Bendix hub maintence

[kidgambit]

I was going through the rims i have from my schwinn scrambler and coastking. And i noticed one of my back rims has a bendix hub with a single red strip down the middle of it. What kind of hub is it and how to maintence it

 

[Wildcat]

Those are good hubs, red band bendix. Here's their page from trfindley:

http://www.trfindley.com/pgbndxhbs.html

 

[udallcustombikes]

Hereis my Bendix Original rebuild thread. Yours is either a Red Band or RB2 (the brake arm will tell which one). The internal parts are similar on all three hubs so the thread will walk you the rebuild with ease.

 

[kidgambit]

how do i know if it need some maintence

 

[kidgambit]

 

[udallcustombikes]

Your hub is an RB2. Bendix made those from mid '63 to mid '70, so it is at least 40 years old. It is never a bad idea to go ahead and rebuild it. It takes about an hour for your first hub, but it gives you the confidence that the hub will work for years to come. After you have rebuilt it, it should be good for several hundred miles.

 

[kidgambit]

I span it and span great. I dont think it need maintence

 

[kidgambit]

I have another bendix. it says bendix 76 mexico.

 

[dougfisk]

I span it and span great. I dont think it need maintence

Unless I have done it myself, or somone I know has told me it was just done, I always assume they need a service. It is a simple and quick procedure and the there is little to be gained and much to be lost by guessing wrong.

 

[B607]

I have another bendix. it says bendix 76 mexico.

It's junk. Toss it. Next time I'll tell you what I really think of those things. Gary

 

[gcrank1]

All good advice here (ignore at your own peril). Spinning will seem good with the wheel weight working for you. Metal on metal (dried up lube, etc.) internally will be eating up parts.

 

[Jpromo]

Yeah, bearing and hub service all around is my first order of business on every bike I buy, even if the stuff spins well. It could always just be adjusted loose too, to where there's little friction.

I've gone through greasing probably 50 bikes and just got my first one with fresh grease still present yesterday. Even then, the old grease hadn't been cleaned so there were big dry clumps still floating in the fresh stuff. The difference is night and day as far as braking power and smoothness.

 

[dougfisk]

...I've gone through greasing probably 50 bikes and just got my first one with fresh grease still present yesterday...

I have posted the same in the past. The ONLY hub I ever got that was good-to-go was on a bike that came from a pro bicycle mechanic. Ignore at your own peril.

 

[kidgambit]

So i took the rb2 apart and was surprised how clean the grease was and it was easy. i cut both the rb2 and the bendix 76 out of the rim. Im going to restore the mexico even though its not valuable. Im doing this old and new parts on my builds. But im having troubles with the mexico

 

[udallcustombikes]

It isn't that the Mexico has no value, it is that the quality is terrible. When Bendix sent their factory south of the border they signed their death warrant.

 

[kidgambit]

this might sound like a dumb question but how do i get rid of the old dried on grease off it. the mexico have tons of dried sticky grease on it and i tried hot water and grease fighting dish soap and let the the part soak in it then scrubbed it with a old tooth brush but it didnt work. any suggestions on products to help

 

[dougfisk]

soak in one of the following: gasoline, lacquer thinner, carb cleaner, brake cleaner

 

[udallcustombikes]

I use gasoline, but due to the highly volatile nature I do not recommend it. But you will be hard pressed to find a better solvent. Diesel is a close second and not as dangerous.

 

[kidgambit]

will paint thinner work

 

[dougfisk]

will paint thinner work

Paint thinner is similar to diesel or kerosene in its "solvent power". It will work fine on those areas you can scrub with a toothbrush, brass brush, rag, etc. It is the areas that you can not touch, like inside the bearing retainers, where the better solvents really help you out.