I have an XC front & pro 2 rear hub that needs new bearings..

I asked my LBS and they want £70 which includes fitting & bearings..

I thought this was rather a lot, so thought I would buy the tools and give it a go myself… Problem is I cannot find the tools in stock anywhere! Do I need them, or do you know of anywhere that has them?

Just use a suitably sized socket

You can use sockets as drifts to knock the bearings in/out but care is required due to the chamfered edge of the socket. Alternatively you can do as I have and modified the necessary sockets with a grinding wheel to create a flat surface to but up against the bearing race (sockets modified as per socket for Fox forks top cap)

CRC sell them

Check out here for a step by step

the XC ones seem to be out of stock though

ukbikestore seem to have them
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/38/htt168/hope-bearing-support-bush-6001-pair.html

Bear in mind that the front hub has 2 bearings in and I think the Pro 2 has 5 (no doubt someone will be along to correct me). At £5 a bearing – give or take – that's £35 straight away. £10 for the support tool as well. The question is how much do you (a) value your time (b) enjoy fettling?

FWIW I find the rather brutal nature of whacking bearings in and out a bit disconcerting. I prefer the rather more delicate cup and cone approach 😀
The support tool does make it easier though, especially the longer drive side one (they come in a pair). I find a suitably sized socket better for drifting the bearings in since you can see more easily if the bearing is going in straight or not

£5 a bearing! You must be mad to pay that for them. Look in your Yellow Pages for bearing suppliers and get them for loads less than that.

Well I don't mind paying the £70 for them; but I will be damn annoyed if I have to pay that every year.

If I can get the proper tools and do it myself for about the same price, I will be happy.

Thanx uplink for the link to the XC tool. Anyone know where I can get the Pro 2 tool kit? (Simon, they are out of stock at CRC)

I bought my Hope kit (as I have 5 proII wheels) from my LBS along with the bearings. Then spoke with the mechanic when it came in for advice on using it.

And you can always buy cheaper bearings…

my hope hub tools are home made, a bit of 2 by 4 and few large wood drills are all that is needed to make them

18 bikes provided the bearing tools and I bought bearings from EBR at a fraction of the CRC/Hope price, having the correct tools makes this job a a no risk doddle, sockets always has the risk of knocking in at an angle and then your some what buggered!

I pay £5 for quality bearings from my local bearing shop. You can buy cheapo bearings but they might not last as well

Remember to heat the hub and freeze the mew bearings – makes it much easier.

Good quality [SKF etc] bearings are around £4 a pop for the XC ones [6001 2RS]from the likes of simplybearings.co.uk
The Pro2 ones are quite a bit dearer IIRC

http://www.hopegb.com/page_mep_force_37.html

where's kaesae when you need him???

Milkie? Sent it into Hope, they will get the hub as good as new for less than £70.
I did this with a 'bulb-hub' 2 years ago as I needed a new ratchet ring pressed in. They also decided I needed new pawls/springs, freehub/body & new bearings.
It cost me £33 for all that, hub is still going minted.

Customer care is ace.