply (from a year ago....!).

Try it with new ball bearings (3/16" x 10 each side).

cheers

[steveparry]

Brucey

Thanks so much, will do. Just realised I'm a year late!

Steve

[Eyebrox]

I asked Halfords yesterday for a packet of 3/16 bearings. Is it your front hub?, the shop worker asked. I said 'yes' and told him I needed 20. He said they only sell a packet of two bearing races with a tiny tube of white grease (£3.49). Each race has seven bearings. So two packs are generally needed. I asked him what the mechanics do when replacing bearings in cup and cone hubs. He told me they just open two of these packets, bin the grease and rip the bearing holders off. Bit of a waste all round when they could stock the most common 3/16 and 1/4 balls loose or in tiny packets. More money to be made too and less throwaway plastic.

[alexnharvey]

I find that hard to believe. Surely they buy them by the hundred or thousand in large tubs like other bike shops.

I buy fifty stainless grade 10 from eBay for 5 or 6 pounds.

[Brucey]

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s72p1136/WELDTITE-Ball-Bearings

a quid; any decent bike shop should be able to do likewise. Order from Spa if you are getting other stuff from them anyway, otherwise the postage costs are unattractive.

These are Gr1000 balls (or Gr500 in some sizes IIRC); not brilliant quality but liable to be much better than the balls that come out of a hub that is making funny noises. More than one way of skinning a cat and all that, but IMHO it isn't worth spending more on balls unless the condition of the other bearing parts is verified good.

cheers

[steveparry]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

I bought the above arriving tomorrow. £2.69 for 36 and a tube of grease with free delivery on Prime. I expect they are the same as the ones Brucey mentions above. Seems like a good option.

[alexnharvey]

You could do a lot better than that grease!

There's a number of good threads on grease here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=64417

If you were closer I'd give you a tablespoon of two of better grease.

[steveparry]

I have a small tub of _red_ grease I used for pedals years ago. Can't remember make but it was recommended.