Looks like the bearings on my front hub have gone as I have some sideways play in the wheel.

Looking at the video on the Hope website it looks reasonably simple to change the bearings, but I have 3 questions for you experts:

1) Is it as easy as it looks on the video
2) Do you really need those special tools for getting the bearings back on – the video says you will knacker the new bearings by using a socket as a drift
3) Where is the best place to get a bearing kit, and does everything come in the kit

Thanks in advance

Standard type bearins. You pays your money, you takes your choice. Some will say that cheap bearings are best, some will say only use branded. Personally, I always lift the seals and fillthem full of good think grease but plenty will tell you that's a bad thing to do and you'll burn in hell

Sockets do work but if they're a bad fit, you can end up striking the bearing seal and damaging the bearings. The Hope drifts are better but plenty of people get them in and out with sockets and the like.

is it easy? yeah, pretty much. You might have to "tap" it a bit harder than the vids. Those bearings in the vid haven't been covered in sh1te for 6 months.

as long as you can press on the outer race of the bearings and not the rubber seals, it will be fine with a socket. be aware if the socket is the same size as the bearing outer, you will also press the socket into the hub, as well as the hub.

Can you not press the new ones in using the axle adapters? Or failing that put the old bearing over the new bearings and use a socket. That way you only risk damaging the old bearings.

Heating the hubs and freezing the new bearings makes it a lot easier.

A cloth tied round the hub and pour boiling water over it

TJ, using your idea do you still need a bit of force? Don't want to bodge it, but also don't want to buy the specific tools.

I will buy Hope branded bearings, just because. Can you get kits, if so where? If not which bearings do I need? Been on to Wiggle and it's not obvious

It will reduce the amount of hammering – it is the best way to remove interference fit bearings – just hammering them out is daft when a bit of heat makes them easier to remove.

You still need some force tho as you cannot get the hub really hot and the amount of force will depend on how tight the fit is

Teh bearings have a number – just get quality ones from a bearing stockist – of the top of my head I cnnot remember what the number for the bearings is but the old ones will have it on

OK, I've located the bearing part number from the Hope website. I know it's probably cheaper to get them from a bearing supplier, but at £5 each plus postage from Wiggle it'll save the hassle and I can get the new ones in before taking the old ones out so the bike won't be off the road.

Is it advisable to replace the seals as well, or waste of money?

FFIW, the Hope tools really do make the job nicer. The old XC bearings used to have a substantial outer race which a socket would easily whack against. The newer Pro2's have much less meat round the edge and a chamfered socket doesn't seem to sit very well.

It's do-able, but the tools cost less than the bearings so worth it imo. Genuine Hope INI bearings last considerably longer than the £1.50 one's from ebay IME.

When I bought my tools from 18bikes they were £17 for a full set; front bearing tools, rear bearing tools and the freehub tool. CRC do the bearing tools seperately for about £10 if you just wanted the front ones.

Tis an easy job. Oh, and the cartridge bearings come supplied with the seals.

Slight hijack:

I have just noticed some play in my ProII trials/SS hub ~ is it likely that I just need to replace the hub bearings, or is it worth doing the freehub ones as well?

i.e. Is it the freehub bearings wobbling when I move the wheel in the hub, or just the hub bearings, if that makes sense?!

Thanks guys. As I will be sticking with Hope hubs for a while I might just fork out for the tools if they are less than £20.

Anyone know the best place for this stuff? Not a big fan of CRC. Get all my stuff from Wiggle or Merlin but they don't seem to list the tools

Local bike shop?
I got all my tools and bearings from Ride on in Rawtenstall after ringing HOPE up first

Yes it's easy
a socket works fine
a "kit" would be two bearings

How do you get the old bearings (in Pro2 Front) out of the hub please?

give us a shout if you like, we've got the tools and bearings in stock. I've not got them on the shopsite yet, but you can pay online and chat via email, or phone.

Ta,
Si

Oxymoron, when my Pro2 SS hub starts doing that it is always the drive side hub bearing that has the play. Whether you want to replace the rest at the same time is up to you.

Thanks Jason – it feels like the drive side.

Have to get me-self down to the LBS for some tools perhaps…