[CR]Risk re: Cone Hardening & Hub Grinding

(Example: Books:Ron Kitching)

Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 10:42:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Andrew Gillis" <apgmaa@verizon.net>
To: classic rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Risk re: Cone Hardening & Hub Grinding

Aldo, and CRs:

All of the recent talk about hub bearing polishing reminds me of a durability risk in polishing out bicycle hub races:

I was told by a VW (car) mechanic that the correct process for refurbishing the constant velocity (CV, ie u-joints) of the drive shafts is to:

1. dismantle, clean, inspect 2. Machine out the bearing tracks to use bigger ball bearings 3. Heat treat the bearing races 4. Reassemble using bigger ball bearings

The 'cheap' refurbishment houses did not do the heat treating. The durability wasn't there, because the metal was too soft. Instead of having the CV bearings last 70,000 miles, they lasted only about 10,000 to 15,000.

The mechanic who sold me the refurbished axles meant well, but I still had to spend extra money to have the CVs refurbished a second time.

I'd just ride the bike, or try to find another hub, or swap out the bearing cups.

Andrew Gillis
Clean Air!! now in Long Beach, CA