Repair guides › Wheels & Tires
Adjust and service cup-and-cone hubs
The center of the wheel. Bearings let it spin; the quick release clamps it into the dropouts. Loose ball bearings run between cups in the hub shell and threaded cones on the axle, held by locknuts. Adjustable and serviceable. The QR skewer's cam lever clamps the axle in the frame: usually 100 mm front, 135 mm rear (130 mm on road bikes). 6-bolt rotor mounts.
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Tools
- Degreaser: Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner ($)
- Shop rags + nitrile gloves: shop towels and nitrile gloves ($)
- Bike grease: Park Tool PPL-1 PolyLube 1000 ($)
- Magnetic parts tray: Park Tool MB-1 Magnetic Parts Bowl ($)
- Cassette lockring tool: Park Tool FR-5.2 ($)
- Chain whip: Park Tool SR-12.2 Sprocket Remover ($$)
- 12" adjustable wrench: Crescent 12 inch adjustable wrench ($)
- Cone wrenches 13/15/17 mm: Bicycle cone wrench set, 13–19 mm ($)
Compare Good, Better and Best for each tool
Steps
- Remove the wheel and skewer. On the rear, remove the cassette to reach the drive side if you are fully servicing.
- Work only from the NON-drive side. Hold the cone with the cone wrench and loosen the locknut with the other wrench.
- To adjust: turn the cone in until only the slightest trace of play is left at the axle, then hold the cone and lock the nut against it. Re-check. Closing the QR compresses the axle and takes up that trace, so check again with the wheel clamped in the bike: no play, smooth spin.
- To service: unthread cone and locknut, pull the axle out from the drive side, catch every ball. Clean cups and balls, inspect for pitting (replace balls every service; they are cheap).
- Pack fresh grease in the cups, press balls in, re-insert axle, thread the cone back, adjust and lock.
Torque
| Fastener | Torque |
|---|---|
| Cone to locknut | 15–25 Nm (snug, wrenches opposed) |
Diagram
Cut in half, seen from behindWheel hub (either wheel)
Signs it needs doing
- Wheel knocks side to side at the rim (loose cones)
- Rough or grinding when spun by hand (worn or dry bearings)
- Wheel slides out under hard pedaling (QR not tight)