Chris King Classic Front Hub Bearings

[ColonelJLloyd]

I recently bought an unused Bontrager by Chris King front hub. I didn't think to ask if it spun smoothly. There's resistance in there somewhere which based on my reading I took to be the bearing cap adjustment. It's not, though. I did what I could to flush the bearings, but not much improvement.

Is this just a case of dried up grease in a 25 year old sealed bearing and they need to be replaced?

[quickfeet]

King bearings don’t usually feel perfect after cleaning/greasing if you are using the ol finger test to spin them. Once they are preloaded and installed on a bike they feel better. If they are still wobbly and crunchy after a proper flushing then it’s probably that whoever owned them never did the required maintenance to keep them Running forever and the bearings need replaced.

[hokoman]

That hub is probably 30 years old! It's a great hub with the thicker flange to accommodate the radial lacing. I think it's just dry grease. AVT has a great video on servicing the bearings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZwSQGRsXho

[bshell]

Since this hub is unused, it's just dry grease. Remove metal ring and rubber seal as per YT link or KING website instructions.

Unlikely and unnecessary to remove bearing from hub -but if it is out, put bearing in paint thinner. Or put paint thinner in a squirt bottle and soak. (WD seems more $.)

Then hold it vertically (or inverted) and flood it with squirts until it runs out clean. Compressed air will drive the extra thinner out when clean but you're not gonna blow debris out the back as indicated by the video.

Otherwise, do all of this stuff w/ axle out and bearings in place.

[tellyho]

I use brakleen for the hose out, followed by compressor, then mix of mobil 1 grease and Dumonde liquid grease.

[eri]

Agree it can take quite a while to clean out the bearings. Just keep spinning and agitating and spraying with brakecleen. Wiping with blue towel. Repeat until no more dirt comes out.

I broke down and bought a tub of their silver grease and wow does it feel fast compared to the blue polyrex I used before.

[Deanhorsfall]

Try following Ck's service instructions. Flushing the bearings once the seals are removed with WD-40 and compressed air works well. You could also remove them if you have the tool and put the bearings in an ultrasonic cleaner to get the gunk out as well.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner. I don't have the tool, but will look for one or a proxy.