Between my wife and I, we have several road/gravel wheel sets with DT Swiss hubs (two 350 centerlock, one 240 (old) rim, two 240 EXP centerlock). One of the EXP rear hubs needs the bearings replaced and I’m trying to weigh the pros and cons of whether I should just invest in the tools to do it myself. I live in a relative bike shop desert with two good shops located about 1 hour away in opposite directions. In general, I like learning how to work on my own bikes and have a good workshop space in the garage.
Is anyone who is familiar with the process able to walk me through the basic tools I will need? I have a bench vice and a Park Tool HHP-3 headset/BB press but I’m suspecting I’ll need a different bearing press and some drifts for this? I believe I will also need the DT Swiss EXP tool? The process seems relatively straightforward but am curious to hear some first-hand opinions.
I would be inclined to get all the tools from DT (or maybe used), but I haven’t priced the over-axle bearing drifts to see if they are available cheaper elsewhere. The only thing I’ve found helpful is a really heavy bench vise. Getting the threaded rings out usually requires two people turning the wheel with the removal tool secured in a large vise.
Some quick googling found Enduro offers a DT Swiss service kit ( Enduro Bicycle Products, Tools - BRT-013 -DT Swiss Hub Serviceools – endurobearings.com ). Sounds like a good option compared to the DT tools at 2x the price. I’ve only used the DT tools. One item missing is the axle plug that protects the end of the axle for pounding out bearings. I use a plastic dead blow hammer and haven’t damaged an axle so far.
I haven’t found DT hubs to need bearing replacement particularly frequently. Sometimes DT bearings seem to last forever (20k road miles), other times just ‘normal’ (a year of MTB use).
I can’t remember the specifics of the DT Swiss hubs discussed, but I’m sure this was covered in the “Ask a Wrench” section of geek warning recently (7th August). Some 3D printed drifts and tools for removing the end caps were mentioned, as well as some methods for improvising.
I will be re-listening when I get the chance to remind myself if they offer a method of pulling caps from DT Swiss hubs without a vice. I’m about to take a wheel to the (luckily for me, convenient) shop to ask them to do this for me, as can’t remove the DT Swiss hub end caps without a vice without causing damage. Would love to know if anyone has any tips on this!
I replaced the bearings on a DT rear hub yesterday, here is a breakdown of the tools I used.
End cap removal - pair of Knipex pliers wrench. I do have a 3d printed end cap remover from BSC Tools but find the Knipex pliers work perfectly and leave no marks on the end caps.
Bearing removal and Installation - Wheels Manufacturing hub bearing press essential kit (the rod and handles), their hub bearing press kit, and a 3d printed part I use as an over axle part.
I used the Wheels kit and my 3d printed part to press out the axle and the bearing from the hub, pushing out one side first, then flipping the axle around to press out the other bearing.
On hubs and freehub where I cant use the axle to push out the bearing, I use a set of Nobel (now Abbey Bike Tools) bearing extractors to pull the bearings out.
Bearings are pressed back into the hub/freehub with the Wheels tools. Depending on the hub type, I’ve a couple of additional 3d printed over axle drifts to make that part easier.
There is some significant investment in the tools above but I’m replacing bearings all the time and the ability to press or pull out bearings is what I’m after.
You can certainly achieve the same end result with cheaper Aliexpress tools, DIY tools and a hammer, but I work on some nice bikes and am in a fortunate position where I can afford to buy them and consider them an investment for me/my business.
There is definitely a threaded article or two on these tools, I’d recommend reading them as a first step before you purchase anything.
You have the only tool that you need to remove end caps and it’s the thru axle.
Just gently slip the axle into the end cap, but not too deep or this won’t work. Usually with a few axle threads showing. Just a shallow insert and gently tilt the axle and pop-off the end cap.
Mine might be an extreme case. I could not get the end caps off the front DT350 hub. There’s a Unior tool called Hub Genie that costs USD 40 but I was too cheap to buy it so I bought another tool from Aliexpress. Tried the reverse pliers and the end caps would not even budge. Eventually, it was the use of penetrating oil that got the end caps off. Apparently, the end caps were “fused” to the hub because of corrosion.
The 350 & 240’s are a captive axle or over axle hubs. Meaning that you have an axle that is captive between the two outboard bearings. In order to remove the axle, you must remove a bearing. In order to remove a bearing, you must remove the axle.
You have two options to remove the DT bearings. You can do as suggested earlier and pound out the bearings with a hammer by using the captive axle to drive the 1st & 2nd bearings out. It is tool-free and you need nothing additional to remove the bearings. Or, my preferred execution on all bearings is to wind them out. Smooth, gentle and impact free. You are leveraging the captive axle to remove the opposite bearing.
I do not have photos of a DT 350 Bearing removal, but these are I-9 hubs with a captive axle and they are the same in principle to the 350’s.
Hammer-Free, Wind-Out Bearing removal with Captive Axle Hub followed by adding sleeves, pilots and drift to wind-out Disc-side bearing by pressing on DS captive axle that winds-out the NDS bearing.
Winding-out the remaining drive side bearing is basically a repeat of removing the NDS Bearing with a few minor changes. Again, NO Hammering anything out. Like the other bearing, Pilot, drift, spacer, sleeve and stopper assembled and ready to Wind-Out the DS bearing. Insert assembled stud and hand with sleeve, stopper and stud-stop and turn the handle to gently extract the last remaining bearing.
One thing that I’ve messed up in the past is pressed the bearings in too hard. Following the measure twice cut once principle, what I’d recommend is checking that everything spins nicely and nothing is pinched several times as you install the bearings. There’s few things more frustrating than have to push out a freshly pushed in bearing.
I’ve found this especially easy to mess up when it comes to changing the freehub bearings. At least in the DT Swiss 240 that I have there’s a little sleeve inside the freehub that is meant to act as a spacer between the inner and outer freehub bearing. As I found out the hard way later, I’d pushed one of the bearings in too deep causing the spacer sleeve to press on the inner bearing races making for some not so smooth rolling. Fix was easy enough but annoying nonetheless.
One more thing that I’d recommend for cost reasons is to stay away from the official DT Swiss bearings and just get generic high quality bearings. It can be a little tricky to find an industrial supply shop that’ll sell to you if you’re not ordering 10.000 bearings but you should be able to find a place and save a chunk of change that way. This is especially true since according DT Swiss (iirc) does not even offer replacement bearings for their freehubs. Instead they try and have you buy a completely new freehub. Two generic bearings from an industrial supply shop later and my freehub was spinning nicely again. Thanks DT…
I hear what you’re saying there.
Setting bearings where you have a possible inner race contact with a spacer or axle boss is kind of an acquired taste. These are best performed by first, having a little experience setting the bearing in this application so that you know what to expect. Second, this can best be performed with a wind-out/in bearing press. I continue winding in the bearing until I feel the slightest resistance. A gentle snug is all that is needed to ensure the bearing has bottomed. This is not a good application to use a hammer and drift. It’s a learned skill-set that gets more refined with each application.
Bearing selection - An often addressed topic everywhere. I have never had any problems with the DT Swiss Bearings (6902?). I have owned perhaps 5 or 6 DT 350 wheelsets and maintained far more. I have also one wheelset that I replaced the hub bearings with Enduro bearings. You have options with bearing replacement, but I advise a high-quality bearing and you might have an added expense. Don’t spend your $$ on crap, cheap internet bearings. Get quality. Additionally, there are some standard practices that can be incorporated into bearing service that can extend bearing service life. YMMV
You say that DT Swiss doesn’t even offer replacement bearings for their freehubs?
There’s a good reason for that. DT Swiss does not make the freehubs. Another manufacturer.
DT Swiss like many hub manufactures, set the standards for the drive application (star ratchet-pawl, etc.) and you pick from various sources what freehub you want for your personal needs.
You prolly have one of these:
Shimano HG - Standard Spline
Shimano Micro Spline or,
SRAM XD or XDR
Then you have the four different ratchet drive systems…
DT Swiss sells bearings for their freehubs. They aren’t a unique size. They are 6802, or 6902 on some 350 hubs.
I also can’t recommend using generic bearings. The bearings DT Swiss offer are very high quality from one of the top brands, NSK. The only other brands I’d recommend are SKF, NTN, FAG. Enduro also, if they’re the XD15 variety (my understanding is they’re made by FAG, or possibly made in house but licensed tech, etc). The NSK by DT Swiss are stainless, which you can’t always easily find outside of bike centric suppliers. Stainless has lower load capacity, but bike applications usually leave quite a bit of headroom with respect to that. The biggest source of bearing failure for bike bearings in use is contamination/corrosion. Stainless therefore is a worthy trade-off.
