REPLACE YOUR HUB BEARINGS
Hub bearings take a battering and need replacing every so often. If they’re on the way out, you’ll feel movement (‘play’) when you push the wheel from side to side in the frame, or there’ll be a gritty feel when you spin the wheel (removed from the frame, with the hub held between your hands).
Start by removing the wheel from the bike and then take off the brake rotor so you can get clear access to the hub end-caps. These should pull off, but can be sticky if they haven’t been removed before. If they’re proving troublesome, try gripping them with a rag.
Place the hub on a hollow support and use a punch and soft mallet to tap evenly round the inner edge of the bearing. Do this repeatedly with controlled force, as worn bearings can become stuck in the hub and fall apart, leaving the outer part in situ.
Clean the hub shell, inner sleeve and end-caps with rag and bio degreaser. Take the first bearing and the correct size drift. (Using a drift protects the bearing from being damaged as you press it in.) Line up the bearing by hand in the hub and then insert the drift and pressing tool.
Bearing removal requires a punch, mallet and hub support. To insert new bearings you’ll need a simple bearing press and correct-size drifts, fresh bearings (check the size), bearing grease, bio degreaser and rags. Have some Allen and Torx keys to hand, too (for the rotor and bearing press).
Inside the hub shell there’s a metal sleeve that the axle runs through. This sits between the bearings and needs to be pushed aside so you can begin to tap out the first bearing. Nudge it with your finger or a punch to reveal the edge of the bearing.
With the first bearing removed, the inner sleeve will drop out and you can easily access the second bearing. Flip the hub over and place it on the support. Take a punch and mallet, and repeat the process. Check for any damage to the hub shell and inner sleeve.
Press the bearing in squarely; it’ll feel solid when it’s pushed home. Flip the hub over to drop the inner sleeve into place, before inserting the second bearing. Apply a smear of bearing grease before inserting the end-caps, replacing the brake rotor and refitting the wheel in the frame or fork.