Deore XT Hub Overhaul

Here's something special for you bike nerds. I repacked my gold label M-738 XT hub (the one with an aluminum axle) and took some pictures for ya. If you're doing the same thing to a similar hub first you'll have to remove the rubber dustcaps. Use a small thin screwdriver to pry them out like shown:

Don't pry it out between the hub shell and the dustcap, you'll just waste your time and possibly nick the hub. Next you remove one of the outer locknuts. On this particular hub you need a 17mm cone wrench for the locknut, and a 13mm for the cone:

I have no idea why they made you get a 17mm cone wrench for the locknut, but that's the only way to do it on these. Here's the locknut and washer removed, and the cone partially unscrewed:

Normally the cone just comes straight off, but the cones on this hub are a bit different. You might have to turn the cone slightly until it wants to come out, because it will catch on the ball bearings in certain positions. The cones have a long extension that threads deeply onto the axle to avoid putting stress on the aluminum. This extension piece has 10 splines to fit around the ball bearings for assembly, but if the splines aren't aligned with the bearings then it won't slide out. With the axle out of the way though, you can remove the ball bearings:

 

Make sure you have all 20 bearings:

 

Now clean everything. These bearings have a mirror finish when they're clean:

Grease time:

Stick the ball bearings back into the hub after you grease it:

Now reinsert the axle and thread the cone back on until play just disappears:

You might have a little trouble getting the splines to slide around the bearings, but keep turning it little by little and it'll fit. Now thread the locknut and washer back on:

And tighten them together:

Don't force them together with barbaric abandon, the threads on the aluminum axle are much softer than steel. The bearings are adjusted properly when there's a slight amount of play in the axle, so if they're too tight you can easily loosen them by using two 13mm cone wrenches on the cones and unscrewing them.

Do this in small increment's until the adjustment is perfect. The last step is to slide the rubber seals back on:

 

I like to put a little oil between the seal and the hub to reduce friction, but it's not really necessary. It's more important that they're seated evenly, so make sure to push them all the way on, and push from around the axle to seat them in place. That's it. These hubs have a few special details, but they're nothing too fancy after all.