Noticed some play in my wheel this morning, a small wobble side to side, just as if the cones were loose but the hope xc is sealed cartridge bearings. I checked the qr was tight, it was. Will examine further tonight if I get a chance but what can it be? I’m thinking snapped axle (hopefully obvious if I remove the qr and the freehub body then falls off!) or a totally fubared bearing……but the wheel still seems to spin fine. Any other ideas?
Neil

I'd go with your idea that it's the axle, had mine go and didn't even realise it had gone..

hopefully obvious if I remove the qr and the freehub body then falls off! – don't believe mine did this, you still had the (relative) hassle of taking everyting to pieces, and even if it's not the axle, the bearing are cheap and easy to replace.

http://www.mountainbikerides.co.uk/fettling/hope_hub.htm

It'll be a fubarred bearing

Sounds like standard bearing wear to me…

just to add, careful with your choice of replacement bearing. I had similar, replaced the bearing and still there was a little wobble. Changed to another new bearing and it was fine. The moral of this story is that not all new bearings are created equally

bearings

cheers all. I'll have a quick investigation then but shan't go to the effort of drifting the axle out just yet. If it isn't obviously broken I'll assume its a hub bearing (since the wheel wobbles at the rim it must be hub not freehub I guess) and shall order some pukka hope ones from crc. The wheel is over 6 years old and has seen heavy use so it's about time something died.
I seem to remember that it is advisable to warm the hub with boiling water before attempting to drift bearings out (reduces risk of bearing collapse leaving outer race stuck in hub). Any other tips?…..borrow Thor's largest hammer and give the thing an almighty smiting?

Just had some fun with my 8 year old one. No matter how much I twatted it with a hammer, the bearings wouldn't come out. 2 days soaking in GT85 did the trick though 🙂

Unfortunately I've now lost the 11mm spacer for the freehub so after all that it's still knackered 🙁

right – liberal application fo gt85 overnight, then boiling water, then Thor's hammer.

fbk can't you get a replacement? look on crc or just phone hope. they normally sell every ickle component of their bits down to o-rings or single screws.

neilnevill – yeah, you're probably right. I just gave up at the weekend after so much faffing!

I'll have a look later – good luck with yours 🙂

looking here http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1193 it looks like the front and rear hubs all take the same 6001 bearings (just the rear takes 4, 2 in hub 2 in freehub) is that right?

Somewhere at the bottom of my spares bin I have 2 front bearings…bought years ago when the hub felt gritty but never fitted as the grit broke down and no play developed. So I guess I can whack those 2 into the rear hub, and if the freehub feels smooth and has no play I can leave that alone. Yes?