In the manual for hub overhaul, it says….

Once the lock nut is tight, check for the desired
adjustment by wiggling the tire at the rim to feel for “slightly more
than no play.”

So there should be just the smallest amount of play?

I’ve always pre-loaded the bearing on mine to just at the point were there’s no longer any play. Is this wrong?

For me ‘slightly more than no play’ = to the point where there’s no play then back a tiny bit. Just about far enough that you can just start to think you might be able to feel a bit of play. It’s all a bit arbitrary though – looks like they want them tight enough that there’s no noticeable play, but not so tight that you’ve started side loading everything. In the real world the difference between that and ‘just about no play’ probably makes naff all difference to anything noticeable.

BTW – you got a decent source for the bearings? Mine were a bit grumbly last time I had the wheel off.

Its the stupidest statement ive read in a while. Just converted my AC to 142×12 and this instruction had me totally confused. Might as well have said tight…but not too tight!

Cheers folks. Seems like I’m about there then with the adjusting.

I’ve just ordered the bearings from JRA as I was ordering a freehub at the same time. It seems cheaper bearings are available on ebay etc, but when they start talking about better seals they are close to the price of the “proper” ones anyway.

if there is no play in cup and cone hubs, when you tighten a QR you actually over tighten the bearings, causing premature wear. The idea is to leave a fraction of slack so when compressed there is none.

if there is no play in cup and cone hubs, when you tighten a QR you actually over tighten the bearings, causing premature wear. The idea is to leave a fraction of slack so when compressed there is none.

That’s what I would have suggested it meant but if you look at the bottom of the PDF it shows the wheel in the frame with the QR already tightened. That suggests it’s not the same as the ol’ cup n cone ways.

Not sure why they suggest leaving a bit of play – maybe to accelerate wear so you need bearings sooner rather than later… 🙂

AM hubs don’t tighten onto the preload nuts with the QR, so it’s a bit different to cup and cone. I think they suggest tightening when the wheel is in place so that you can wiggle rim and feel for the correct amount of play.

AM hubs don’t tighten onto the preload nuts with the QR, so it’s a bit different to cup and cone. I think they suggest tightening when the wheel is in place so that you can wiggle rim and feel for the correct amount of play.

They’re not cup and cone.
My WTB hubs,same design,had play in the bearings from new,and replacement bearings came with play.Tightening the preload never altered this and I think overtightening would move the central bearing race out of line with the outer race.
The play never affected the performance nor did they wear any quicker.

They’re not cup and cone

I don’t believe anyone suggested they were.

I think overtightening would move the central bearing race out of line with the outer race.

…is probably the serious response to the question.