Went to fit a new rear cassette last night to go with my new chain (queue "I told you so's") and managed to loosen the cones in the process so decided to strip them down, clean and refit the bearings etc.
I've tightened the cones back up but whatever I do I still have play in the axle resulting in sideways wheel movement when fitted back to the bike. I've disassembled another 3 times now and checked the cones, even if they're locked solid there is some play.
I'm trying to work out if it's play in the freehub bearings that support the driveside cone race? I've checked and tried to tighen this to no avail from the big interal splined bolt that holds it to the hub. Could I have bent the axle somehow in wales causing it to run out of true and causing the play? Could I need to replace the ball bearings? (they looked unmarked when cleaned up and regreased into the hub but I gather they can go egg shaped without being visible) or could the hub be damaged? again the cone faces looked fine.
When the cassette is fitted and tightened it still feels like there is some play between it and the hub/axle.
Bike is 8 months old and I've stripped and rebuilt cones/hubs before but I'm not sure what's wrong this time. Should another component have worn out in only 8 months? I thought deore hubs were meant to be pretty bullet proof?
It's a shimano m525 hub and of course I've checked the tech doc:
Any advice appreciated. Sadly both my bikes are out of commission now :(
