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    Adjust A Bike Wheel’s Cup And Cone Rear Hub

    Introduction

    Some modern hubs are fitted with sealed cartridge bearings that can't be adjusted. The bearings are simply replaced with new ones. Cup and cone bearings can be adjusted and serviced.

    Step 1

    <h3>Step 1</h3><p>Remove the wheel from the frame so you can acces the rear hub. </p> </div>

    Cup And Cone Hub Access

    Remove the wheel from the frame so you can acces the rear hub.

    Step 2

    <h3>Step 2</h3><p>On a rearwheel the cone and lock-nut on the drive side may not be accessible. The right side lock-nut and cone should be kept locked tight together and all adjustments done on the other side. If the right side lock-nut and cone aren’t locked together the hub needs to be disassembled and serviced. </p> </div>

    Use The Left Side

    On a rearwheel the cone and lock-nut on the drive side may not be accessible. The right side lock-nut and cone should be kept locked tight together and all adjustments done on the other side. If the right side lock-nut and cone aren’t locked together the hub needs to be disassembled and serviced.

    Step 3

    <h3>Step 3</h3><p>An cup and cone hub has a lock-nut on the outside, then maybe a washer, then the cone which has two narrow flats. Cone spanners are thin spanners that fit onto the narrow flats. You need one that fits the narrow flats exactly this is likely to be somewhere between 13mm and 16mm. </p> </div>

    Cone Spanners

    An cup and cone hub has a lock-nut on the outside, then maybe a washer, then the cone which has two narrow flats. Cone spanners are thin spanners that fit onto the narrow flats. You need one that fits the narrow flats exactly this is likely to be somewhere between 13mm and 16mm.

    Step 4

    <h3>Step 4</h3><p>Hold the axle still with an axle vice and turn the lock-nut anti-clockwise to unlock the bearing. </p> </div>

    Unlock

    Hold the axle still with an axle vice and turn the lock-nut anti-clockwise to unlock the bearing.

    Step 5

    <h3>Step 5</h3><p>Screw the cone in or out to tighten or loosen the bearing on the rear cup and cone hub. Make small adjustments and check the bearing between each. </p> </div>

    Adjust Rear Hub

    Screw the cone in or out to tighten or loosen the bearing on the rear cup and cone hub. Make small adjustments and check the bearing between each.

    Step 6

    <h3>Step 6</h3><p>Once the bearing on the rear hub is in the target zone of not-too-loose and not-too-tight hold the cone still and screw the lock-nut tight against it to lock the bearing. </p> </div>

    Lock

    Once the bearing on the rear hub is in the target zone of not-too-loose and not-too-tight hold the cone still and screw the lock-nut tight against it to lock the bearing.

    Step 7

    <h3>Step 7</h3><p>Check the bearing on the rear hub and readjust if necessary. The act of locking may change the tightness of the bearing so if your first try at locking ends up too tight start again with the bearing very slightly looser. </p> </div>

    Check

    Check the bearing on the rear hub and readjust if necessary. The act of locking may change the tightness of the bearing so if your first try at locking ends up too tight start again with the bearing very slightly looser.