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Chris King hubs are high performance bicycle components designed
to meet and exceed the extreme demands of all serious cyclists.
With proper attention and reasonable regular maintenance, you
will enjoy many years of reliable, high performance use from
our hubs.
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Adjust the Preload on the Bearings Directly after Building
the Wheel:
Spoke tension pulling out on the flanges can slightly loosen
the preload adjustment on the bearings. This is normal and
requires only minor adjustments at the adjusting cone.
Use Steel Quick Releases for Maximum Rigidity:
Our 19.5mm axle is one of the stiffest available. However,
performance will be maximized with the stiffest possible attachment
to the frame or fork. For best possible performance, use a
steel skewer. Titanium skewers are not recommended for use
with either front or rear suspension.
Follow All Torque Recommendations
Do Not Use Thread Locking Compounds on the Axle/Adjusting
Cone Threads
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Hubs are inherently more complex and thus require more maintenance
than our headsets to maintain peak performance. As a general
guideline, the hub should be checked and re-lubed every 3-6
months and completely serviced once a year. Actual necessary
service intervals will depend on riding conditions.
The periodic maintenance of the bearings and RingDrive™
is simple and may be performed by simply removing the axle
with two 5mm hex wrenches. Complete service of the hub involving
total disassembly requires our hub service tool or may be
returned to us for service.
Check and Service the Bearings:
All of the bearings are stainless steel, so short term water
intrusion should not lead to any substantial damage. Judging
when to service the bearings is completely dependent on the
riding style and conditions.
To check and service the bearings
remove the axle using two 5mm hex wrenches as outlined in
the hub instructions included with each hub. The needle bearing,
because of its larger surface area, is the most likely to
consume the most lubrication. Inspect and re-lube as necessary,
especially if it appears to be absent of grease or if the
grease is contaminated. To service the remaining bearings,
follow the ìService of Bearingsî section in the
instruction manual. If using a solvent based lubricant to
clean the hub bearings, be sure to completely remove all residue
and thoroughly re-lube all bearings and the RingDrive™
as outlined below.
Check and Service RingDrive™and
Drive Shell:
From time to time the RingDrive™ may become louder due
to loss or contamination of the grease. When servicing the
bearings with the axle removed, visually inspect the hub's
interior. Be aware that the grease may have darkened. This
is normal and not cause for alarm. A small application of
Chris King's special RingDrive™ grease between the drive
rings is all that is necessary. If foreign debris is detectable
in the grease and/or the grease looks hard or dry, then a
complete cleaning and re-lubricating is needed.
To completely clean and re-lube the RingDrive™ remove
the axle and drive shell to access the interior RingDrive™
area. Push the drive ring with helical splines inward to open
a gap, exposing the drive teeth and flush the interior with
a light solvent based spray lubricant (e.g., Bullshot aerosol
or WD-40,) until the area appears clean. Blow off any remaining
solvent until completely dry.
Re-lubricate by reopening a gap between the drive rings,
and laying a bead of RingDrive™ grease on the teeth between
them. Let the rings spring back together and then spread any
excess grease that squeezes inward onto the helical splines
of the movable drive ring.
The helical splines on the drive shell must be cleaned of
any debris before reinserting into RingDrive™area of
the hub. Do not substitute other brands of grease, as they
may be too sticky for the helix of the RingDrive™.
In addition to minor servicing of the RingDrive™, a
complete disassembly and cleaning may be necessary. As a basic
guideline, complete servicing should be performed at least
once a year. Refer to the hub service tool kit manual for
the complete disassembly and re-assembly instructions. Be
sure to clean and inspect all parts. To check the RingDrive™
teeth for wear, measure the width of the flats on the tops
of the teeth. These should become no wider than 1mm. Replace
if necessary.
A Note on Lubricants and Build Level
Versions:
Rear hub versions 310 though 313 were originally designed
to run on 20w non detergent or, preferably, 20w synthetic
oil. This lubrication method works well, however, starting
at version 314, we improved the system by converting it to
run on a special grease. The special grease improved the cold
weather performance, back pedal drag while freewheeling, and
coasting speed. Sound deadening has benefited also. Do not
attempt to run versions earlier than 314 on grease. This could
cause sluggish movement of the drive ring leading to engagement
problems. These earlier hubs may be upgraded at no cost to
run on our special grease. This upgrade includes our new stainless
steel needle bearing as well.
The Hub Upgrade Program:
Due to experience gained from riders and racers in the field
our hubs have undergone several minor revisions that have
continued to improve their performance. Each notable improvement
is referred to as a new build level. The build level, or version,
is designated by the first three numbers of the serial number
(e.g., a hub with a serial number 310XXXXX is considered a
version 310 hub.) Technical improvements added to each new
build level are made available to all Chris King customers
where ever possible.
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Common questions and their likely solutions:
We are also available to answer your technical service questions
during business hours Monday through Friday at 800.523.6008.
Hub will not
stay adjusted.
(Front and Rear:)
When an adjustment is made, the axle end must be torqued to
110 inlbs to lock the adjusting cone's position correctly.
With less torque, the hub may seem locked, however, when clamped
in, the lock may loosen slightly allowing the adjusting cone
to move.
(Rear:)
Break-in is a normal function of the rear hub. As the angular
contact bearings settle in, this causes a loosening effect
on the preload setting. Expect to adjust preload directly
after the wheel build and a few more times as necessary to
complete the break-in period. After that it should be smooth
sailing for months... If the axle lock is torqued correctly
and loosening persists, contact our Technical Service Department
for further help.
My hub creaks.
Due to the ability of noise to travel throughout a hollow
frame, hub creaks are often confused with bottom bracket and
other creaks. Isolating the true source of the noise is essential
to effective trouble shooting.
1. The hub quick release may not be tight enough allowing
the axle end to move in the dropout. In some cases, even if
everything is properly tight, the axle may still move slightly
in the frame. A little anti-seize on the drop-out faces may
help. Solution: Inspect and tighten the quick release.
2. Some splined cog carriers fit loosely on our drive shells.
Since both are made of aluminum, they may creak under certain
riding conditions (e.g., water and dry dust.) Additionally,
if the lock ring is not tight enough, the cogs may move under
load. Solution: Apply a thin layer of grease or anti-seize
to splines on the drive shell and check lock ring and torque
to manufacturers specifications.
3. We have found that on some carriers the cogs (e.g., XTR
titanium,) creak at their attachment points to the spider.
Solution: Apply a light oil to the rivets fixing the cogs
to the spider.
4. The hub has been designed to allow the easy removal of
the axle and drive shell. This required having tapered bearing
contact surfaces. These surfaces can go dry and may then make
noise under heavy load. Solution: Check and apply grease or
antisieze to the drive shell on the bearing contact taper
adjacent to the o-ring (about the middle of the outside of
the drive shell.) and on the adjusting cone on the bearing
contact taper.
5. In rare cases, when the wheel has been built at very high
tension, the large drive side bearing can become loose and
cause creaking. Solution: Check to see if the bearing will
slide out by hand. If this happens, we can supply an oversized
replacement bearing.
The rear
hub has an engagement problem.
The Ring Drive is a high performance engagement system capable
of high load and extremely rapid engagement. It relies on
the fine movement of the drive ring sliding on the helical
spline of the drive shell. It is important that this area
remain clean and properly lubricated. Dirt, debris, and/or
drying lubricant may prevent it from functioning properly.
Our hub is easy to inspect and service using just two 5mm
hex wrenches. Recent improvements have been made to minimize
abnormal sensitivity to engagement problems. Check the following
for possible causes of misengagement:
1. Is the hub preload adjusted correctly? A loose hub may
cause the drive rings to not engage properly. Solution: Check
and properly adjust hub as necessary.
2. With our first build version, 310, running the hub with
loose preload can occasionally cause internal rubbing, keeping
the RingDrive™ from engaging properly. Solution: Improved
main axles (identified by a stepped diameter near the bearing
contact area,) are available through our upgrade program.
3. On versions 310, 311, and 312, large variations in spring
pressure were discovered. A weak spring will make the RingDrive™
more sensitive to contamination. If in doubt, replace the
spring. Solution: Upgraded springs are available through our
upgrade program.
4. Beginning with version 314, the RingDrive™ was improved
to run a special RingDrive™ grease instead of oil. This
makes it quieter and coast quicker; it also gives it a much
wider working temperature range (down to -20°F) In certain
rare conditions, hard water or stream water intrusion into
the hubs may cause early versions of the RingDrive™ grease
to thicken or break down. This will impair the movement of
the drive ring on the helical spline. Solution: Clean and
re-grease with our most current RingDrive™ grease formula
if used in extremely wet conditions. Further improvements
of our current RingDrive™ grease will be available early
to mid 1998. (Note: 20w non detergent or synthetic oil may
be substituted in all versions in the RingDrive™ area.)
Note: In an ongoing effort to improve the water resistance
of our hubs, versions beginning with 316 are using stainless
steel drive rings. These little gems have allowed for stiffer
springs and less sensitivity to different grease formulations.
This upgrade is available through our upgrade program.
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