Wobbly wheel

[Buzzter]

1989 Schwinn Cruiser Supreme with 49cc 2 cycle chinese motor attached.

Rear wheel has got very wobbly over time. Took the hub apart and tightened the nuts. This helped for a little while, now wobbly again. Rechecked nuts and still tight.

Could the bearings be worn? or the shoulder they rest in be worn out?

[Mountainman]

yes - if the wheel is not needing to be trued up - straightened
how are your spokes looking - all tight ?

NOTE == wheel bearings and races should be checked asap

Ride That Thing - from Mountainman

[Sky High]

The rear wheel bearing retainer (on the engine sprocket side) of my Schwinn played out after about 50 miles. I took the wheel apart & tossed the bearing retainer added some more bearings that I matched-up from the local bicycle shop. You have to add bearings to take up the space where the retainer was... Repacked with White Lithium Grease & the wheel spins smooth as silk now. I am going to do this to both sides of ALL my wheels !

[Mountainman]

The rear wheel bearing retainer (on the engine sprocket side) of my Schwinn played out after about 50 miles. I took the wheel apart & tossed the bearing retainer added some more bearings that I matched-up from the local bicycle shop. You have to add bearings to take up the space where the retainer was... Repacked with White Lithium Grease & the wheel spins smooth as silk now. I am going to do this to both sides of ALL my wheels !

Hey Sky High

just wondering -- is that 50 miles on a new Schwinn ?

if so -- where has bicycle quality gone to ???

I owned a bicycle shop years ago
this would have been unheard of back then

something tells me that I had better take apart my fairly new wheels and crank set so as to check for proper amount of grease !!!

until then I will -- Ride That Thing - Mountainman

[Sky High]

Schwinn`s just ain`t made like they used to be (Chicago). They (China) can build those wheels faster with bearing retainers. And I do admit I was runn`N that Chinese Schwinn pretty hard up & down the mountians here in Virginia ! The bike shop told me real race bikes don`t have any bearing retainers anyhow...

[HoughMade]

Did you use a cone wrench? Chances are, you just didn't have the jam nuts against the cones tight enough and it loosened itself with use. Has happened to nearly every one of my coaster brake hubs at least once.

[Large Filipino]

This happened to a 32 spoke rim I had. When I switched to a 36 spoke it was okay for a while.
I'm heavy so warpage is expected of me.

[Sky High]

Yes I used a cone wrench & yes I had the jam nuts tight, but I don`t think these bicycle wheels were designed to have an engine sprocket on them. I am definitely taking out the bearing retainers on both of my bikes ( Huffy & Schwinn ) rear wheels. I just hate to be stuck on the side of the road. The bearing retainers are not as hard as the ball bearings & I think with the sprocket pulling on one side causes the retainers to let the balls go to the other side. There were 11 balls in the retainer & after I took out the retainer I had to add 6 more balls, I left one ball space so they wouldn`t be really tight. The wheel spins very smooth now...I know someone that sells these bikes & on ALL the Schwinns he has ever sold everyone of them has had this issue ONLY on the engine sprocket side of the rear wheel.

[Buzzter]

I'll give that a try Sky. Thanks for the advise.

[Sky High]

I removed the wheel on my Huffy yesterday to replace the tire & guess what I found... The bearing retainer was shot on this bike too. It`s kinda tricky putting the bearing in with-out the retainer, I take the cone off the engine sprocket side & put the tube of grease , the cone & the loose bearings into the freezer for awhile ( this makes the grease thick & sticky ). Make sure you put the coaster break parts in first then place the loose ball bearings in & hold the cone in place & screw the peddle sprocket with axel up from the other side of the wheel.