How many bearings in a shimano front hub

This cage keeps the balls separated. I use to buy a couple of extra bearings, take them apart and fit as many balls as possible, with also, as much grease as possible. I do this based on the argument that the load will be spread among more balls, thus diminishing the load for each individual ball, with the positive effect of extending the time between hub maintenances. My results are that I have never had a case of cracked bearing balls in any hub that had this procedure performed.

Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Can a front wheel have a different number of bearings on each side? Ask Question. Asked 10 years, 1 month ago. Active 10 years, 1 month ago.

Viewed 11k times. I took my old, filthy bike apart to clean it up. I have never done this before! It seems like logically there are a few explanations: There were actually 10 each side but I dropped one without noticing. It's designed to have a different number on each side. It's not designed to have a different number on each side, but the bike shop put it together wrong and I've somehow got away with it over the years. Improve this question.

Luke Halliwell Luke Halliwell 2 2 gold badges 3 3 silver badges 8 8 bronze badges. If you put 9 back in one side, is there enough gap left to fit 1 more?

I assume putting 10 in one side doesn't leave a lot of gap Yeah, 10 seems like a perfect fit Another option is that there should be 10 a side, but one got munched to powder by the others and is now mixed with the grease acting as a grinding paste. I've also seen the retainer cages get chewed up in this manner.

Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Improve this answer. Thanks for the info. Maybe some take more than others, or they're giving you spare balls! Best to get balls from a reputable bearing supplier who will tell you the grade number. Grade 25 recommended. The lower the number, the better the quality. Some cheapo balls are no beter than cake decorations. Play is down to cone adjustment. With a QR hub, there should be a trace of play before the QR is tightened.

The QR compresses the axle, changing the adjustment. They're genuine Shimano balls. Oh well, I'll have to take one out then, but it didn't half feel sloppy even with the cones tight.

I wonder if the races are worn? Should it be ok with 11 in for now? There should be nine bearings in each side of the rear hub. If you can fit twelve in, then you have the wrong size bearings.

Just followed these instructions, only part I missed was that on the drive side you need to preload the tension on the cone with the adjusting nut takes 15mm cone on the axle before inserting axle through the hub.

In my case about 5 to 6 threads were left on the outside of the adjusting nut. Preload is only done from one side. Hi I have a SG-3C41 Inter 3 hub w coaster brake shimano made for tricycles My question is it possible to replace the axle with a longer 1 i need longer axle to fit frame im working with I have no experience taking apart hubs would removing just the axle be possible without taking apart the complete hub i thought of a coupling to make it fit wide frame but i cant seem to find 1 that is more than 24 tpi any help appreciated.

I presume that you have the mm axle at present and wish to switch to the mm? Have you viewed this link exploded diagram from Shimano? You may also find this website link to be of help. Hi Steve Thanks for the reply and links the mm would not be long enough so im trying to find coupling of some kind thinking an axle peg if i can find 1 with threads deep enough.

This is an excellent guide and one that I wish I had read before servicing my rear hub. I seem to have several washer left over!!! No, not at all. Was looking for advice, rebuilt an M rear hub, typical Shimano failure due to broken pawls, ordered and installed new freehub.

If I preload any tighter I can feel bearings move against the races. So what adjustment do you make after you find it to have developed play? Where is the play? In the bearings? Did you remember to refit the funky washer that sits between the freehub body and the hub?

That funky washer is in place, the freehub is snug with no play against the hub but moves freely. The first time I went back thru and totally disassembled, thinking maybe the cone on the freehub side was not tight or had loosened up against the freehub dust cap.

Both sides of the axle are symmetric within the dropouts. When I initially reassemble everything and QR into the bike it feels proper, but next day you can move the wheel and feel slop almost like the cones are not in far enough. Possibly why these hubs have so many reported problems eating pawls as outwardly everything would appear OK, but there would be too much slop internal to the freehub body.

If you remove the wheel from the frame, is it possible to determine whether or not the play comes from insufficient bearing preload? You need to identify why it starts off tight then works loose over time.

What kind of grease are you using? How much of it? The only way that a wheel will move laterally is if there is a gap between the bearings and the races cups and cones. It feels like the play is on the freehub side, I can move the axle slightly up and down by hand, but the freehub body itself is solid, with solid lockup to the hub. Cassette was rock solid. It has to be play in the freehub body itself. A completely unbalanced pawl arrangement. The 2 pawls are degrees apart and a third pocket where you could put one degrees in either direction from teh other 2 although not shaped the same is empty.

You can eliminate the possibility of play in the bearings simply by overloading them. What a well written and illustrated primer. Thank you very much! Makes a big difference seeing step-by-step photos rather than just the exploded parts diagram. Brilliant guide. First time stripping a hub and replacing with new bearings and it went beautifully. I used the excellent step by step instructions above. Steve Coverdale. On the drive side of a shimano hub 8 speed , can the cone, spacers, nut be unscrewed from the axel?

I am having a tough time getting those components out. Thanks for the clear instructions and pics. I used this along with the Shimano exploded diagram to service an XT M disc rear and everything in that hub seemed to correspond to your guide.

We are bike riders and we should be the masters of our own stuff. You can take the freehub body apart, Shimano does not recommend it. Likely you will find a problem with one set of pawls sheared or damaged which appears to be very common on these freehubs.

Took mine apart to find out what was really going on, pic below as you can imagine the engagement teeth were thrashed. I have a Shimano FH-M rear disc hub. It may be difficult to describe my issue but has anyone ever heard of a problem with the free-hub where it will spin forward without turning the wheel?

The issue may be my rear cassette and chain i. Skipping off gears is, as you say, something where one would expect to hear a noise. As you describe it, the problem would appear to be with the freehub.

How do I find a compatible freewheel body part number is Y-3SL I read above that it is no longer available. As I understand it, you can replace the freehub with any compatible A, B or C freehub. Follow-up — I replaced the freehub yesterday and it feels like a totally different bike now.

Really incredible difference. I think I let it go so far that there were all sorts of tics and so on but I think most were the freehub.

I will have to ride some more to see if there is any chain skipping. Thanks for the responses. Thanks for such an insightful and clearly constructed guide. I now have a greater understanding of hubs and can share this with my biker friends. You say that the freehub body is not really serviceable. In the desert here, the ultra fine sand gets into everything and must be cleaned out regularly or it will trash the component.

With the freehub, I remove the bearings then soak it in solvent overnight. I then alternate flushing with clean solvent and blowing with compressed air intil the solvent coming out of the freehub is absolutely clean. I was stripping out freehubs about every miles two to three per yesr before figuring this out.

I now get a couple years before I replace the freehub and it works and sounds better besides. The whole process only takes about 15 minutes longer than just ignoring the freehub, but sure saves a lot of expence in replacing XT freehubs. Hi Steve, first off let me say how awesome these step-by-step instructions are with great helpful photos.

It inspired me as a first timer hub service to give it a go. Unfortunately I have run into a bit of a problem. I seem to have completed all the steps and have the wheel running what feels to me nice and smooth. Then I put it back in the frame and tighten up the quick release and now the disc rotor is rubbing against the calliper mount and the wheel cant turn. The bearings are new and the hub itself aint that old so no real wear and was working well before I got to grips with it.

I have about 6 threads sticking out on the drive side axle. And I have installed everything back on that came off :o Any idea what I might be doing wrong? Everything that came off the hub went back on it. With a mates wheel with a working hub mounted and spinning correctly in my frame it looks to be about 4mm that my hub is over too far.

I see. Assuming that everything is fitted in the correct order, this is really the only way that the hub and disc mount can be moved to enable the rotor to clear the mount. Not too sure that I understand what you mean. This whole thing has me totally confused to be honest. It seems the position the non drive side cones have to be in to stop it going over too far is too loose and I get side to side movement in the wheel.

When you rebuild, the hub and brake disc will then be positioned a thread or two closer to the other end of the axle and will mean that the brake disc clears the brake mount. Thanks for the reply Steve. I know it must be quite frustrating dealing with someone quite so mechanically inept!!

From memory however I think whats happening might be the opposite to what your thinking I mean I think??