I have both an SLX and XT 20mm front hub on my bikes. The SLX has gone a bit rumbly after a lot of bad weather riding and I'd like to service it, but we don't have a cone spanner in the shop that'll fit it! Which tool do I need? Is there an official shimano one?

Thanks!

TL-HS23 for the XT. 28mm.

I havent got one yet but was going to make one out of some spare plate and my dad's bench grinder.

I have got one of these massive shimano cone spanners which is 18 and 28mm: the 28mm for the inner cone and then a huge adjustable or a vice for the outer lockring.

Be warned!

a)they are done up bastid tight.

b)by the time my slx started rumbling the drive side cone was a little bit scored already.

c)the bearings (normal front wheel size but a lot more of them) are in a plastic cage which you have to break in 2 to get the balls out.

d)it takes a few goes to get the cone and lockring done up just tight but no too toght, as you can't do it with an axle vice or on the 'wrong' side of a dropout like you would do with a normal size cup and cone axle. I suppose shimano service centres ought to have a vice mount for this that suports the inside of the axle and allows you to clamp the outside without crushing it, but i have never seen one.

Sadly another example of a good shimano design principles (angular contact bearings on a big axle sounds like a great idea) but that need special and scarce tools to service properly.