Hope Hub Bearing Wear

old_coyote_pedaller":34lywewx said:
tufty":34lywewx said:
For the cost of a bearing, why would bother trying to tear the seal out and, in all probability, destroy the bearing in the process?

If you were going to regrease the bearings, why would you "tear" the seal out? I have done it several times, hub and suspension bearings, using a sharp pin/needle, get the point under edge of seal till it's under flat part of seal and gently lift it out. If you cause any distortion to seal, the flat part, it is easily fixed by laying it on a flat surface to push it back into shape. Be careful and all will be OK, there's no need to "tear" anything. Even if you damage a seal the bearing will be OK, (how are you going to "destroy" it?), put seal back in and refit bearing back in hub/suspension with that face of bearing away from the elements.

Apart from using a scalpel, thats what I do
 
Re:

It might be tight to you but I don't see the sense in throwing away something that still has a useful life.
I see it as maintenance, a re-grease and it's as good as new, what's wrong with that?

Especially as Bullpup says, the manufacturers skimp on grease. Too much causes problems with drag/grease heating up but I've been surprised how little there has been in bearings when I've removed seals. It hasn't leaked, no signs, it doesn't evaporate, might dry out but there would be signs it had been there so maybe the short bearing life that some of us have experienced is due to not enough grease from new.
 
Re: Re:

RobMac":3cba0fpd said:
Thanks, am I right in thinking that over tightening QR's wont do bearing life any favours?

Sorry Rob, what you mean by tightening QR's :? Which hub is it ?.
 
Bullpup":1nvbhi7p said:
No the tightness is with the Bearing manufacturers who skimp the lube.
the bearing manufacturer will put as much or as little grease as is asked for in the bearing. They'll even put funky oils and greases in if you want.

I've had 100% fill and dry bearings delivered, depends what is ordered.
 
mattr":2a5uz9rs said:
Bullpup":2a5uz9rs said:
No the tightness is with the Bearing manufacturers who skimp the lube.
the bearing manufacturer will put as much or as little grease as is asked for in the bearing. They'll even put funky oils and greases in if you want.

I've had 100% fill and dry bearings delivered, depends what is ordered.

I don't doubt your right if you have the knowledge, experience and indeed access to ordering in sufficient quantities to make this possible.

For the rest of us a little preventative preparation / maintenance seems a sensible precaution.
 
I've changed worn bearings from Hope hubs and can say they do wear pretty fast.
Nothing to do with the grease in my opinion, as all that is computer controlled splurge of grease during assembly, and hope are known to be good at what they do with attention to detail. Hardly stands that they'd produce the hubs they do, then put cheap defective bearings into them.
More likely its the UK weather :?
 
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