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I ride an 08 Trek Top Fuel 7. It only has 90mm rear travel and it does get a hammering on the odd downhill route.
It came with Bontrager Select rims and Bontragers own hubs. I soon knackered the rear. I found the cones were forever loosening, no matter how much I tightened them. My LBS suggested I'd stretched the axle and I may as well replace the lot as the freehub was pretty far gone too.
I managed to get some cheap nearly new wheels (off this forum) from a Giant Trance. They came with a Shimano M525 rear hub. However, after just 2 months riding I have the same problem, the rear cone keeps loosening. I even got the LBS to lighten them to the max in case i was doing it wrong, but It still only lasted 2 heavy rides.
Am I wasting my time with cheap wheels? Do I keep stretching the axles or is it something else? Do I need to bite the bullet and get a better wheelset? If so what is reliable and affordable?
Unfortunately I am both a natural skinflint and currently without a job so please don't recommend brand new Hopes or something similarly expensive.
Streched axle? No, they're having a laugh.
Cones loosening? Not possible against wheel nuts/ closed QR.
I'd have to see your wheel and how you use/maintain it to say more.
SB
Do you reckon I should give the hub a service, check the bearings and cups are smooth? If they are pitted can that result in the cones working loose?
Thanks for your help
I suggest you stick with cup+cone, but tighten the RH cone and locknut with loctite before assembling the rest of the axle.
Use the LH cone to set the bearing and see if this solves the problem...it is a known issue with Shimano hubs.
PaulD
Am I wasting my time with cheap wheels?
Sounds like it, unless you are prepared to service them more often - even a regular squirt of grease helps.
Higher end shimano hubs are better sealed. You may prefer cartridge bearing hubs, though they are by no means fit and forget.
BTW what is your cleaning regime? Any jetwash or muc-off?
I used to get this with shimano hubs. No idea why just happened every now and again
If the manufacturing tolerances on the threads are poor then the cones can work loose and give rise to the play
I am fairly lazy with my cleaning, firm believer of lubrication is better than washing grease out. I actually let the dirt dry then brush it off and liberally apply Gt85 to moving parts (except hubs and bb). For the hubs I peel the rubber seals back every couple of months and spray lithium grease in. Looks like I'll have to do a "proper" service this time and check all the bearings.
Reckon I'll try the full service option and use locktite as PaulD recommends. Cheers mate
False economy, buying cheap wheels and then paying an LBS to fix them.
Strip the hubs totally, and replace all the ball bearings and rebuild as spec.
And watch them.
Am quite tempted to just get a set of Superstars with their switch sealed bearing hubs. £130 seems damn good value. However, If I managed to break them too then I fear my heart would fail from the sheer rage
I found the cones were forever loosening, no matter how much I tightened them
youre not supposed to crank down the cones as hard as you can, the locknut is there to stop the cones loosening (supposedly)