Bike rear wheel grinding

[DDY]

Hexus, you're good with bikes right?

Well, I need some advice. After a sandy bike ride my rear wheel hub has started to grind as though sand has made its way in to the bearings. The wheel and hub are only two weeks old so I'd prefer to fix it rather than replace the entire thing again.

What tools would I need to take apart the hub, clean and grease everything and put it all back together? Where should I get them?

I've already googled around and seen a few tutorial vids but I don't know if my bike has a "freewheel and hub" or "freehub and cassette", as the tools to take apart both are different from what I've read.

Pics of my bike hub:



Thanks,
Dave

[HSK]

Hmm I bought an x-tools set, which has the tool you speak off (a chain whip?) but I've never used it.

I think this is right, hopefully another member can confirm.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...?ModelID=10184

and BBB one.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...x?ModelID=4598

[matty-hodgson]

Buy it from a bike shop? Take it back and ask for a new one.. Surely if it's only 2 weeks old then absolutely nothing should be getting into the bearings?

[DDY]

I didn't mention, since I don't have a car and the bike isn't good to go, I can't be bothered to walk to the bike shop - I'm looking for places to buy online.

I'm going to come clean here and admit I did somthing very silly, while cleaning the sand off I managed to get some in and tried to get it back out with WD-40, that stuff dissolved the bearing grease and that's why I can't take it back.

[chrestomanci]

That is a screw on free hub, not a free wheel, so you don't need a chain whip to get it off. Instead you need a freewheel removal tool to match your freehub. From the photo, the brand looks like "starlit" which google suggests is a Chinese bicycle factory. If you are lucky then a shimano freewheel removal tool will fit. If not, you may have a difficult and expensive search for the correct tool. I strongly recommend that you take it to the bike shop so that they can tell you what tool you need.

After that it should be fairly straightforward. This article explains the details.

http://sheldonbrown.com/cone-adjustment.html

In summary, you will need a pair of thin 15mm spanners to lossen the bearings, some 1/4 inch ball bearings, and some new grease, (and if you can find one, a grease gun)

[DDY]

That is a screw on free hub, not a free wheel, so you don't need a chain whip to get it off. Instead you need a freewheel removal tool to match your freehub. From the photo, the brand looks like "starlit" which google suggests is a Chinese bicycle factory. If you are lucky then a shimano freewheel removal tool will fit. If not, you may have a difficult and expensive search for the correct tool. I strongly recommend that you take it to the bike shop so that they can tell you what tool you need.

After that it should be fairly straightforward. This article explains the details.

http://sheldonbrown.com/cone-adjustment.html

In summary, you will need a pair of thin 15mm spanners to lossen the bearings, some 1/4 inch ball bearings, and some new grease, (and if you can find one, a grease gun)

Thanks, that's exactly the information I needed. Went down to Halfords today and it turns out their own brand free hubs are manufactured by Starlit and require the standard, although slightly longer Shimano UG tool. They didn't have any grease guns in stock though, had to do it all with my fingers

[GoNz0]

Thanks, that's exactly the information I needed. Went down to Halfords today and it turns out their own brand free hubs are manufactured by Starlit and require the standard, although slightly longer Shimano UG tool. They didn't have any grease guns in stock though, had to do it all with my fingers

thats how a man does it! be proud and have a beer, burp a lot and tell tales down the pub.!