What did I do wrong in assembling Shimano Ultegra FH-6500 rear hub?

Hey guys, would you please save my bacon again? I disassembled my rear Ultegra hub and installed new bearings. I thought I paid attention to how it came apart, but upon reassembly I can't seem to adjust the bearings. If you adjust them up to where they're snug, they drag. But if you loosen them to where they don't drag, then the axle flops around. Also, now I seem to have more axle threads protruding from the non-drive side (I removed the cone and lock nut from that side) than from the drive side. In other words, it seems like the drive-side cone isn't going into the hub as far as it should. Is the axle perhaps hanging up on that sheet metal seal on the drive side?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

retroguybilly (Bill Crowell)

Aw geez, I meant to say more threads protruding from the drive side (which I didn't mess with) than from the non-drive side (from which I removed the cone).
Sorry, and thanks again.

On Thu, 7 Nov 2013 14:15:04 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Hey guys, would you please save my bacon again? I disassembled my rear Ultegra hub and installed new bearings. I thought I paid attention to how it came apart, but upon reassembly I can't seem to adjust the bearings. If you adjust them up to where they're snug, they drag. But if you loosen them to where they don't drag, then the axle flops around. Also, now I seem to have more axle threads protruding from the non-drive side (I removed the cone and lock nut from that side) than from the drive side. In other words, it seems like the drive-side cone isn't going into the hub as far as it should. Is the axle perhaps hanging up on that sheet metal seal on the drive side?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

retroguybilly (Bill Crowell)

Well, you could do a Google search on "Shimano+docs+ultegra+hub and
than select the correct part number, or you can just try
http://si.shimano.com/# which gets you to the Shimano Dealer's/User's
Manual page and select your very own model from that.
--
Cheers,

John B.

Wow, that Shimano link is super, John! Thanks a lot.

On Thursday, November 7, 2013 7:26:42 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Wow, that Shimano link is super, John! Thanks a lot.

nnnnnnnnnnnnnn

not only do you need to lay the parts out in order on a cl
ean white sheet but examine each side for inboard outboard as the sides insert into the next piece.

You're right, data; I had the right side interior dust shield installed the wrong way. Note, though, that this dust shield is NOT shown in the official Shimano diagram of the hub at:

http://si.shimano.com/php/download.p...-6500-1679.pdf

I'm not talking about the chrome dust cap, part 7. I'm speaking of the gray sheet metal dust shield in the drive side, which is not shown on the above diagram. But that's not really any excuse for having reversed it when re-assembling.

wrote:
Hey guys, would you please save my bacon again? I disassembled my
rear Ultegra hub and installed new bearings. I thought I paid
attention to how it came apart, but upon reassembly I can't seem to
adjust the bearings. If you adjust them up to where they're snug,
they drag. But if you loosen them to where they don't drag, then the
axle flops around. Also, now I seem to have more axle threads
protruding from the non-drive side (I removed the cone and lock nut
from that side) than from the drive side. In other words, it seems
like the drive-side cone isn't going into the hub as far as it
should. Is the axle perhaps hanging up on that sheet metal seal on
the drive side?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

retroguybilly (Bill Crowell)

Hi Bill,
I'm guessing that one or more of the drive side bearing balls is not
sitting right, preventing the drive side cone entering fully and engaging
properly with the full ring of balls. Those drive side ballscan be hard to
reassemble when the metal dust shield is to all intents and purposes
non-removable.
Here's how I do it which probably isn't in any book anywhere.

Make sure drive side bearing cup is clean and in good condition.
Grease bearing cups on both sides with your favorite bearing grease on a
clean fingertip. I like genuine green Shimano grease best.
Count out nine of your bearing balls. With the wheel held horizontal on your
lap or on a table. pick the balls up one at a time with a slightly greased
fingertip and stick them in under the dust shield into the greased bearing
cup. Have a toothpick handy to nudge them around if necessary until you have
a perfect ring of nine balls sitting in the grease. I have a special tool
consisting of a clean old bearing cone glued wrong way around on the end of
a piece of wooden dowel.(any similar shimano cone will do) This can be
gently inserted and rotated to ensure that the balls are seated in a perfect
circle.
Still with the wheel horizontal, carefully drop the axle with lightly
greased drive side cone down through the freehub and hub until the cone
contacts the balls.
You will have clamped an old wheel skewer or a similar diameter steel rod
vertically in a bench vice beforehand. Turning the wheel over to drive side
down and holding the axle in place, lower the wheel and axle assembly down
over the vertical rod. If no vice, a piece of rod or even a nail in a
breadboard sized piece of wood is better than nothing.
Gravity is now holding the drive side cone and bearing balls in proper
relationship.
You have a good view of the greased non drive side cup where you can insert
the other nine balls and nudge them around with the toothpick if necessary.
Screw the lightly greased non drive side cone onto the axle threads. If the
axle tends to rotate you will need to reach underneath and grip the drive
side end of axle. As the cone nears engagement you can peer under it to
ensure that the balls are still in the perfect circle.
PH

why not locktite cones into place ?

one side red one side blue ? red on the drive side.

On Thursday, November 7, 2013 6:01:31 PM UTC-8, Peter Howard wrote:
wrote:

Hey guys, would you please save my bacon again? I disassembled my

rear Ultegra hub and installed new bearings. I thought I paid

attention to how it came apart, but upon reassembly I can't seem to

adjust the bearings. If you adjust them up to where they're snug,

they drag. But if you loosen them to where they don't drag, then the

axle flops around. Also, now I seem to have more axle threads

protruding from the non-drive side (I removed the cone and lock nut

from that side) than from the drive side. In other words, it seems

like the drive-side cone isn't going into the hub as far as it

should. Is the axle perhaps hanging up on that sheet metal seal on

the drive side?



Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.



retroguybilly (Bill Crowell)



Hi Bill,

I'm guessing that one or more of the drive side bearing balls is not

sitting right, preventing the drive side cone entering fully and engaging

properly with the full ring of balls. Those drive side ballscan be hard to

reassemble when the metal dust shield is to all intents and purposes

non-removable.

Here's how I do it which probably isn't in any book anywhere.



Make sure drive side bearing cup is clean and in good condition.

Grease bearing cups on both sides with your favorite bearing grease on a

clean fingertip. I like genuine green Shimano grease best.

Count out nine of your bearing balls. With the wheel held horizontal on your

lap or on a table. pick the balls up one at a time with a slightly greased

fingertip and stick them in under the dust shield into the greased bearing

cup. Have a toothpick handy to nudge them around if necessary until you have

a perfect ring of nine balls sitting in the grease. I have a special tool

consisting of a clean old bearing cone glued wrong way around on the end of

a piece of wooden dowel.(any similar shimano cone will do) This can be

gently inserted and rotated to ensure that the balls are seated in a perfect

circle.

Still with the wheel horizontal, carefully drop the axle with lightly

greased drive side cone down through the freehub and hub until the cone

contacts the balls.

You will have clamped an old wheel skewer or a similar diameter steel rod

vertically in a bench vice beforehand. Turning the wheel over to drive side

down and holding the axle in place, lower the wheel and axle assembly down

over the vertical rod. If no vice, a piece of rod or even a nail in a

breadboard sized piece of wood is better than nothing.

Gravity is now holding the drive side cone and bearing balls in proper

relationship.

You have a good view of the greased non drive side cup where you can insert

the other nine balls and nudge them around with the toothpick if necessary.

Screw the lightly greased non drive side cone onto the axle threads. If the

axle tends to rotate you will need to reach underneath and grip the drive

side end of axle. As the cone nears engagement you can peer under it to

ensure that the balls are still in the perfect circle.

PH

And another FYI -- unless you're replacing the axle, only remove the cone, lock nut, spacers, etc. from one side. Leave the other side alone. If you have worked from both sides, you'll need to put all the parts back together loosely, get the axle centered and then lock it down on one the drive side and continue working from the other side.

The scenario of too tight or too loose usually occurs when the axle is bent..

-- Jay Beattie.

On Thursday, November 7, 2013 6:25:58 PM UTC-8, datakoll wrote:
why not locktite cones into place ? one side red one side blue ? red on the drive side.

Why stop there? Better yet, data, I'm going to locktite red the bearings to the cones and hubs. That way I'll have a ready-made excuse for not finishing races!

retroguy