I'm not after opinions on Hunt wheels, I love my Trail Wides, my problem is the rear hub bearings have gone again for the third time in 11 months. Hunt replaced two sets and a freehub/axle under warranty with no arguing at all. What I want to know is why are the bearings inside the main body of the hub failing? There's no water ingress, and the bearings in the freehub are still smooth as silk, and arguably they're more exposed to muck and filth and hosepipes. I dont go mad with the hose around the hub. I do ride a lot, in all weathers, but the front wheel is fine and the freehub bearings are perfect. Can't get my head round it. Are they just crap bearings or is there more to it? Is it possible to over-tighten the axle and do them in that way? I'm frustrated because I can't get my head around why only that pair fail 🤷♂️
I’m going for the bearing seats being out of alignment
I have a pair of new 2 rides trailwides and the rear when testing it by hand feels really notchy. Front is silky smooth. 🙁
lightfighter762 that's how mine went originally. Had them Christmas last year and by March they were completely shot. Hunt sent me new bearings. They went again a few months later, and they sent me another set of bearings, an axle, a freehub and the weather seals. They lasted until this weekend, which was really really wet. However there doesn't seem to be any water in the actual bearings!
The last thing I want to do right now is send them back and be without wheels for the next few weeks. Something is out of alignment for sure. Will try get some bearings I guess. 🙁
The last thing I want to do right now is send them back and be without wheels for the next few weeks.
I had a trail wide rim fail in July and I’m still waiting for the warranty replacement, so if you do send them back, it might be more than a few weeks you’re waiting.
I suppose like most people they just don't have the stock.
They should send you bearings out though lightfighter762 and offer to pay the LBS to fit them.
I've been tempted to replace the wheels TBH, in my opinion stuff made for MTB should last longer than a few weeks. Trouble is they're really nice wheels for the money. There's not much else out there for a similar price. Going to give some Enduro LLB/LLU bearings a try before I make any rash decisions like changing the hubs.
What size bearings are they? I will probably go the same route after one changeout with Hunt.
Thanks!
If hunt will replace the bearings get that done and sell the wheels and buy another pair if you think yours are faulty/misaligned etc.
Or replace the hub with a dt Swiss or hope hub.
Definitely sounds like an alignment issue, I've gone years without changing hub bearings (however not in Hunt wheels) and have found that freehub bearings are more prone to faster wear. That's not even close to reasonable wear for a supposed quality product.
sell the wheels and buy another pair if you think yours are faulty/misaligned etc.
Makes note to never buy anything from damascus.
My Hunt bearings have lasted fine over the past few years in all conditions.
Can you ask them about a new hub as it sounds like something really isn't right? I've bought hubs from them in the past when I swapped frame/ fork "standards" so they may have stock. If you can build the wheel yourself or take to the LBS then that would be a quick turnaround. You shouldn't have to necessarily do it that way but if you want a quick fix that could be a compromise?
Ask them if they think there might be an issue with the hub?
They are one of the few firms I'd expect to be honest and open about something like this.
Hate to say it just get some decent hubs and rim combo,hand built by someone like Strada wheels and you won’t look back.
I hear nothing but bad things about hunt wheels other than the customer service is good! But it seems it has to be with the amount of failures with hubs,rims and free hub bodies and I’m local to them in the south. So quit a few people I know have gone through a set pretty quick and given up with them.
my thoughts anyway.