Rear Wheel Bearings - Am I missing Something

The hub axle runs against the bearings. The through axle goes through the hub axle.

What is supporting the wheel when the bearing to axle has a 5mm difference???

The hub axle. The bearings wont be sitting on the through axle

Ah. Of course, I have already pulled out the hub axle. 

Its lined up with all the other parts for cleaning.

I'm sitting here at a desk in the office, and clearly I cannot see the wood for the trees, and got myself all tangled up thinking about it, without actually looking at all of the parts on the bench.

I've pondered this before and wondered if there is any scope to make steel through axles with a bearing tolerance finish on them and then design a hub with 12mm ID bearings for better load and lifespan 

Maybe, but doubt you’d want to. A through axle should be easily repeatable for being pushed in/out any time you feel the need to remove the wheel. Tolerancing for the 4 bearings it would have to go through would make really difficult

I've pondered this before and wondered if there is any scope to make steel through axles with a bearing tolerance finish on them and then design a hub with 12mm ID bearings for better load and lifespan

This is basically how most 20mm front hubs worked BITD, although the fork axle was a bog standard ally job.

The problem with rear hubs is that the hub axle holds the freehub and hub shell together; remove that and everytime you take your wheel out, the cassette will fall off, pawls everywhere. By the time you've redesigned the rear hub to stay in one piece, you'll be back where you started as you'll need an independent structural member between 2 separately moving spinny bits. Which is generally called an axle...! 

No reason why the freehub couldn't be retained with a snap ring similar to how 20mm front hub end caps are retained.

If you kept the bearing OD the same, eg 30, and reduced the I/D, then the ball diameter would increase, thereby increasing the width of the bearing.

If you kept the bearing OD the same, eg 30, and reduced the I/D, then the ball diameter would increase, thereby increasing the width of the bearing.

I'm going with Kinetic Bearings for the bearings.

Or, any other suggestions.

The problem with rear hubs is that the hub axle holds the freehub and hub shell together; remove that and everytime you take your wheel out, the cassette will fall off, pawls everywhere.

Thanks, crying now as I remember my old Hope BULB that used to love doing that. Mostly in muddy car parks

When it comes to branded bearings like Enduro Kinetic always works out cheapest, whether it's a set of max bearings for frame pivots or a set of wheel bearings, when you add free and fast delivery you really can't beat Kinetic. Last time I ordered I luckily timed it right and they had a discount code running.

Moving on from my overthinking last week.

Wheel hub bearings removed, new ones fitted. No issues.

Now, the free hub has stopped the job.

Outer bearing removed. No issue.

The inner bearing has a circlip sitting in front of it, which must be removed first. 

The brand is Fulcrum.

Problem is, I cannot find any circlip pliers that will fit. Searching the internet, circlip pliers seem to be specified by their overall length over the handles.

I'm interested in the pin diameter, and the reach.

Hole dia in the clip is 1.4mm, the freehub is 28mm deep and 26mm dia.

Any clues or suggestion for tool sourcing.

At the moment Cromwell tools have a pair that looks useful, as do Draper tools.

I'm waiting a call back from both 'product technical support' people.

Park tools offer a pair, but, £22 vs £10 ish at Cromwell and Draper.

Any clues or suggestion for tool sourcing.

How much of an annoying size are you looking at? 2 small nails cable tied onto the end of pliers is the suitable circlip bodge

Posted by: drnosh

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Any clues or suggestion for tool sourcing.

Some time ago I was struggling to change some bearings in a strimmer head which were held in by a recessed circlip. I found some pliers sold for motorbike brake master cylinders were ideal for getting to it. May be a lead on what to seach for?

If you've got some that will reach, just carefully file down the pins until they fit in the circlip. 

Thanks Thisisnotaspoon.

I did consider this approach - dremmel and sanding drum.

Had the same circlip challenge w a freehub.... These (or similar) did the job. Had bought them for an annoying circlip on a rear triangle bearing change.

https://www.neilsentools.com/products/ct4858-4pc-circlip-ring-pliers?variant=46272188875061&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOopS7bMEM5DqvLdWoIV4fYOtTV2Ovv2JtDV9ITV5cWdqocF_KkafF6I

You can get circlip pliers with a set of different removable tips, different sizes, straight and 90deg.

Conclusion....Success...

Trimmed the pins on the end of the pliers to fit.

The grip of the pins was poor as the circlip was 1.5mm thick and the pin would only enter this thickness only due to the bearing being snugged up right against the clip.

After numerous ttempts I could close the clip up, but could not lift it up from its groove.

I was able to insert a sharp pointed pick, close the clip and use the pick to flip the clip free.

Apparently, the Fulcrum free hub is the same as a Campag, with the inner most bearing in the free hub having a clip in front of it.