wheel bearings setup/inspection

Bicycle wheel bearings, can be a bit problematic from time to time.
Taking a bike to the shop costs money, mostly for adjustment.
This little job can be done yourself if you know what to do, here is how i do it.
Firstly lets say that you have some play in the bearings, evident from side to side movement of the wheel.
Turn the bike upside down, making sure anything that touches the ground doesent get scratched or damaged.
Rotate the wheel and check that the play is about the same all the way around.
If its not something may be bent or damaged.
I will come back to that part in a moment, we will say that its the same all the way wherever you check for side play.
Slacken the wheel nuts or undo the quick release, inbetween the fork and the wheel nuts should be a slim nut.
This nut is on the spindle, the spindle being the long bolt that passes through the wheel.
This thin nut locks the cone into place, the cone is the bit that needs adjustment.
If you imagine the wheel off the bike, starting from the out side.
You have the wheel nut, locking nut, then the cone.
By hand turn the cone clockwise untill it stops, then turn it back slightly.
You should find most of the play gone, if not all.
Nip up the locking nut, then re tighten the wheel nuts.
Again check for play , should there be play do the same again.
The further in you turn the cone clock wise the more play is taken up.
Unscrewing the cone increases the play.
If you have a reflector or computer magnet on the spokes remove it, to do the following test.
A final check is needed and is important, dont not do this.
Check that you have the wheel centred in the forks, and that the brakes are not rubbing.
Now with the valve at the top very slowly turn the wheel and se if the weight of the valve carries the wheel until the valve sits at the 3 oclock position.
If the wheel does not turn on its own, till the valve sits at the bottom.
You may have to slacken off the bearings, very slightly.

It does sound complicated, but once know what you are aiming at you should do ok.
The end result should be no side play, and the weight of the valve settling the wheel so the valve sits at 3 oclock.
Double check the wheel nuts are tightened up, or re do the quick release.
I always have the qr arm pointing down and to the rear of the bike.
If you are unsure if the nuts are tight enough, let some one who knows what they are doing check for you.
Should your bearings need constant adjustment, a full strip may be the next step.
From the bedfordshire cyclist.