Finally rebuilt my rear hub after putting it off for 6 months
My rear wheel had been grinding for months and I kept putting it off because I thought I needed a $40 special tool to pull the cassette. Last week I finally watched a video and realized I could use two chain whips I already had in my toolbox. Took me about 45 minutes in my garage here in Boise, and the bearings were basically dust. New grease and $12 of ball bearings later, the wheel spins silent. Anyone got a trick for seating the cone nuts so the play is just right without fiddling for an hour?
Skip the whips honestly, sounds like the fun part is already done. For the cones, snug the drive side first then set the non drive side and tighten the locknut while holding the cone with a thin wrench so it doesnt creep. Spin it, feel for wobble, adjust like a quarter turn at a time. The trick is you want just a hair of play at the rim that disappears once the axle gets clamped in the dropouts.