hubs re=greased?

I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.

Deacon Mark

On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 10:34:35 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.

If they spin true and straight and make no noise from the hubs reminiscent of a bearing beginning to wear, leave them alone.

On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 12:53:11 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 10:34:35 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.
If they spin true and straight and make no noise from the hubs reminiscent of a bearing beginning to wear, leave them alone.
Would the ball bearings you buy at a typical box store work on a bike. I go to Menards I see they have 1/4 and various sizes ball bearings but are they basically the same ones Shimano would use? Might not hurt to pick up some they are cheap enough to have around.

Deacon Mark

On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 11:24:39 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 12:53:11 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 10:34:35 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.
If they spin true and straight and make no noise from the hubs reminiscent of a bearing beginning to wear, leave them alone.
Would the ball bearings you buy at a typical box store work on a bike. I go to Menards I see they have 1/4 and various sizes ball bearings but are they basically the same ones Shimano would use? Might not hurt to pick up some they are cheap enough to have around.

Deacon Mark

Shimano balls are probably grade 25, so just make sure you get that or better, although better than G25 (a smaller number) probably won't produce any benefit to you, although it may benefit the store's bottom line.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 11:24:39 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 12:53:11 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 10:34:35 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.
If they spin true and straight and make no noise from the hubs reminiscent of a bearing beginning to wear, leave them alone.
Would the ball bearings you buy at a typical box store work on a bike. I go to Menards I see they have 1/4 and various sizes ball bearings but are they basically the same ones Shimano would use? Might not hurt to pick up some they are cheap enough to have around.

Deacon Mark
I don't know what people mean by a box store. I would assume that the Ultegra hub, if it isn't too old has sealed bearings and could have the number of the ball bearing assembly printed on the outside of the bearing. You would go to an auto parts store and get hopedfully and American or German made ball bearing with that number. If you have loose balls as the older Shimano hubs did you get balls that are Rockwell C 60 and G0025 or if available a SMALLER G number.

On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 12:34:35 PM UTC-6, wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.

Deacon Mark

10,000 miles. That is a fair amount of use. I'd regrease them sometime in the not too distant future. 15,000 miles at the most. Shorter distance would be even better. Grease does eventually wear out and get contaminated. Best to be pre-emptive.

On 12/4/2020 1:24 PM, Mark Cleary wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 12:53:11 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 10:34:35 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.
If they spin true and straight and make no noise from the hubs reminiscent of a bearing beginning to wear, leave them alone.
Would the ball bearings you buy at a typical box store work on a bike. I go to Menards I see they have 1/4 and various sizes ball bearings but are they basically the same ones Shimano would use? Might not hurt to pick up some they are cheap enough to have around.

Deacon Mark


Use Grade 25 where at all possible. That's the highest
commercial grade and the best value. If there's no grade
marked on the package, skip it and shop elsewhere.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 12/4/2020 1:34 PM, Mark Cleary wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues. I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before it starts.

I think I'd re-grease, using the same balls. As others said, if you do
replace the balls, make sure to buy good ones. I don't think I'd trust a
normal hardware store.

A couple of my bikes have hubs with the old style oil holes. Although I
use grease lubrication, some lazy or busy years I've just dripped a bit
of oil into those holes. I saw no bad effects. I've been tempted to
drill oil holes in other hubs, but haven't done so - yet.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 04/12/2020 21:14, wrote:
On Friday, December 4, 2020 at 12:34:35 PM UTC-6,
wrote:
I have a set of wheels H and Son archetype with Shimano ultegra
hubs 32 hole. They roll true and seem to spin just fine no issues.
I got them 16 months ago have about 10,000 miles on them. Would you
inspect and re-grease these or leave them alone? Just spinning them
in a truing stand they seem absolutely free and clear spinning
effortlessly. But I know sometimes it pays to do something before
it starts.

Deacon Mark

10,000 miles. That is a fair amount of use. I'd regrease them
sometime in the not too distant future. 15,000 miles at the most.
Shorter distance would be even better. Grease does eventually wear
out and get contaminated. Best to be pre-emptive.

After some thought I would agree with this. In general, I'm of the "if
it ain't broke don't fixit school", but in the lube world, the failure
of lubrication breaks bits that weren't broke, in this case the races.
So, given this is a quick, minimum risk job, blat[1] some lube in it.

[1] In the official scale of lubrication volume you have smidgin,
squeeze, squirt and blat. Blat being a full change.