ProLite Bracciano Rear Hub Maintenance

[KL.]

Hi All, I have the ProLite Bracciano wheelset and the Rear Hub bearings have noticeable play, so I need to replace the 2 x 6901 bearings.
The issue I have is that I do not have a bearing puller to remove them ... is it easy to get hold of one of these?
If so, please let me know where can I get one ...

Or, is there another way to easily remove them without damaging the hub, axle, or even the bearings that I will be replacing ...

thanks in advance ...

[jacks1071]

1. Remove the cassette
2. Remove the hub cones (2x 5mm allen keys required)
3. Hit the drive side axle with a rubber mallet, a few good short sharp hits and the non-drive side bearing will pop out and you can pass the axle straight through the hub to remove it at that point.
4. Stick a screw driver through the non-drive side where the bearing used to be, ensure you have that screw driver in the bearing and not on the hub as you don't want to mark the hub. Bash it out with a hammer. That bearing will be completely ruined in this process.

Thats it in terms of getting them out. Step 4 would normally be done with a bearing puller at a workshop but if you are careful you won't damage anything.

[KL.]

1. Remove the cassette
2. Remove the hub cones (2x 5mm allen keys required)
3. Hit the drive side axle with a rubber mallet, a few good short sharp hits and the non-drive side bearing will pop out and you can pass the axle straight through the hub to remove it at that point.
4. Stick a screw driver through the non-drive side where the bearing used to be, ensure you have that screw driver in the bearing and not on the hub as you don't want to mark the hub. Bash it out with a hammer. That bearing will be completely ruined in this process.

That's it in terms of getting them out. Step 4 would normally be done with a bearing puller at a workshop but if you are careful you won't damage anything.

Thanks Deon (jacks1071), really appreciated. I will give it a try ... hopefully it will all go well

Is there any place I can get a bearing puller from?

[jacks1071]

Try a speciality bearing shop, you need a really small one and they arn't very common. Take the wheel with you.

[R12RT]

1. Remove the cassette
2. Remove the hub cones (2x 5mm allen keys required)
3. Hit the drive side axle with a rubber mallet, a few good short sharp hits and the non-drive side bearing will pop out and you can pass the axle straight through the hub to remove it at that point.
4. Stick a screw driver through the non-drive side where the bearing used to be, ensure you have that screw driver in the bearing and not on the hub as you don't want to mark the hub. Bash it out with a hammer. That bearing will be completely ruined in this process.

That's it in terms of getting them out. Step 4 would normally be done with a bearing puller at a workshop but if you are careful you won't damage anything.

Thanks Deon (jacks1071), really appreciated. I will give it a try ... hopefully it will all go well

Is there any place I can get a bearing puller from?

Then how do you get the new bearings in?

[r2160]

Put the bearings in the freezer overnight, and they should just slide into place

cheers
Glenn

[KL.]

Put the bearings in the freezer overnight, and they should just slide into place
cheers
Glenn

Hi r2160, yes that should make the ID of the bearing larger ... good idea, thanks

[R12RT]

Put the bearings in the freezer overnight, and they should just slide into place

cheers
Glenn

I wondered if this would work. Have you tried it?

It would certainly be "safer" than trying to tap them in straight.

[KL.]

Put the bearings in the freezer overnight, and they should just slide into place
cheers
Glenn

Hi r2160, yes that should make the ID of the bearing larger ... good idea, thanks

Hi r2160, actually the axle and the bearings could be put in the freezer overnight.
Is this correct ... the ID of the bearing should be larger and the OD of the axle should be smaller

Had an idea ... would this also work when removing the last bearing from the axle, when you don't have a bearing puller ...

[r2160]

Not really, because the axle would also shrink as well.

cheers
Glenn

[KL.]

Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

[KL.]

Hi all, I would like to add an image of what I have indicated in the previous post but I don't know how to add an image.
Could someone give me instructions of how to add an image ... thanks

[r2160]

pop your image into a third party such as www.photobucket.com .

Once you place your pic in there, there are code lines that you can use here to display your pic

cheers
Glenn

[KL.]

Hi Glenn (r2160), how does [ img][/ img] work ...

[r2160]

The messages we put onto this forum are html based.

When you go into photobucket,
1. select the photo you want to use.
2. Just above the photo, to the right, the last selector is "share with other services"
3. At the top of the window that appears, choose the menu "links"
4. Select the IMG code link and it will automatically copy the code
5. Come back here and paste the code back into your message.

Your photo should now appear.

cheers
Glenn

[jacks1071]

Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.

The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.

If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

[biker jk]

Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.

The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.

If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

Is there a design fault with your hubs if they require servicing every 2,000kms? Is this the fault of the needle bearing? I have a set of cartridge bearing hubs which have covered over 10,000km without a service and are running fine. My better half has a set of Shimano wheels (cup and cone bearings) which have done 13,000km without a service and a still in good shape.

[r2160]

Any bearing requires maintenance for longevity. A quick grease every now and then is not unreasonable for a bearing.

Cheers
Glenn

[biker jk]

Any bearing requires maintenance for longevity. A quick grease every now and then is not unreasonable for a bearing.

Cheers
Glenn

Hi Glenn. I beg to differ. A servicing requirement every 2,000km is unreasonable. I know of few other hubs that require this high frequency servicing. I service my Shimano hubs every few years and that's all they need. As mentioned, another hub I have with cartridge bearings is going strong after over 10,000km without servicing.

[jacks1071]

Any bearing requires maintenance for longevity. A quick grease every now and then is not unreasonable for a bearing.

Cheers
Glenn

Hi Glenn. I beg to differ. A servicing requirement every 2,000km is unreasonable. I know of few other hubs that require this high frequency servicing. I service my Shimano hubs every few years and that's all they need. As mentioned, another hub I have with cartridge bearings is going strong after over 10,000km without servicing.

Cartridge bearings don't require any service, simply replace when worn.

Your hub pawls and if you have any unsealed bearings in your hubs do require service if you want them to last as long as possible. If you ride always in the dry, you can stretch the intervals out quite a lot if you can't afford 10 minutes and 20c worth of grease to service them.

10,000km without servicing your hubs is not a good idea if you want to maximise their performance and life.

If you don't maintain your gear you should accept that parts might wear out prematurely.

[R12RT]

Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.

The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.

If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

Is there a design fault with your hubs if they require servicing every 2,000kms? Is this the fault of the needle bearing? I have a set of cartridge bearing hubs which have covered over 10,000km without a service and are running fine. My better half has a set of Shimano wheels (cup and cone bearings) which have done 13,000km without a service and a still in good shape.

Design fault with the free hub? I don't think so.

IMO these hubs are a better design than the Mavics I was using previously. Where the Pro-lites use needle bearings the Mavics use a nylon bush. I know what I would prefer.

Service every 2000km is no big deal if you can DIY. I did mine at 3000km and about to do them again at 6000km while I change out the cassette.

[KL.]

Hi All, to ask, has anybody ever had any trouble with the freehub needle roller bearing, that runs directly on the axle, damaging the axle's surface ...

I've only ever seen one fail causing some pitting to the axle.
The owner claimed to have ridden 4000-5000kms without servicing the freehub. We recommend the freehub is serviced every 2000kms, more regularly if you ride in the wet.
If you want to maximise the product life some maintenance is required. Freehub service on a Pro-Lite Bracciano is a 10-minute job with basic tools and knowledge.

Is there a design fault with your hubs if they require servicing every 2,000kms? Is this the fault of the needle bearing? I have a set of cartridge bearing hubs which have covered over 10,000km without a service and are running fine. My better half has a set of Shimano wheels (cup and cone bearings) which have done 13,000km without a service and a still in good shape.

Hi biker jk, yes I agree, I would call 10,000+ kms low maintenance. I wouldn't call 2,000 kms or less low maintence. Actually, initially I was told the Bracciano hub should only need servicing every 4,000 to 6,000 kms or every time I change a cassette, and when I encountered the needle bearing/axle damage I was then told that I should be servicing the needle bearing and axle bearing surface every 2,500 kms. Interestingly it appears that it should now be every 2,000kms or less ... it is easy to service, but I would not call this low maintenance.

Is this a design fault ... no ... but I think that if the axle is damaged as a result, that this would indicate a design fault. Also, the fact that wet weather riding shortens this period, which means that the service period is now variable, complicates the matter, and makes this a high maintenance hub. The real issue, is the axle damage ...

As long as you are willing to service this hub every 1,000 to 2,000 kms then it would appear that everything should be fine.

The following is a picture of the axle bearing damage ...


Actually, when I replaced the axle and freehub, I replaced the 2 main ezo bearings with hybrid ceramic bearings, also. It would appear that this was a bad idea. After only 1,000 kms these bearings now have considerable play and need replacing. I was recommended these bearings by the distributor but from my experience I would not recommend hybrid ceramic bearings. I would stay with the original ezo bearings or even use the equivalent enduro bearings. These seem to be very good bearings.

I will let you know how easy it is to service this hub using jacks1071's instructions ...

[jacks1071]

Service intervals will vary depending on your riding conditions. I recommend to do the first couple of services around 2000kms - if its all clean and you can stretch it out.

I think if you serviced the freehub when you replace your chain assuming reasonably dry riding conditions that would be sufficient for most riders.

I'd rather tell people to service more regularly than required, than have them never service and having to replace hard parts like axles. This applies to any wheelset, its not Bracciano specific.

Anyone who leaves hub service to 10,000kms isn't maximising the life or performance of their hub components. Rather than not service then have to replace parts when they fail, much more economical to maintain them.

[KL.]

Hi jacks1071, to ask, what is the current cost of a Bracciano rear wheel + delivery ... and the cost of an axle, 2 main bearings, and a freehub + deivery ... thanks

[jacks1071]

Hi jacks1071, to ask, what is the current cost of a Bracciano rear wheel + delivery ... and the cost of an axle, 2 main bearings, and a freehub + deivery ... thanks

Quote emailed. I don't have any loose rear wheels at the moment but PM me and I'll work something out on a new set.