Hub death

Riding to work yesterday, odd sounds started coming from my front wheel. Alarming creaking and groaning all the way there. Worse on the way home, culminating in a popping sound and a decided wobble in the front wheel. I thought I'd broken a spoke or two. This seemed likely, given that the spokes on this wheel are covered with rust. The wheel came with a frame that I found in the trash three or four years ago. I built the frame up as a fixed gear and used it for winter commuting for a year or two. Between its winter use and subsequent neglect in the garage, the wheel, like the frame itself, is not exactly in tiptop shape. A couple of weeks ago, with the arrival of snowy (and icy) weather, I put the wheel, with its studded tire, into my current commuter. The snow was swept away by pouring rain, but I left the studded tire on, since the temperatures were dipping down to freezing overnight (and I thought I might as well get used to pushing the heavier tire, what with winter arriving.)

At any rate, further investigation this morning reveals all spokes intact. However, one of the dustcaps/dustcovers/seals (whatever the correct name is) on the hub has popped out and there is lots of play in the hub. Looks like the creaking and groaning might have been the bearings grinding themselves to pieces. The cones, locknuts and axle are all rusty so I soaked the whole thing with penetrating oil stuff and left it to sit for a while. With any luck I'll be able replace the bearings and get things working again. The only other front wheel I have on hand that I'd be willing to subject to the winter is, I think, a bit on the narrow size for the Nokian tires (I think they're 700x32) and I don't really want to build a new front wheel.