[angieri918]

Hey all, i recently snapped a spoke on the back wheel of my trail bike. This has led to me taking the cassette offf to throw a new spoke back on. Before putting everything back together i decided to check my CK hub for signs of improper wear and to just to make sure everything is running smooth. When i pulled out the driver body from the hub i noticed that the insides were pretty nasty. Wondering what people's, who also own a CK hub, experience was like when they checked their hubs insides..? Does this look like normal or do i need to start checking seals and whatnot?? Thanks guys

 

[Pisgah]

I’ve cleaned the drive side numerous times. Be gentle cleaning the guts. I spray small amounts of WD40 inside the hub then gently wipe the grime with paper towels. I try to get all WD40 and grime out. I clean all the groves on the drive shell as well.

Then I add a small amount of 10w30 synthetic (Mobile) - CK says you can use it as an alternative to their grease. I oil the grooves of the drive shell and the teeth inside the hub.

I recommend not using compressed air within the hub.

 

[cogswell23]

Hard to say what "normal" is, not knowing the conditions you ride in, the frequency with which you do maintenance, what lube was previously used in there, etc. I get the vibe this is maybe the first time you've looked inside, so if you've had these for a while, then no, that doesn't strike me as abnormal from what one might expect, though it does look like you've waited too long to perform maintenance.

There's extensive documentation for all service procedures on the Chris King website. There are some new service videos on there too, and though they're geared toward the current generation centerlock boost hubs, there's enough overlap with the old ISO hubs that you'll be fine following them, especially for Ring Drive and bearing service.

Your hub is fine. Check out the info on the King site. Clean the hub with some WD40, wipe it out with lint free rags, service the hubshell bearings while you've got it open, and ideally the outboard bearing inside the driver body too. Re-lube, reassemble.

I like that Park mat for your workbench. I'm going to try to find myself one of those!

 

[angieri918]

Apologies for not being more detailed. This isnt the first time ive cracked the hub open. Since the last time i checked it, Ive ridden bike parks in Colorado and regularly riding NWArkansas shuttle trails. I normally ride in dry conditions and rarely do i get the chance to ride in some good slop but i do wash my bike fairly often. I think i may have been a little too liberal with the water spray. I just did a full cleaning on the hub so ill keep an eye on things from here on out. Thanks for the help guys!

EDIT: One last question. When i removed the driver i noticed that i could see the bearings, like there was no seal on the inside.. It looks like to me that this should have a cover because of how dirty things were inside there.

 

[DeeCount]

That driveshell is as it should be. The needle bearings are exposed and the cartridge bearing is exposed on one side.👍
Just do periodic maintenance and you'll be fine.

 

[dundundata]

In my expert opinion it looks dirty.

 

[eri]

I’d be surprised if it is damaged but it looks really dirty to me. I ride frequently in pnw rain and mud and my hubs guts have water beads on the oil and no grit. I never wash my bike except for chain and fork and my bearings stay really clean. so I think you might be doing something bad with your cleaning.

yours looks so dirty I think you’ll need to take your time with the solvents. What I hate is cleaning it out with wd40, spraying that out with isopropyl alcohol, then turning the needle bearings with finger and finding them still coated with dirty grease. Better to just overdo it the first time. I have plugged one end of hub and put a ton of wd40 Inside, let sit, then worked the mechanisms into a froth. Do that a few times and your hub will be clean inside, like new. Bearings should move so smoothly that it’s imperceptible. Clean the wd40 out with isopropy, then wait for dry, then apply lube.

I used m1 10_30, now I use the special ck stuff. The ck ring drive lube behaves more consistently, the motor oil makes hub silent at first, then louder, then quieter. Little bottle lasts forever.

 

[angieri918]

That is an awesome idea with the wd40. Ya my cleaning technique was terrible. This season I’m not washing the bike unless it’s caked with mud. Do you not get creaks in the pivots when you leave dust all over the bike??

 

[Cleared2land]

There's a difference between cosmetic dirty and mechanically dirty.

 

[eri]

That is an awesome idea with the wd40. Ya my cleaning technique was terrible. This season I’m not washing the bike unless it’s caked with mud. Do you not get creaks in the pivots when you leave dust all over the bike??

The best docs for your hub are the ones for the king hub tool. Worth a read even if you dont have the tool. They suggest wd40 and then blow it out with air gun.

For maintenance i wipe my fork and brush the seals. I clean and lube the chain after every ride. But except for that i never clean my bike unless im about to disassemble something. Ok, or if theres nine pound dirt clod stuck to bottom of seatpost.

My bike is a singlespeed so no pivots, but water is how you nuke pivots. Keep the pivot bearings faces lightly coated with grease, that helps keep water from bypassing the seal.

i ride in pnw on forest duff and never clean, but ive no idea about other places and conditions.

 

[Pisgah]

The best docs for your hub are the ones for the king hub tool. Worth a read even if you dont have the tool. They suggest wd40 and then blow it out with air gun..

Be careful with compressed air. I used compressed air once, and it dislodged an o-ring within the hub. I had to take the hub to the shop.

 

[chowdapilot]

Blast w WD40,clean away the muck, let dry and then lube properly. I’ve had CK hubs since the 90s and the CK recommended process has always been the same. No need to use the ring drive tool. Your hubs are fine. If you have more questions contact King, their customer service rocks!


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