# Rear Wheel Dragging / Binding? Need advise!



## Widgeontrail (Mar 15, 2006)

Hey ya'll been working on bikes for years but am some what new to single speeding. 

Here's the situation. When rear wheel is off of the bike or the axel nuts are not tight, it spin fine/freely. When I tighten down the axel nuts the rear hub spins slow and sorta binds. Its akin to brake drag, but i'm certain the brake is not dragging.

Its a Redlin hub - sealed bearing i think. And the cones are not overly tight (bout finger tight). Any thoughts!?


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

Bolt the wheel into place then sneak a cone wrench in behind the dropout and back the cone off a bit ( maybe an eighth os a turn).


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

I've never had this particular experience before, but I'd try keeping the bolts as loose as possible without the wheel slipping and see if that makes a difference. If not, I would start messing around with the cones Loosen them and then bolt on, then tighten and bolt on. See if anything works better.


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

MOJO K said:


> Bolt the wheel into place then sneak a cone wrench in behind the dropout and back the cone off a bit ( maybe an eighth os a turn).


Ok, that is better advice.


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

umarth said:


> Ok, that is better advice.


That's very humbling coming from a rep power 7...thanks ...maybe...


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

MOJO K said:


> That's very humbling coming from a rep power 7...thanks ...maybe...


Want to swap rep powers?


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## Widgeontrail (Mar 15, 2006)

Yea, i tired running the axel bolts a looser, but they slipped when i hit the brakes hard. I guess i might have to mess with the cones. I thought maybe this was a single speed thing that didn't know about - maybe the cones are supossed to be a bit lose?


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

Widgeontrail said:


> Yea, i tired running the axel bolts a looser, but they slipped when i hit the brakes hard. I guess i might have to mess with the cones. I thought maybe this was a single speed thing that didn't know about - maybe the cones are supossed to be a bit lose?


Don't underrate the thought that Redline hubs are pretty crappy.


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## fishcreek (Apr 10, 2007)

i'll tell you what i think but you have to give me one rep power.


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## aka brad (Dec 24, 2003)

Widgeontrail said:


> Yea, i tired running the axel bolts a looser, but they slipped when i hit the brakes hard. I guess i might have to mess with the cones. I thought maybe this was a single speed thing that didn't know about - maybe the cones are supossed to be a bit lose?


You misunderstood. MOJO K was suggesting you back off the nut that rests against the bearing. The usual suspect here is one of the lock nuts is adjusted too tight against the bearing. Not enough to bind when spun in your hand, but only with the added compression when installed with an axle nut. Other possibilities are one of your lock nuts are loose or one of the bearings is close to failure.


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

aka brad said:


> You misunderstood. MOJO K was suggesting you back off the nut that rests against the bearing. The usual suspect here is one of the lock nuts is adjusted too tight against the bearing. Not enough to bind when spun in your hand, but only with the added compression when installed with an axle nut. Other possibilities are one of your lock nuts are loose or one of the bearings is close to failure.


Right on. The pressure on the bearing will decrease and the the axle will get tighter in the dropout. Other possible failures are blown thread interface on the axle near the hub, bent axle at the dropout or even frame/dropout alignment issue.

Umarth, I tried to drop you a negitive cred, but I don't think it counts unless I was a 10 or more. If I join forces with another 5 and we both say you suck, dose that count for something?


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## umarth (Dec 5, 2007)

MOJO K said:


> Umarth, I tried to drop you a negitive cred, but I don't think it counts unless I was a 10 or more. If I join forces with another 5 and we both say you suck, dose that count for something?


I dunno if it will matter or not, but I am very thankful that you tried. Good luck with the back wheel, yo.


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## Bro (Dec 20, 2010)

Don't worry OP, it's not a SS-specific thing at all. I tend to run my hubs a bit loose on both the SS mtb and the road bike, because even with QR the hubs will tighten a bit once you actually tighten the wheel into the frame.

If you don't have a cone wrench, take the wheel off, loosen the cones with a crescent wrench or whatever 'til the hub seems a bit too loose, then put the wheel back onto the frame to check the hubs. And then repeat until you're satisfied. That's what I do. 
If you do have a cone wrench, do what MOJO suggested.


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## Widgeontrail (Mar 15, 2006)

Looks like it was just the cone adjustments. They had to be looser that I really was accustomed to, but the wheel is tight in the framce. thnx guys.


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