It seems like one of the big advantages brick and mortar bike shops still have is the ability to offer complex repairs. With more full suspension frames and spendy hubs and bottom brackets floating around then ever, bearing service could be a big source of revenue – as long as you have the right tools. Using the right tools means that job will get done more quickly and properly the first time, without risking damage to the hub, frame, bottom bracket, headset, or bearing.
In a continued effort to make repairs easier, Enduro Bearing had some new tools to show off at the Sea Otter Classic. Tools like their new over axle hub press which will help when the inner bore of those bearings is just too small for the standard tool…
The difference between this and the standard hub press is the size of the threaded rod. In this case it’s about the size of a quick release shaft which makes it a perfect fit for all of the tiny hub bearings out there. The tool handles are stepped to fit Enduro’s current bearing inserts as well so you won’t have to buy new ones. The made-in-the-US tool should be available in a few weeks to a month with pricing TBD.
One of the trickiest situations is when you have to pull a bearing from a frame with no access from the other side. Unless of course, you have a blind hole puller. Pullers use expanding collets to grab onto bearings and free them from the bore with a slide hammer. For some time Enduro has been selling a generic tool that wasn’t made in house, so they felt it was finally time to design their own. A key addition to the design is the ability for the slide hammer shaft to shorten by unthreading the tip. This makes it so you can pull small, more delicate bearings without using as much force. Think tap, tap, tap, instead of SMASH, SMASH. Sometimes you need to smash though, which is why the tool has two modes. The production collets will be made from 17/4 stainless and the tool will include 8 sizes from 8-25mm. Made in the U.S., pricing and availability TBD.
Finally, Enduro will be offering a DT Swiss hub service kit which includes all of the bearing drifts and the Spline remover needed to work on DT Swiss hubs and/or other brand hubs that use DT Swiss internals. That last part is key since the standard DT Swiss service kit doesn’t always work on hubs using only the internals. Enduro’s kit includes double sided drifts for both front and rear hubs and the Spline remover will clear the axle and includes a 1/2″ drive if you don’t have a vice. Again, pricing and availability TBD.
