Campy Record Hub bearing replacement

I overhauled my Record hubs (recent model w/ Al axles) - what a
beautiful design and build!! - and now have a question.

The background story:
http://tinyurl.com/7gvre

The grease on the locknut side was reddish-brown dark (dirty) while the
other side was much cleaner, closer to the light yellow. Given the
yellow grease, I think that's the original factory grease and so it
leads me to believe it was never repacked before (2001 model I bought
used last year). I guess it's normal for the locknut side to be
dirtier?

In any case question is that on the front hub, the locknut side
bearings are dull compared to the other side which is shiny, and more
importantly I see the beginning signs of pitting as the balls all have
at least one small pit. I figure I should replace these bearings. Do I
replace just the balls (what size, grade?) or do they sell the bearings
with the retainer. Loosescrews just has balls of different sizes and
grades - I don't know what to order or if they're even the best place
to order from.

Lastly, does greasing from the greaseport work? Does/can the grease
actualy get to the bearings. It seems one would need to put a lot
pressure for the grease to be pushed to the bearings, and if it just
stays in the middle, it would just add drag between the axle and hub
shell. Unless you do very high mileage, it looks to me the best thing
would be just an annual overhaul.

wrote:
I overhauled my Record hubs (recent model w/ Al axles) - what a
beautiful design and build!! - and now have a question.

snip what I don't know)

Lastly, does greasing from the greaseport work? Does/can the grease
actualy get to the bearings. It seems one would need to put a lot
pressure for the grease to be pushed to the bearings, and if it just
stays in the middle, it would just add drag between the axle and hub
shell. Unless you do very high mileage, it looks to me the best thing
would be just an annual overhaul.

I never use the grease ports. You have to inject a lot of grease to
reach the bearings with the posibity you get grease on the pawls and
they can get sticky. As you said it is a beautiful design and very, very
easy to overhaul and adjust. So to put in new grease I always take it
apart.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

wrote in message
oups.com...
I overhauled my Record hubs (recent model w/ Al axles) - what a
beautiful design and build!! - and now have a question.

The background story:
http://tinyurl.com/7gvre

The grease on the locknut side was reddish-brown dark (dirty) while the
other side was much cleaner, closer to the light yellow. Given the
yellow grease, I think that's the original factory grease and so it
leads me to believe it was never repacked before (2001 model I bought
used last year). I guess it's normal for the locknut side to be
dirtier?

In any case question is that on the front hub, the locknut side
bearings are dull compared to the other side which is shiny, and more
importantly I see the beginning signs of pitting as the balls all have
at least one small pit. I figure I should replace these bearings. Do I
replace just the balls (what size, grade?) or do they sell the bearings
with the retainer. Loosescrews just has balls of different sizes and
grades - I don't know what to order or if they're even the best place
to order from.

Lastly, does greasing from the greaseport work? Does/can the grease
actualy get to the bearings. It seems one would need to put a lot
pressure for the grease to be pushed to the bearings, and if it just
stays in the middle, it would just add drag between the axle and hub
shell. Unless you do very high mileage, it looks to me the best thing
would be just an annual overhaul.

Well you'll need to measure your existing ball bearings and then choose the
ones that are the same or very close to in size when you order.
You may want to determine if you have the fancy ceramic bearings versus the
high carbon steel bearings. I would not bother with caged bearings, unless
that is what came with it in the first place. Usually you can replace the
caged bearings with a bunch of same sized balls anyway.
Do check your ball bearing races cups or cones too. If they don't look too
good, you may need to order new ones too.
Of course when you get into replacing the cups or cones or races then you
start to get into whether it is more cost effective to get a new hub or not.
But if you do it yourself, it usually is cheaper though to rebuild.
I probably would not use the greaseport except maybe in extreme cicumstances
as you would probably wind up pushing in about a pound of grease in order to
get it all in to where it needs to go. But if the grease port actually
directs the grease to the right places it may be pretty neat.

As to dirtiness, think about it - crud hits the locknut. On the other
side, crud hits the locknut outside the cassette.

The retainer should be plastic, and the balls just snap in and out.
Hope your cups and races are all right...

wrote:
I overhauled my Record hubs (recent model w/ Al axles) - what a
beautiful design and build!! - and now have a question.

The background story:
http://tinyurl.com/7gvre

The grease on the locknut side was reddish-brown dark (dirty) while the
other side was much cleaner, closer to the light yellow. Given the
yellow grease, I think that's the original factory grease and so it
leads me to believe it was never repacked before (2001 model I bought
used last year). I guess it's normal for the locknut side to be
dirtier?

In any case question is that on the front hub, the locknut side
bearings are dull compared to the other side which is shiny, and more
importantly I see the beginning signs of pitting as the balls all have
at least one small pit. I figure I should replace these bearings. Do I
replace just the balls (what size, grade?) or do they sell the bearings
with the retainer. Loosescrews just has balls of different sizes and
grades - I don't know what to order or if they're even the best place
to order from.

Lastly, does greasing from the greaseport work? Does/can the grease
actualy get to the bearings. It seems one would need to put a lot
pressure for the grease to be pushed to the bearings, and if it just
stays in the middle, it would just add drag between the axle and hub
shell. Unless you do very high mileage, it looks to me the best thing
would be just an annual overhaul.

wrote:
I overhauled my Record hubs (recent model w/ Al axles) - what a
beautiful design and build!! - and now have a question.

The background story:
http://tinyurl.com/7gvre

The grease on the locknut side was reddish-brown dark (dirty) while the
other side was much cleaner, closer to the light yellow. Given the
yellow grease, I think that's the original factory grease and so it
leads me to believe it was never repacked before (2001 model I bought
used last year). I guess it's normal for the locknut side to be
dirtier?

Sure, otherside protewcted by the freehub and cassette.

In any case question is that on the front hub, the locknut side
bearings are dull compared to the other side which is shiny, and more
importantly I see the beginning signs of pitting as the balls all have
at least one small pit. I figure I should replace these bearings. Do I
replace just the balls (what size, grade?) or do they sell the bearings
with the retainer. Loosescrews just has balls of different sizes and
grades - I don't know what to order or if they're even the best place
to order from.

Get grade 25 bearing balls, 5/32 inch size, 15 in each retainer. The
retainer is fiber-just reuse it.

Lastly, does greasing from the greaseport work? Does/can the grease
actualy get to the bearings. It seems one would need to put a lot
pressure for the grease to be pushed to the bearings, and if it just
stays in the middle, it would just add drag between the axle and hub
shell. Unless you do very high mileage, it looks to me the best thing
would be just an annual overhaul.

Using the hole is an interim procedure only. Grerase goes around the
axle and goes to the back of the bearings. It will push some dirt out
but will miz with the dirt in there. A complete takeapart and clean,
regrease, new balls once per yer(or more if you ride in really
wet/dirty envionment). Good adjustment, just the other side of loose,
is essential also. Too tight hub bearings have killed a many balls and
cones.