Front Wheel axle (Quando) with 1/4 bearings

Question

my first post after years of using the forum.
I am a mobile mechanic and keep coming up against these Quando front hubs (sometimes unbranded) that have a standard 9mm QR axle spindle, but with larger cones (these cones fit fine in a rear hub, just not the axle) and 1/4" bearings. I cannot find replacements anywhere, does anyone know what I could search for, or what is going on here? 99% of hub servicing I do apart from OEM shimano cones etc use the "standard" but this is a wierd hybrid and it's doing my head in!!
To reiterate, I have serviced hundreds of hubs over 10 years of working so I understand the general ideas of bearing sizes. I am really looking for any specific information on this phenomenon from someone who might have come accross it before.
Thanks in advance
Dan

gschenk · Answer

I've recently overhauled a Quando front axle with pitted cones. Fortunately, I do have a Quando hub with the common 3/16" and not the unusually large 1/4" ball bearings.
However, the bearings had standard sized balls at 3/16 in. I replaced them with with Shimano Y00091210 balls.
I couldn't find the exact cones as replacement. However a standard set of axle + cones did fit with only a marginal increase of distance between fork ends.
Since Quando hubs are not good at all, and usually built into low quality wheels, perhaps a complete wheel replacement would be a better offer to customers?
A 1/4" ball bearing front hub is hardly serviceable. What is more, Quando hubs need servicing very often because tolerance are awful. (My well maintained one was done for in less than 1000 km.)

Front Wheel axle (Quando) with 1/4 bearings

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