Off road all day
Active Member
I didn't want to state how i fixed my bikes front missing bearings until i tested it, if it didn't work i would feel responsible for a someone coping it and having an accident.
Ok here it is, the swivel chair i'm sitting on suffered a failure 8 months ago, a piece of plastic with 2 bearings fell out, i kept them, then doing my 6 month tear down, cleaning and re-greasing of the cheap hubs on the bike i noticed i was 2 bearings short of a full hub
I remembered the stainless steel bearings i put away from my chair, measured them with a digital caliper, perfect 3/16 match. Installed them, adjusted them by feel and the front wheel is smoother than factory. I put 2 kms on it Saturday, 30 kms Sunday (21 miles) and 4 kms today in freezing rain, no issues.
Just as a comment bearings are made in standard sizes, being metric or standard. To save money manufactures design their products around these standards, your house probably contains enough bearings to rebuild your bike 10 times over.
After tearing my cheap wal-mart bikes hubs apart (easy) i found the races and bearings where in perfect condition after more brooks than i can count, bogs, salt and sand for 2 years, incredible! REGULAR MAINTENANCE!
As an afterthought in the early 80's i wanted a $75 7 bearing fishing reel but could only afford the $25 2 bearing model, side by side they looked the same. Bought the $25 model then dissembled it, went to the local industrial bearing place, had the cheap plastic inserts measured and bought 5 steel bearings to replace the plastic at $2 each. For $35 i had the 7 bearing reel i wanted.
Ok here it is, the swivel chair i'm sitting on suffered a failure 8 months ago, a piece of plastic with 2 bearings fell out, i kept them, then doing my 6 month tear down, cleaning and re-greasing of the cheap hubs on the bike i noticed i was 2 bearings short of a full hub
I remembered the stainless steel bearings i put away from my chair, measured them with a digital caliper, perfect 3/16 match. Installed them, adjusted them by feel and the front wheel is smoother than factory. I put 2 kms on it Saturday, 30 kms Sunday (21 miles) and 4 kms today in freezing rain, no issues.Just as a comment bearings are made in standard sizes, being metric or standard. To save money manufactures design their products around these standards, your house probably contains enough bearings to rebuild your bike 10 times over.
After tearing my cheap wal-mart bikes hubs apart (easy) i found the races and bearings where in perfect condition after more brooks than i can count, bogs, salt and sand for 2 years, incredible! REGULAR MAINTENANCE!
As an afterthought in the early 80's i wanted a $75 7 bearing fishing reel but could only afford the $25 2 bearing model, side by side they looked the same. Bought the $25 model then dissembled it, went to the local industrial bearing place, had the cheap plastic inserts measured and bought 5 steel bearings to replace the plastic at $2 each. For $35 i had the 7 bearing reel i wanted.
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