Unbearable bearings.

I'm copying some of the 'older' posts, which I wrote in the past two months, as they are a better fit for The Viscount Affect. I'm an author, too, and probably have bored stiff some of my readers with my rambling about bicycles, hence my starting this blog.

If you have enough of my bicycle antics, then you may want to hit that little white cross on red background, there, in the upper right of your screen. Yes, this is another post about the weird and wonderful world of bicycle mechanics I'm discovering. I'm having fun, you know?
Recently, I bought a wheel, a rear wheel to be precise. Nothing exciting about that, I'd agree, but the main reason I bought it was because it has a Viscount hub. A hub that was as stiff as a grandmother's hip and could only be turned with some effort. Since I'm planning to learn the craft of wheel building, I decided it's a great purchase, for I can 'train' on it without doing too much damage. The rim needs a good clean and the spokes are rather tattered, but they've been stored--generously sprayed with GT 85--in a plastic bag over night; the nipples in vinegar. The latter are looking wonderful, the spokes need another night, this time in coke. I'm trying to save as many as I can, spokes can be expensive. I need 72 in total, which if roughly 72 pounds.
Okay, but that's just an aside. So the bike shop owner advised against buying the hub or wheel with the hub as he thought it's damaged, but I'm not one to give up easily, particularly not when it's a precious Viscount rear hub. Given that they're for a Viscount bicycle it's needless to say that they're the perfect fit. However, I knew I'd have my work cut out since the bearings were shot. I'm referring to the wonderful fight I had with the press-fit bottom bracket.
Yesterday, I decided it's time to take the wheel apart and, sitting on my sofa, tea to the left, spoke key in hand, wheel on my lap, and watching the latest Backstreet Boys video on YouTube, I dismantled the whole thing. When the hub was finally free, I went to the kitchen to try and get the axle out. Yep, that one wasn't a straightforward process but, believe it or not: I managed. And I'm dead proud about it. I mean I've never repaired a puncture in my life. All I had done in the past, is to change some brake pads or adjust the brakes.
Now I'm finding myself knee-deep in taking parts apart before putting them back together. And I love it. I feel like a kid again, when I dismantled music cassettes because they had band salad or were ripped; I fixed them and, despite of missing a tiny bit where the cello tape held the band together, I was able to play my favourite music. Just that the objects I'm working on are a little bigger and require more tools and complex thinking--mostly outside the box.

Shot bearings

Right, how did I go about it, you wonder? Well, first I took a nail and carefully drove it into the outer rubber rings to access the bearing. Did that on both sides, including the metal ring that keeps them in place. Sprayed quite a bit of GT 85 into them and waited for a bit. I then unscrewed the nuts. That done, I put a big, round metal washer on one side, on top a large nut and an inch long tube-ring I found at the hardware store, then screwed on another nut--but not completely--to not damage the end of the axle. Next thing was to grab a hammer and hit it a few times on the nut. The axle, with one bearing attached to it, came out. Deja vu! Now I needed to unscrew the nuts and let the axle slide out.

A deja vu and a rusty hub shell

After a long sigh of relief, I tried to figure out how to get the other bearing out. It sat super tight, which is a good thing; a wobble would've meant the hub's damaged beyond repair, but it gave me a tiny headache. I don't have the right tools to pull off stuck bearings. Not that it would hold me back to find a solution. Troubleshooting is one of my most favourite activities, after all. I rummaged in my toolbox and grabbed a something which looks like a flat-head screwdriver with a parting in the middle (I think it's a nail puller). I tried to pry the bearing out first, but that didn't work too well; I broke one part of the end of the tool. Grrr.
Then I tried to get to the bearing from inside (from the other side of the hub) by sticking a screw driver through it and gently tap it out. No success. Okay, I had hit my hand and really wanted this damn thing out!

Beautiful, but not quite there yet.

Last idea was to replace the screw driver with the broken nail puller tool. It got stuck in the bearing, which was what I aimed for. Now I only needed something I can rest the hub on, but wide enough so the bearing would be able to drop out. Good thing I had some electrical tape lying around. A few heftier taps with the hammer and the bearing was out!

Interestingly, like on the bottom bracket, the non-driving side (left) was corroded. I take it it's because the side is more exposed to the elements. The chain ring and sprockets may act as some sort of barrier to some extent. Nevertheless, I celebrated with a KitKat Cookies and Cream and a mug of tea.

Apparently, a wonder grease.

Today, I used some fine sand paper, with a few drops of water, to get rid of the corrosion. My guess is that the hubs haven't been serviced and it's probably freed for the very first time in 40 years. Not bad, I'd say. I have new bearings here: FAG 6000 2RS and some TF2 grease to put everything back together.
It came right in time, as I can't wait to put Shawn's BB back together and ride him again. I will need to clean the crankset and pedals, too. And I think at the weekend, I'll give my first wheel a go. It means the evenings spent with YouTube videos on 3-cross-method of wheel building. Unfortunately, I wasn't as lucky getting the other bearing off the axle; for the lack of a bearing puller, I used a hammer (I know it's wrong and am paying the price for my impatience), and have somehow ruined the threading at both ends. I'll have to find a someone who can 'restore' them as I'd like to keep the axle. Apart from that I'm pretty happy about the outcome.

Added: It seems my method of 'gently sanding the rust away' was a mistake. Someone very knowledgeable warned off to not do it, but it was too late, the damage was already done. I've just put the bearings back in. A little bit of grease and a few gentle taps and they were in. It's not supposed to be that easy. Guess this is a case of trial and error. An upsetting error at that.