Looks like I’m needing to replace the bearings (again) on my Hope Pro 4 rear hub – not taken it out yet so not sure if its’ wheel or freehub bearings, but with my luck, probably both. Have had them replaced before by the LBS but planning on doing myself this time – am I better using Hope bearings (about £35 for the set) or getting bearings elsewhere? If anyone has done them, what has worked best for you and (if you have got separate bearings) who can you recommend/advise to avoid and do you know the sizes? If not, I can measure the ones I take out, but would like to try and keep the down time to a minimum. Thanks in advance!

just grab the hope ones.

2 x S6903 2rs for the hub axle
2 x 17287 for the freehub

Hope have an exploded pro 4 diagram on their website. They also have a walkthrough on their youtube channel. You will need a few decent sized punches, a nylon mallet and some sockets to press the new bearings back in. Or just use the punches. It is a fairly straightforward process. I purchased the hope bearing press kit and it is brilliant. I would also recomend a new outer seal and a set of 4 x pawls and springs. As for the bearings, I used enduro bearings form the likes of kinetic, wychbearings etc. My Hope ones didnt last very long!

My Hope ones didnt last very long!

I can only imagine that wherever they get their bearings from has horrific quality variation, or they use a few different suppliers. I’ve had bearings from them that have lasted no time at all, and others that have been great.

Blue seal bearings have been good for me in the past. Pick them up on eBay. I do periodically repack with grease which probably makes a big difference.

Be careful with freehub bearing. Think the xd uses a different size bearing

Just had this same issue. Searched allll over online at every option going as I thought the Hope ones were a bit expensive too. Here is a link to all your hub options, click on the one you have and you can get a PDF exploded diagram – LINK

You can definitely have cheaper, many of the online bearing shops have options of both those bearings for £2-3 a bearing however you’re then getting a non branded unproven bearing so who knows how long it will last.

The same shops sell Enduro branded bearings for both those sizes and by then you’re pretty much up to the Hope price and probably similar quality.

You can also buy some SKF for about £10 a bearing for the next step up.

So take your pick, cheapest bearings will probably have you replacing again in the not so distant future. Hope/Enduro I imagine you’ll get a year or so riding out of them.

Replacing
As others have said, it is a pretty simply process and there’s a great video here –

THe Hope stock bearing is an INA or SKF stainless so you’re not going to get much better than those for the money.

Cheers all – have had little luck with my Hope wheels as both sets I have seem to go through bearings alarmingly quickly (using Hope OE bearings) so was thinking of trying other options. Will probably get a new outer seal, and if past experience is anything to go by, the springs and pawls will be toast – as far as I can see the sealing just isn’t good enough, so unless you’re prepared to dis-assemble wheels after every few rides (which I’m not) the springs in particular rot like the clappers!

Just checked and the rear wheel in this particular bike had a full set of bearings, including the freehub, under 5 months ago and has done just over 450 miles over 21 rides – so not a lot of use! (I have got other bikes, honest!). TBF I suppose the wettest winter since god-knows-when won’t have helped though…

By the way, I’m not averse to paying for the price for the Hope ones – would just prefer them to last longer!

Warm the hub ( tie a rag around it and pour boiling water over it or use a hot air gun) makes it much easier to get bearings in and out. Freeze the new bearings prior to fitting

Are jet washes, de-greasers or WD40 used in your bike cleaning by any chance?

I’ve had Hope bearings last ages, especially back in the day, a friend has old xc hubs still spinning nicely on an old bike, I’ve also had them last just a few months, the last bearings I fitted were NTN and they’ve outlasted everything else I’ve ever used. But I can’t complain about Enduro bearings, especially max enduro in frame pivots.

Me and my mate bought a pair of Hope 4 XC at the same time.

His rear bearings went after a couple of months. Mine still going strong.

I plan to buy a bearing tool kit and bearings the next time I get paid. Just so I can do them myself when the time requires.

Kit is about £50 and the hope one. People say a socket set would do the same job.

Based on positive feedback here I was going to get a full bearing set from https://mbbearings.co.uk/ for about £25.

These are the bearings required;
Rear
2 x 6903 Stainless Enduro Bearings
1 x 17287 LLB Bearing (inner freehub)
1 x 17287 Stainless Bearing (outer Freehub)
Hope use 1 non stainless bearing on the inside of the freehub because they say its harder than the stainless bearing and better suited to the job required, the other 3 bearings are stainless…

Front (61804)
2 x stainless steel 61804 (also known as 6804) front hub bearings.

Pro4 on the HB160 18m old no issues.
Pro2 on the other bike are 10+years old with 1 change font and rear each

In response to tinas – no – no jetwash, degreasers or WD40 on the rear hub when washing.

Thanks for the replies all – buying the Hope tools this week, then will sort bearings out when I’ve investigated what the issue is – just seems like peoples’ experiences of Hope hubs varies enormously – once these die, I won’t be rushing to get more that’s for certain. Front wheels get the same treatment as the rear in terms of washing etc. (I know they have a much easier life) but have never had an issue with them – and they are up to 5 years or so old and have never needed replacing, so maybe I’m just one of the unlucky ones?

Good plan, getting the bearing tools will allow you to just replace the bearings you need to. It is quick and painless after the first time.

You can then try different bearing manufacturers to see which you prefer.

I am careless with a jetwash, so take it on the chin. I am waiting for those sold oil bearings to become available for the Hope hubs..

chain cleaners i find particularly adept at killing hubs.

Is the seat being seated correctly on the freehub?

Thanks for the replies all – buying the Hope tools this week, then will sort bearings out when I’ve investigated what the issue is – just seems like peoples’ experiences of Hope hubs varies enormously – once these die, I won’t be rushing to get more that’s for certain. Front wheels get the same treatment as the rear in terms of washing etc. (I know they have a much easier life) but have never had an issue with them – and they are up to 5 years or so old and have never needed replacing, so maybe I’m just one of the unlucky ones?

My money is on whatever you’re cleaning your chain with is killing your hubs.

I sold a set of Pro2 wheels a couple of years ago which had only ever been used with putoline (i.e. in all likelihood nothing stronger than hot soapy water had been anywhere near the hubs), AFAIK they were on their first set of freehub and second set of hub shell bearings because I cracked the original hub in half.

The only maintenance they ever had was to pull the freehub off and clean/grease the pawls.

Never used a chain cleaner in my life and certainly no jetwash either, use Rock n Roll extreme on my chain, so no need, I’ve had Pro2 bearings last weeks in some cases, years in others.

I’m of the opinion it’s machining tolerances in the hub, poor grease levels in the bearings, and shite sealing. And luck.

My current Pro4’s are over 2 years old, no probs.

Swapped around my wheels last week. Rear – Hope Pro 4 – was really sticky, having sat up in the shed for last couple of years! Would pedal up on stand Ok, but once pedal effort was removed, the wheel would drive forward itself. Read this thread with trepidation, and could not get the stickiness to go away. Took the free hub off several times, removed and cleaned the green seal. Back on, no joy. Despair. Once last effort, properly cleaned seal, realised it wasn’t sitting properly or freely in the hub itself, wheel back on bike, spinning freely, elation.

Might look at the gearing kit though as have a couple of Pro 4 hubs.

Seal is seated properly AFAIK (done by the LBS, so it should be) and I don’t use a chain cleaner. Pro 2 hubs don’t seem to have as many issues as Pro 4’s it appears. For my money if what I’m using to clean the chain with is killing the bearings, the sealing really is shite!

to rehash an old thread. i need to change bearings on my pro4 microspline hub.
option on CRC is for (i) shimano or (ii) sram_XD
looking at the hope pdfs https://www.hopetech.com/_repository/1/documents/MicroSpline_Freehub_Assembly_2020.pdf

the Hope Pro 4 Rear Hub Bearing Kit to fit the shimano microspline is actually the “SRAM XD” kit (with the smaller outer freehub bearing) ??

Shimano Freehub Kit Includes:
2 x 6903 Stainless Enduro Bearings
1 x 17287 LLB Bearing (inner freehub)
1 x 17287 Stainless Bearing (outer Freehub)

Sram XD Freehub Kit Includes:
2 x 6903 Stainless Enduro Bearings
1 x 17287 LLB Bearing (inner freehub)
1 x 17*26*5 (outer freehub)

Pro 4 rear bearing kit for XD has now been renamed to XD/MS (Microspline) but not all dealers have updated their descriptions yet. It is the XD kit you need if you have a Microspline freehub, part number for the kit is HUB3P4RXD.

I have just fitted mine (Hope Pro 4) rear with 2x https://www.skf.com/uk/products/rolling-bearings/engineered-products/bearings-with-solid-oil

They are winter wheels, so see how long they last.

I am an animal with a jetwash.

thanks @ hannahjayy, i wish some shops would display the hope part no, far easier for us all.