You service as frequently as you feel necessary given the operating environment. As a clyde, you might consider a more frequent service interval. As a general rule, I service most hub bearings around 1K (miles). You had mentioned these were fairly low mileage though.
What do mean when you refer to "Bearing Failure"? Did it actual fail, as in come apart or was it just rough or gritty?
You service as frequently as you feel necessary given the operating environment. As a clyde, you might consider a more frequent service interval. As a general rule, I service most hub bearings around 1K (miles). You had mentioned these were fairly low mileage though.
What do mean when you refer to "Bearing Failure"? Did it actual fail, as in come apart or was it just rough or gritty?
Hard to say if it's a hard failure yet as I haven't pulled it out yet but last time I did pull wheel off and give everything a check, axle was OK and bearings were smooth, then went to Utah for some riding late Oct, but hadn't used the bike really since then. Was just getting around to maintenance on that one when I loosened wheel and axle was broke(That wheelset got swapped now and then between Riot and ROS9 so it was checked occasionally). The second hub/bike I laced that hub in at the end of last summer but only had about a dozen rides(after receiving 29x2.8 vigilantes) post Oct due to covid lockdowns etc, only looked at that one due to first hub issue.
A bit of a surprise at the spread of bearing brands used between the 2 hubs.
Edit: The good news is I have the right parts combo for one good hub
So what was the easy fix, or lacking that your favorite brand bearing?
I put a lot of power out and have broke a great many bike parts but few bearings other than the old cup and ball hubs mainly breaking the shitty shimano pawls(sun ringle hub a close second) which got me into the Hope(those were rough as hell after six months but I snapped the outer axle on that as well replaced all internals(renowned for shitty 142 outer axles(135 fun bolt OK) & factory bearings), Hadley, King, Onyx hubs. No issues whatsoever on Hadley or King which I ran for quite a while, well except for noise, even there Hope is worse.
Thanks, NTNs looking good(most info I can find) with steel cages which Enduro says are better but very few of theirs come with them(only all steel if at all and no indication by part number).
Good lord. 6 bearings in one summer at just 143lbs? Where are you riding?
I've heard that Enduro is just a rebrand for cheap, generic bearings sourced from different factories in China. The Japanese IJK bearings used in DT 240 hubs are known to last forever. The Taiwanese TPI bearings used in DT 350 also have a good reputation.
Good lord. 6 bearings in one summer at just 143lbs? Where are you riding?
I've heard that Enduro is just a rebrand for cheap, generic bearings sourced from different factories in China. The Japanese IJK bearings used in DT 240 hubs are known to last forever. The Taiwanese TPI bearings used in DT 350 also have a good reputation.
That hub (DT 240) had 10,000 miles on it when the original free hub bearings went. IJK = good.
The Enduro 6802s lasted about a month per set. Around 500 miles. One would get rough, start to die, then the second would get rough. Then the first would die while out riding. Nothing like having your shifting start getting sloppy, then your bike becoming a fixed gear when a bearing dies mid-ride.
From all the reading I've been doing in the last couple of days, even from Enduro's website the ceramics all seemed geared toward roadies. Enduro states that for thru-axle application a steel cage for the bearings is better as it keeps the bearings aligned more consistently and the only version of theirs that has that is their ABEC 3s. Their ceramics and ABEC 5 tend to have shitty seals and/or weak cages but are aimed at frictionless spin for those 120KM races, not for the dirt, grime and off road pounding. Most, if not all of the competitors mentioned above use the steel cages and as far as I can tell from specs most are about an ABEC-3 rating though not many use that scale for MTBs likely nothing above that really necessary. C3 tolerance/spacing seems to be the other common spec. So ironically within the Enduro brand, if you use their "best" bearings you'll likely smoke them faster all things being equal with that brand.
Going by the bearing wear in these hubs the Verinent and Onyx in-house Ceramic Hybrid bearings are even worse than the Enduros CH.
No attraction to ceramics, that's what the Onyx hub come with. I was just reading up on the pros and cons wondering why they were using them in the first place, seems like a miss spec. Actually will be replacing with all steel bearings.
Both front bearings gone in less than a month.
Rear freehub bearing also jammed solid (axle bearings ok) -
Replaced rear 6805 (just a cheap steel) and went out tonight. Already grinding and ticking.
Gone/jammed - the freehub was jammed so it rotated with the hub. When I pulled the driver out - you couldn't turn the inner race of the bearing by hand. As in the freehub bearing had gone, it was jammed.
If it had just been this one - not too bad but both the bearings (both 6805 as well) in the front hub were knackered so the wheel had about 4mm play side to side at the tyre.
Did you pull the seals and take a look at the bearings? I would start there to determine what failed. Signs of contamination, water marks, lack of grease, rust or corrosion?
I was amazed by the or condition of the inside of the hub, there's a drain hole so obviously this is a two-way street.
Orange, rusty deposits - maybe from the ball carrier in the bearing? Certainly felt like the ball carrier had failed, jammed. With 'gentle' persuasion once it was removed i did free it off, it spun ok but was notchy/gravelly.
I brush and hose it down after most rides but no pressure washer.
Didn't check inside the bearing. Will do next time - in about 3 weeks when it happens again. 🤔
When they're working, they're excellent! I bloody love these hubs so I'm keen to find a solution.
I've just bought another classic for my new gravel bike so hoping I haven't made an expensive mistake.
It sounds like water. You have some options to help prevent or minimize water, dust etc. from ever reaching the bearings. After installing or serving your bearings, place a liberal smear of bearing grease over the bearing seals and on bottom of your end cap before installing. This creates a barrier between the elements and your bearings.
Perhaps being more conscious of where wash water goes.
Obviously, not the same hubs as yours, but you should have some type of endcaps. Press endcap in and clean any grease that squeezes out. That grease is your barrier against the elements. I dunno about the hole in the hub?
What do you mean "I can't see what size bearings for the classic hub." are you specifically referring to the bearing measurements or the bearing number?
Picked up some used onyx classic hubs and and to give them a full service Inc replacing the bearings. I kinda want to have the parts I need before i start pulling things apart so was trying to get a feel for what I might need!!
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