Campagnolo wheelset, brand new, bearing notchy.

[PLuKE]

Hi

I have bought some Campagnolo Bullet wheelset, and I love them.

But the rear bearing has a notch in it both sides, it's not a big one. The wheels spin free, and nice pendulum effect. It's not smooth like the front when spinning the wheel when holding the axle.

Also found the front has a notchy feel, when moving the axle very slow. But spins free and smooth as butter.

The bike feel quicker, and free wheels lovely.

The wheelset uses cartridge bearing, and the wheelset is brand new.

Ideas?

[stormur]

About 2 years ago was a series of Campa wheels with factory "damaged" bearings ( usually DS only, no idea why ) . I had 2 pairs, both exchanged for cup-cone . In time wheel will start to vibrate and bearings to be very loud - only solution is bearings exchange .

[PLuKE]

Thanks

I have found the very slight notch, and then tried pushing down on the axle where the notch is and I can't feel it.

I have heard that bearings can be like this, once load is applied then there fine. Like I said, spin perfect, and the wheel finds the heavy part.

Will Campag replace bearings once they have worn from a manufacturing problem?

Luke

[stormur]

I just returned my wheels … so no idea. If still on warranty - then I would risk answer yes, otherwise… it's 25-40€ set of bearings

[Frankie - B]

Moved to road forum.


Tape is for wrapping gifts to your girlfriend, not to hold a freaking tire on!

[bm0p700f]

Trying spinning the bearings for while or even riding them. I have found this problem before and this solution resolved it. There appeared to be no damage not sure of the cause. I used a drilling to spin the axle for a short while rather than ride it. The hub was smooth after that.

[tommasini]

Have you tried to back off the bearing adjustment just a very small amount?

Others can chime in to help here as I'm not sure if the Bullet hubs use the same lockring type adjustment means as the Bora's. If it does try only about a 1/8 of a turn (or maybe even less) of the large lockring. After you back that off and retighten the set screw you need to give a light rap on the end of the axle (same end that you adjusting from) to allow the bearing race to settle into its new position.

[Valbrona]

The wheelset uses cartridge bearing, and the wheelset is brand new.

If that is the case your bearings aren't worn and they are most probably not defective. If a cartridge bearing has been poorly seated you can get the effect that you are experiencing, and a slight re-seating is required to improve alignment - the bearings do not need removing to improve alignment. Maybe whoever assembled these hubs in Taiwan whacked them in with a drift rather than seating them the proper way with a press.

Assuming you have tried adjustment of the rear hub - you just adjust the collar with a grub screw on the NDS.

[PLuKE]

Thanks

How can I re-seat the beating? I don't have the tools. The only other way is send the wheelset back.

Thanks

[graeme_f_k]

If it's a new wheel set, either return them to the retailer or to us at the SC (see my profile for more info).

The bearings are press fitted at the factory - Europe, BTW, not Taiwan - but it is possible nontheless, that there is seating problem - try as you like, you can't make any assembly process perfect, there will always be small errors in a very limited number of pieces that escape QC.

Bearing smoothness and pre-load at different rotation speeds are not the same, either - a catch that you feel in a cartridge bearing, say, at low revs (turning the spindle slowly in your fingertips), may not be in evidence at high revs. If it's an open bearing (Bullet Ultras), you may just be feeling a very small irregularity in the rubber lip seal binding on the surface of the cone - the same might well apply.

As with anything, don't dive in there yourself - it's a new wheel, it is potentially covered on warranty, but it won't be if you or a retailer start to play about with it, beyond simple adjustment. Anything beyond that and it gets impossible to unpick where a problem at the factory gate finished and something introduced later starts ...

HTH
Graeme
Velotech Cycling Ltd
Campagnolo Main UK SC

[Butcher]

Is that where they post a complaint where the factory will not cover the warranty part because they screwed with it?

[Valbrona]

Breathe on any Campagnolo part too hard and it will void the warranty.

But what a bummer having to pack up new wheels and send them off at not inconsiderable cost.

Cartridge bearings sit in recesses inside the hub shell. Sometimes a push on a screwdriver with hand pressure can make them seat inside the recess properly. It is important to contact with the outer steel ring of a cartridge bearing and not the inner steel ring or the plastic/rubber covering fitted over the bearings.

[stormur]

It can happened that bearings supplier had bad batch … that was my case. Store replaced them immediately without any issues. Got info about issue with some wheels using same bearings made at that time … so it wasn't Campy fault, but supplier .

I know that having new nice wheels and immediate problem is pain in £$∞§| , but best way is return/ replace ( to keep warranty I wouldn't recommend any DIY on it ).

[Miller]

Got to say, is there really a problem here? Real-life bearings often feel a bit rough when you turn them by hand but if the wheel spins fine that's what matters surely.

[PLuKE]

An update:

The wheelset is going to be collected at some point this week, unsure as to what will happen until tomorrow, replacement wheelset, or have them inspected.

The front wheel seems smooth now, but can hear a rattle from inside the rim now?The rear has stayed the same, maybe worse, but now I can hear something inside the rim but that's been there from out of the box.

All strange, but got some great advice from Year1Cycles!

Luke