Author Topic: Axle and cones (Read 5405 times)

bruggers100 · « **on:** May 02, 2011, 05:32 PM »

Hi,

I am trying to rectify a slight problem I have with the rear hub on my bike.

It is a GT hub with 10mm axle running 3/16 caged ball bearings. One of my cones snapped when trying to adjust the slack in the axle. I have been to 5 bike shops around my area that just try to give me either cones that are good for 1/4 bearings, which won't run in my hub as they are massive, or they try to give me a shorter axle (mine is approx 155mm, and I only get a few mm of the axle when tightening the axle tight). I thought I could use the cones off the shorter axle but the axle pitch just does not match the axle I currently have.

None of the standard replacement axles seem to do the job !

Getting abit frustrated with this. Can anyone recommend either a decent place to get spares for GT hubs ?

I am happy to buy a new axle if need to but as I said none of the standard axles seem to do the job as I need at least 155mm length.

Photo attached:

bruggers100 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2011, 09:47 AM »

Anyone got any ideas ?

I can't beleive how much of a PITA this is turning out to be.

MartyC · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2011, 05:09 PM »

I've always found Billys pretty good for axles and bearings and wheel nuts...

http://www.billys.co.uk/english/productresults.php?dept=488&group=J&PHPSESSID=7c75dfc2bb812bc62cdeb03f6a739bf6

Marty

bruggers100 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2011, 09:41 AM »

Cheers for the pointer.

I have had to take the wheel down to a bike shop this morning which have been the only place to be fairly helpful about the hub and axle. Its out of the way but funnily enough its where my original burner and curtis came from.

I thought as its a GT hub it would be a standard thing to sort out but they have asked what model and year of the bike that the wheel came off as GT should keep records of the components used for any particular model. Unfortunately, I bought the wheels seconhand on the forum so i don't beleive i'll be able to trace it back to the original bike.

This is turning into a right ball ache and it appears that I am possibly going to have to find a replacement wheel because of the cost of buying a replacement hub and re-lacing the wheel (I haven't had a go at this before and time is a premium at the moment). Once again, its another part of the learning curve when building a bike up.

The only other option is to find the same GT hub and use the axle off that. It's a rear hub the runs small caged ball bearings and I beleive is flip flop (one side to run fixed gear and the other for normal freewheel).

I am waiting for the shop to get back to me regarding how they get on with GT, but has anyone got any GT hubs or spares that may be suitable ?

MartyC · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2011, 11:07 AM »

Quote from: bruggers100 on May 04, 2011, 09:41 AM

Cheers for the pointer.

I have had to take the wheel down to a bike shop this morning which have been the only place to be fairly helpful about the hub and axle. Its out of the way but funnily enough its where my original burner and curtis came from.

I thought as its a GT hub it would be a standard thing to sort out but they have asked what model and year of the bike that the wheel came off as GT should keep records of the components used for any particular model. Unfortunately, I bought the wheels seconhand on the forum so i don't beleive i'll be able to trace it back to the original bike.

This is turning into a right ball ache and it appears that I am possibly going to have to find a replacement wheel because of the cost of buying a replacement hub and re-lacing the wheel (I haven't had a go at this before and time is a premium at the moment). Once again, its another part of the learning curve when building a bike up.

The only other option is to find the same GT hub and use the axle off that. It's a rear hub the runs small caged ball bearings and I beleive is flip flop (one side to run fixed gear and the other for normal freewheel).

I am waiting for the shop to get back to me regarding how they get on with GT, but has anyone got any GT hubs or spares that may be suitable ?

Sounds like a load of utter bollax from the LBS

. This is why most bike shops go out of business, they have no fookign idea what they are doing, how to do it or any mechanical know-how. Sorry for the rant but I think you have been sadly misled by the ignorance of someone who should know better.

Most axles are standard (like yours) and fully interchangeable; if they knew what they were doing they would not need to contact anyone to find out anything. Whereabouts are you as a couple of the lads on here like Dark Diggler or the great RADBMX shop should be able to help out and get you sorted. If I were still in the UK I would happily help

.

bruggers100 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 04, 2011, 11:30 AM »

That's what I thought, I couldn't beleive it myself. It sounds like a load of bollox but I have been to four independants and the dreaded Halfrauds. Not one axle comes with the right cones. I keep on being given the story that the cone is hub and axle specific. I did find a small (in length) axle that had a cone of similar dimension but the cone had a different size axle (in terms of width and thread.

At least the shop I've gone to this time has taken it and trying to do something with it. The other shops just try to give you something not suitable and give up when its not standard.

I am currently around Croydon in Surrey, but moving down to Sussex soon. There must be someone with the knowledge to sort it out. There used to be a shop in Penge called Recycle that used to sell loads of secondhand bikes and gear, and could usually sort most things out, but that's gone and it seems that everywhere else is now a replace rather than fix culture, just like motor mechanics.

Almost at my wits end !

MartyC · « **Reply #6 on:** May 04, 2011, 11:36 AM »

Quote from: bruggers100 on May 04, 2011, 11:30 AM

That's what I thought, I couldn't beleive it myself. It sounds like a load of bollox but I have been to four independants and the dreaded Halfrauds. Not one axle comes with the right cones. I keep on being given the story that the cone is hub and axle specific. I did find a small (in length) axle that had a cone of similar dimension but the cone had a different size axle (in terms of width and thread.

At least the shop I've gone to this time has taken it and trying to do something with it. The other shops just try to give you something not suitable and give up when its not standard.

I am currently around Croydon in Surrey, but moving down to Sussex soon. There must be someone with the knowledge to sort it out. There used to be a shop in Penge called Recycle that used to sell loads of secondhand bikes and gear, and could usually sort most things out, but that's gone and it seems that everywhere else is now a replace rather than fix culture, just like motor mechanics.

Almost at my wits end !

If I were you, I'd spend an hour in Saturday morning driving round the M25 up to High Wycombe to the RADBMX Shop, see Stodgy and I'm sure he'll be able to put you right in no time

.

bruggers100 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 04, 2011, 11:49 AM »

Sounds like a plan, no time Saturday, but will do it once I get the time to go up there. Worth contacting beforehand to see if Stodgy can help.

This really has been a PITA for something that should be so simple !!

As ever, cheers for the advice.

squigly · « **Reply #8 on:** May 04, 2011, 12:51 PM »

You could try ringing a bearing supplier like county bearings and hope you get someone with patients on the line and tell them you're after the cone that sits into the 3/8th bearing race, they maybe able to sell you bearings and cones together.

http://www.essexbearings.co.uk/

Stodgy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 04, 2011, 01:16 PM »

What year is the bike it is from?

bruggers100 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 04, 2011, 01:27 PM »

Hi,

Unknown.

I bought them third hand off the site to go on my bike so its going to be difficult to trace the original bike they came from. The rim itself is an Alex G303 rim, so from my limited knowledge it would be in the last few years (you'll probably have more of an idea). I would have thought that the wheelset would have been on a low end GT from a few years ago. Also the hubs do not any form of product codes stamped into them.

MartyC · « **Reply #11 on:** May 04, 2011, 01:32 PM »

Can you post up a pic of the hub in question?

bruggers100 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 04, 2011, 02:11 PM »

Unfortunately not at the moment. The LBS has the wheel so can't take any photos (only have photos of the axle at the moment). When i get it back I can post photos.

john4130 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 04, 2011, 05:59 PM »

it's probably a 3/8" axle 26t you need. as for bearings i wouldn't bother using the ones in cages, just stick them in loose with plenty grease. about 9 bearings per side should do it.

bruggers100 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 16, 2011, 01:51 PM »

The search continues !

I can run the bearings loose, but still have troubles with the cones that I can run as no one seems to do them. The cones are 11mm by 15mm - 3/8 axle 26 tpi.

I have found that Wheels Manufacturing do cones that are 12.8mm by 15mm but the distributor for the UK does not import them. I have contacted Wheels Manufacturing direct to see if they can send them direct but I fear that as they are the manufacturer they will only do bulk orders.

Here are some photos of the hubs, and I am just praying that someone on the forum has either got spares or a complete hub that they no longer want. Anyone ? Obviously, happy to pay

If I can't find the cones then I will try to run larger cones with loose bearings, but won't they wear out very quickly by doing this ?

BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN · « **Reply #15 on:** May 16, 2011, 08:49 PM »

PM me your address - i have a bearing cage that has come out of my rebuild kits - it might work

cheers B

bruggers100 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 16, 2011, 08:58 PM »

Quote from: BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN on May 16, 2011, 08:49 PM

PM me your address - i have a bearing cage that has come out of my rebuild kits - it might work

cheers B

cheers, pm sent

bruggers100 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 21, 2011, 08:39 AM »

Quote from: BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN on May 16, 2011, 08:49 PM

PM me your address - i have a bearing cage that has come out of my rebuild kits - it might work

cheers B

Thanks to Bendycat, the rear wheel is working again.

I couldn't use the bearings as they were bigger than my ones which are 3/16ths. But he supplied the kit very quickly with two smaller cones which I have been able to use and run the bearings loose.

Just proves that being a member of a forum like this, you can usually sort things out far easier than wasting time with bike shops (I went to approx. 8 around Surrey who couldn't help) !

Cheers for everyone's advice as well.

Bruggers

BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN · « **Reply #18 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:05 AM »

Happy to help and get another bro on the roll

cheers B

MartyC · « **Reply #19 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:19 AM »

Easy fix in the end! Well done!

Author Topic: Axle and cones (Read 5405 times)

squigly