Sealed Bearing problem in 501 hub ...

I have a set of MAVIC 501 road 32H tubular wheels. These were
purchased used from another guy at work, so i don't really know the
history of these wheels.

i recently mounted tubulars (1st time) and went riding on these
wheels. Well, i heard a weird crinkling noise from the rear hub,
almost like someone wadding up a piece of cellophane and then letting
it expand, repeatedly. the sound was there pedaling or coasting; the
frequency increased when i went faster; it is definitely a problem
with the bearings or wheel, not elsewhere in the drivetrain. I could
also feel a vibration coming up through the saddle.

the very strange symptom is that when i took the wheel off the bike,
this happens when the dura ace freewheel (shimano 600 freewheel, too)
is installed, but the sound disappears when the wheel has no
freewheel. so the axle needs some load on it for this to happen.

Tonight i replaced both original mavic sealed bearings with brand new
Phil Wood bearings. There was reason to believe that one bearing was
worn-out / dried out. I ran the phil wood bearings up and down my arm
several time to verify that there was no grittiness in these brand new
bearings - they are fine. The mavic bearings, even after re-greasing,
still have some grittiness.

the initial press-in was done with fingers and tapping it in with a
block of wood. the final press-in was done with the worn-out bearings
used as washers, and tightening the QRs, using my set of un-brazed
dropouts, to get the non-drive-side bearing deep into the hub, so that
its aluminum dust cap could be installed on top of it. then,

I used my un-brazed dropouts to adjust the load on the bearings so
that they swing freely with the QR tightened, but just barely. So I
feel that the pre-load on the bearings is probably correct.

Now that the wheel is reassembled, the problem is still there. I'm at
a loss to figure out what is causing this problem - this is my first
set of sealed-bearing wheels - does anyone have a suggestion as to how
to fix this problem ??

Thanx in advance,

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Rims are MAVIC GEL 330's. I retrued the rims just last night, and
stress-relieved the spokes.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Donald Gillies wrote:
I have a set of MAVIC 501 road 32H tubular wheels. These were
purchased used from another guy at work, so i don't really know the
history of these wheels.

i recently mounted tubulars (1st time) and went riding on these
wheels. Well, i heard a weird crinkling noise from the rear hub,
almost like someone wadding up a piece of cellophane and then letting
it expand, repeatedly. the sound was there pedaling or coasting; the
frequency increased when i went faster; it is definitely a problem
with the bearings or wheel, not elsewhere in the drivetrain. I could
also feel a vibration coming up through the saddle.

I think it's yer tire. I have heard this from some tubulars also-try
another tire.

the very strange symptom is that when i took the wheel off the bike,
this happens when the dura ace freewheel (shimano 600 freewheel, too)
is installed, but the sound disappears when the wheel has no
freewheel. so the axle needs some load on it for this to happen.

Tonight i replaced both original mavic sealed bearings with brand new
Phil Wood bearings. There was reason to believe that one bearing was
worn-out / dried out. I ran the phil wood bearings up and down my arm
several time to verify that there was no grittiness in these brand new
bearings - they are fine. The mavic bearings, even after re-greasing,
still have some grittiness.

the initial press-in was done with fingers and tapping it in with a
block of wood. the final press-in was done with the worn-out bearings
used as washers, and tightening the QRs, using my set of un-brazed
dropouts, to get the non-drive-side bearing deep into the hub, so that
its aluminum dust cap could be installed on top of it. then,

I used my un-brazed dropouts to adjust the load on the bearings so
that they swing freely with the QR tightened, but just barely. So I
feel that the pre-load on the bearings is probably correct.

Now that the wheel is reassembled, the problem is still there. I'm at
a loss to figure out what is causing this problem - this is my first
set of sealed-bearing wheels - does anyone have a suggestion as to how
to fix this problem ??

Thanx in advance,

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" wrote in message
ups.com...

Donald Gillies wrote:
I have a set of MAVIC 501 road 32H tubular wheels. These were
purchased used from another guy at work, so i don't really know the
history of these wheels.

i recently mounted tubulars (1st time) and went riding on these
wheels. Well, i heard a weird crinkling noise from the rear hub,
almost like someone wadding up a piece of cellophane and then letting
it expand, repeatedly. the sound was there pedaling or coasting; the
frequency increased when i went faster; it is definitely a problem
with the bearings or wheel, not elsewhere in the drivetrain. I could
also feel a vibration coming up through the saddle.

I think it's yer tire. I have heard this from some tubulars also-try
another tire.

the very strange symptom is that when i took the wheel off the bike,
this happens when the dura ace freewheel (shimano 600 freewheel, too)
is installed, but the sound disappears when the wheel has no
freewheel. so the axle needs some load on it for this to happen.

Tonight i replaced both original mavic sealed bearings with brand new
Phil Wood bearings. There was reason to believe that one bearing was
worn-out / dried out. I ran the phil wood bearings up and down my arm
several time to verify that there was no grittiness in these brand new
bearings - they are fine. The mavic bearings, even after re-greasing,
still have some grittiness.

the initial press-in was done with fingers and tapping it in with a
block of wood. the final press-in was done with the worn-out bearings
used as washers, and tightening the QRs, using my set of un-brazed
dropouts, to get the non-drive-side bearing deep into the hub, so that
its aluminum dust cap could be installed on top of it. then,

I used my un-brazed dropouts to adjust the load on the bearings so
that they swing freely with the QR tightened, but just barely. So I
feel that the pre-load on the bearings is probably correct.

Now that the wheel is reassembled, the problem is still there. I'm at
a loss to figure out what is causing this problem - this is my first
set of sealed-bearing wheels - does anyone have a suggestion as to how
to fix this problem ??

Thanx in advance,

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA


pay particular attention to the glue round the valve hole as this can and
will lift off slightly the noise is where the glue has just about cured but
not quit and the creaking noise will be heard on every rotation under load,
obviously increasing with speed.

cheers
Jon_H

I just did some experiments with the wheel. While I agree that the
tire glue could be giving off noises when the wheels are on the bike,
I don't think the tires will give off axle vibrations and noises when
I'm spinning the wheel in my hand.

The bearings on the drive side are quiet when i tilt the wheel at 45
degrees - with most of the weight on the drive side. when the wheel
is at 90 degrees, i hear ticking and vibrations. when the wheel is at
135 degrees (with most of the load on the non-drive side, the one with
the 6-prong aluminum dustcap) - same problem - ticking and vibrations.
at 180 (and zero degress) - no problems.

So I think that i may have gotten a bad brand-new bearing on the
non-drive side of this wheel.

Anyone seen a situation like this before?? I wish i could remember
which bearing seemed bad to begin with, i hope it wasn't the non-drive
side bearing...

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA