>>1631654You will need:
- a thin wrench of the appropriate size, either the kind of stamped steel one provided with some types of furniture or a dedicated cone wrench
- a normal wrench
optional: A vise
1. take the wheel off the bike, lay it on it's side gears-down. If you have a vise, instead clamp the vise on the nut (NOT THE AXLE) of the gear side just enough to keep it from moving. Tipping the wheel so it rests on the bench is fine as long as the nut is held.
2. If you have 3 or more nuts on this side of the axle, put the thin wrench on the lower thinner cone nut, hold it steady and remove the top nut and any spacers (KEEP THEM IN THE RIGHT ORDER). Otherwise: loosen the top nut about an 8th of a turn.
3. If on the floor, take the top wrench off the top nut and turn the cone nut both ways a little. It should turn easily without moving the axle. If it does not, grasp the nut on the opposite side with the normal wrench so the axle doesn't spin and lay the wheel back down so the wrench is held still.
4.With one hand, put your fingers behind the hub flange and your thumb on the axle. Pull with your fingers, to see how it moves. Then tighten the cone nut about 1/16th or less of a turn. Pull with your fingers, if there's still movement, tighten. Repeat until there is no play. Then, holding the cone nut as firm and steady as you can, use the other wrench to tighten the top nut against the cone nut (this is called a 'lock nut' technique). Test the hub for play again with your fingers, and then hold the axle with both hands while you give the wheel a spin.
You want free spin, but no play.
If it sounds crunchy the bearings may need overhauling.
