Star hub

[lrcormier]

I just took apart my hubs, one of them was rebuilt years ago with new parts (hub was gutted), the other looks like someone abused it and bearings look like they overheated and thrust washers were trashed. Anyways I ordered all new parts to rebuild internals but have a question concerning bearings. I ordered from J&P and the small end star side bearing is an eastern motorcycle bearing so US made, the other large end bearing is from bikers choice and is taiwan made, it looks good but should I be concerned. Anyone have experience using taiwan made wheel bearings?

[RichO]

I've had good luck with ones made in Japan and Taiwan. I would not use the ones from China as I've noticed their quality lacking. That's just my experience.

[lrcormier]

Thank you DrSprocket for your response. I will go ahead and use it, I also couldn't find anything negative being said about these. Taiwan is a republic of China but reproduction HD stuff has been coming from Taiwan for decades and I suppose if it was totally junk people would of stopped buying it by now. I would prefer to buy US made stuff, but those sources are few likely do to cost.

[govmule84]

If you're rebuilding, I learned a hard lesson on the corks for starhubs. Here's the short notes on the lesson I learned: James brand or nothing.

[exeric]

I rebuilt a star hub about 3 months ago and used a Colony gasket/cork kit. I trust your observations, Liam, so curious about your preference for James?

[govmule84]

I rebuilt a star hub about 3 months ago and used a Colony gasket/cork kit. I trust your observations, Liam, so curious about your preference for James?

That was the advice I received from the late Tom Johnson (Rooster on the board), an AMCA member who authored this article: http://www.caimag.com/wordpress/2009...ble-wheel-hub/

I ran into grossly out-of-spec corks when I purchased some from a blue-and-yellow retailer. They were far too big masked any and all endplay, making correct setup effectively impossible. (They also were difficult to install!) Here's what Tom said: https://forum.antiquemotorcycle.org/...189#post160189

Happy to post pics and all that if needed, but the lesson stuck. Colony stuff in my experience has been top-notch; I didn't even know they offered these gaskets. Would not surprise me at all if they're James reboxes.

[Rubone]

They were far too big masked any and all endplay, making correct setup effectively impossible.

All end play is measured and set before corks are installed on either end. That is part of a basic hub build and always has been. They are also set up dry to measure.

[govmule84]

I may be a bit stupid here, so forgive me.

How do you get endplay measured before cork installation? Tom's guide mentions installing one, and my (very, very old) factory manual specifically mentions having one cork in and leaving one cork out, just like Tom's guide. I don't see how you could even get the measurement without the one side assembled.

My issue with the incorrect gaskets was the OD was too large and the ID too small, almost like they were accounting for sacked-out parts. Problem was the fit was so tight I couldn't get the inner spacer to move port or starboard by hand. If one just removes the corks, the endplay becomes enormous, because the cork is so thick.

Happy to take a snapshot of my manual. I determine radial play via roller size the way you're talking about, dry with clean rollers and no gaskets or corks, but the endplay needs a cork in the brake side, I thought. The manual even recommends servicing from that side (I presume) specifically so endplay can be adjusted over the life of the wheel as the corks compress in service.

But if I'm doing this wrong, I'll happily take a lesson.

[Rubone]

The corks have zero to do with end play. When assembled without them a hub is checked under tension, either in a big vise or with the axle and spacers installed and tightened. When end play is correct it is the amount of movement side to side of the hub shell relative to the center sleeve and tophat/shim pack. The corks are merely grease seals and do nothing for running clearance.

[govmule84]

OK, help me imagine this, because I don't have one apart. If we assemble brake side first, when the sleeve goes in, it bottoms against the bearing washer (that's held in with the snap ring), right? What stops its movement starboard-side when assembled? Is it the thrust bearing sleeve on the other side?

In any event, the corks were grossly oversized to the point where I couldn't determine endplay with one side assembled, which the manual does say should be possible. Assembly with the James stuff saw a few of my wheels fall together, whereas the off-brand was a struggle every time.

Guy asked about a related topic, I threw my opinion out there. It's worth what he paid for it.

[Rubone]

What stops its movement port-side when assembled?

The stub axle. The Sleeve, axle spacers, frame tabs, etc are all ONE unit when assembled and have no movement. The shims on the top hat are what determine the movement of the hub shell on that assembly. If you don't have the hub set up as an assembly either with the axle parts or pre loaded in a vise as I mentioned you are pissing in the wind.

[govmule84]

The stub axle. The Sleeve, axle spacers, frame tabs, etc are all ONE unit when assembled and have no movement. The shims on the top hat are what determine the movement of the hub shell on that assembly. If you don't have the hub set up as an assembly either with the axle parts or pre loaded in a vise as I mentioned you are pissing in the wind.

I meant when it's mocked up. But you're right, the sleeve's lockring (the hard stop) is inboard of the cork. So I just went to the shop and got out my manual and my only starhub AND my notes from when I first ran into this problem to make heads or tails of what the hell I was thinking.

My manual states that it's best to do check endplay with no corks, but specifically mentions wheels can have excess endplay taken up with no more disassembly than removal of the star cover. (I assume that they're saying once they've run in a bit, they're not problematic.)

According to my notes, Half a decade ago I did exactly what you say, Robbie. I just set it without the cork, and then reassembled with the cork (but no endplay, as the cork was so large it disappeared!), assuming the cork would "wear in" and compress.

In any event, those corks were the wrong size, and I recall destroying them to remove them when I first test-assembled. To your point, I did set it all up with no corks and got my endplay that way, and the hub in question has been in service (with those out-of-spec corks) for five seasons with no problems.

Sorry for being a little dense. I'd still recommend using the James stuff just because it's easier... I did two more wheels a few years later because I put the James ones into my stock, and life was much better.