How To Service Your Road Bike Freehub
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ธ.ค. 2016
- Your road bike freehub can wear out or stop working. Here's our guide to fixing three common types and brands.
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If your road bike free hub wears out or breaks, you'll know about it. Each hub brand will have a slightly different freehub design and internals, but, with the three wheel brands featured in this video you will probably be covered.
Is there a road bike maintenance video that you'd like to see? Let us know down in the comments.
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Watch more on GCN...
How to service your hub bearings 📹 gcn.eu/2gYPV4l
Vintage Lloyd: How to service Shimano hubs 📹 gcn.eu/2gIDhIE
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Leave us a comment below! - กีฬา
Awesome the one thing I still haven't touched and destroyed with my home mechanic skills . Bring on the freehub !!!
MrTashez I can take it apart ok but can’t put it together lol
@@honeybadger3599 Duct tape fixes all.... Maybe a bit of Gorilla Glue for the small parts..... You'll be back on the road in no time.
MrTashez Just get a fixed gear and worry no more!!
try truing your wheels.. a surefire way to really screw them up. It's an artform.
😂oh lord🤦🏿♂️ I'm looking at mine past overdue for maintenance
Spot on, the sort of person I enjoy listening to, explains everything in a relaxed not hyped manner and no annoying noise/music in the background.
The second half of the animation from 1:15 to 1:25 is running backwards! In fact, the inside ring should rotate anticlockwise locking the palls into the gaps between the teeth in the outer ring, thus turning the wheel anticlockwise too. As displayed, there is nothing to stop the palls bending the springs and slipping over the teeth as in the first half of the animation. The rotation of the outer ring is the same direction in both cases just like your wheel rotates forwards whether you are freewheeling or pedalling. (if your wheel rotates backwards it forces your pedals to rotate backwards).
5:19 THANK YOU! This helped with this clanking I had when putting power to the pedals, cleand and re-lubed the hub as per what Si did here and fixed my issues. Actually also made the wheel spin way more easily too - free watts!
Great clear instructions, thanks. Gonna do this at the weekend. Just done wheel bearings but still sticky movement so hopefully this will help
Once i managed to freeze it in winter, i was out in the middle of forest way after sunset, and my pedals were just spinning with no traction. Fortunately i had ignition steel with me, so i made a small fire to melt it down. It worked, but i probably looked strange sitting on a trunk, wearing black tight pants, and barbequeing my rear wheel
😂
You don't want to use a dry lube in a freehub. Different Hub manufacturers require particular lubricant/grease for it to work efficiently. Most pawl systems freehubs use very thin grease such a Dumonde tech Pro-X. This will prevent the pawls from sticking and skipping. It also lubricates the ratchet, so that the sound of the freehub is consistent.
I wouldn't use degreaser as it could affect the main bearings. Just clean using a light oil and brush. Thin layer of grease for reassembly. A great video that explains a lot. Thanks
The "pedal" part of the animation is wrong.
Juan0003 noticed that too
the palls were not engaging the teeth!
Haha! Noticed that as well. It should be turning counter-clockwise instead of clockwise :P
Seems right, that's what happens when I have the wheel spinning
I spotted that.
Wow, thanks GCN. Ive just serviced my first free hub. Who would have thought that simply pulling it would be the way to take it off? I always tohught there would be a locking nut or something! Thanks simon.
Thank you GCN always great help and advice
Rode through the recent snowstorm. Freehub stopped freely spinning and turned into a fixie at this point. The chain slap it caused damaged the paint pretty bad..
Glad I saw this video. Gonna tackle this project soon.
excellent video, well explained! I'm gonna service my 14 year-old-bike now ! (I'm not giving up on that beauty!)
Light oils (Dumonde freehub oil) or greases (Slick Honey is a very good weight, neither too stiff or thin, very slippery) where described work best; avoid anything with solvents that will evaporate, leaving little oil or changing the viscosity of the grease. Waxy or such chain lube is the worst, as they eventually are intended to dry out, which will congeal around the pawl springs, or create lumpy incomplete lube, or else tend to seize the pawls entirely. Thin layer over every area where sliding or rotating contact occurs, will get continually redistributed in use, but avoid overgreasing as that can generate drag, or fill voids so totally that pawls won't be able to flip freely. Antiseize may work best where protection from corrosion, and removing ease is more critical than actual lubrication. Choose carefully in lubing seals and o-rings as some get damaged with the wrong materials.
Always enjoy the tips guys !
Thank you GCN! Saved the day again! Love the video / channel! This happened to me the other day on my commute to work!! ( pedals just spinning no power ) Time to investigate the free hub! As I now know! THANK YOU!
life saver!!! thank you! it was stuck, and WD40 was all it needed!
Servicing a DT Swiss star ratchet freehub is completely different...so please add that to the list.
Looking forward to the Shimano one! (please)
"My old training wheels..." If i'm not mistaken they are the same wheels as "My Sunday best"!
Cup and cone ball bearing hubs have quite a different mechanism to attach the free hub body. I only know this because i had to remove one last week and was looking for a GCN video on it...there wasn't one, and although i am happy there is one now on the topic of free hub bodies, it still did not cover that one case :(. I am sure one of you partners sells cup and cone type hubs (right?) I think it would be good to do a videw on that specific kind, it is very common among budget wheels that a lot of people use for training. They require to remove the whole axle and use a (massive) hex key to unbolt the hub body from inside the hub (by massive i mean massive, mine required a 12mm which I didnt even had so had to borrow one). Took me a while to figure out, a video would have helped and i am sure it'd help others in the future too
Iam cleaning my Hubs, but now iam stucked at the Freehubbody. 2 Options:
1.There are 2 Notches,so i need a Removal 2Notch Nut thing.
2. It looks like deeper inside there are some Grooves for a Hexwrench i guess( but more than 6 Edges , mayby 12 Edges).
I think i ll try Option2 First , and its cheaper and faster to get a HexTool. My biggest 10mm doesnt fit.
So ill go for 12mm .
Oh Lord Parktools mention 12mm, 11mm and 14mm Wrenches for Freehubbody's Removal.
How do i measure it now , its to deep for my Caliper ...
Next time i get some Toolless DTswiss (or Zipp?) Hubs/Wheelsets.
Thanks for this video it has helped me fix my freehub
Wonderful n explicit explanation
this is very helpfull,thx si. good job,guys
Thanks for this, I need to look at mine after it failed in the snow.
great teaching man!!! Great now I am riding again
Never use a degreasing agent on your freehub, if it gets into the sealed bearing you will be back replacing them. You can use grease, Shimano make a very good freehub specific grease.
thx for tip. sounds wise
But bearing is sealed, right? How does degreaser can get inside a sealed bearing?
@@illla it's only sealed with a plastic cover that's not great. In the case of bicycles sealed really means not lose or raced as in Shimano hubs.
but can we use oil chain?
@R H.M will do next time
Thanks for the very helpfull video to remove my freehub from a Vision wheel 👍
you might want to be careful with the degreaser remember that often wheel bearings close to free hub components
Top tip for lubricating free hub mechanism. Use a good gun & rifle oil. I use Brun Ox turbo spray myself; use it on my mechs too. About €10 for 300ml can. Keep that sweet high pitch clicking from your perfectly clean and lubricated free hub.👍
Grreat explanation! Thank you!
This is super helpful thanks. Is there a risk to the grease in the hub if you're blasting degreaser around the free hub body?
That was helpful. Are there sealed bearings in the free hub that need servicing or replacing?
Absolutely the Best video! thank you.
Hope recomends using grease on their pawls and springs. Their hubs and freewheels are also super easy to service.
I serviced mine before and used a thin layer of Kendall blue wheel baring grease, with no ill effects, so I guess I'm lucky then to have no problems.
Great, thank you! This really helped me out.
What timing. I just got stuck on the side of the road this morning... with a toast hub. Walked home in the snow.
thanks a LOT!!! while detaching my freehub body, i realised, that the securing screw was loose, detaching the freehub slightly and causing klicking noises while pedaling...
simon, will you make a video for changing a 10 speed freehub to 11 speed but on a shimano with the tightening sequence?
Good Show old chap. Short and informative
can you guys do a video of different tires. good dry weather, wet, cold warm. etc.
Great video Thank you.
good video but just a bit late as I was stranded at Chatsworth House 3week ago with a broken freehub not good seat in 2 degrees waiting to be picked up definitely keep on top of it and now on 😉
Good that you can replace spring.Most gready shops want you to buy unit part and don't sell single parts
who did your animations - at 1:25 you have free wheeling and pedalling going in the same direction 🤣🤣
It's going in different directions which is correct
It just looks like the Teeth aren't being pushed into the gaps, which would help make the animation look more convincing. Still the correct direction though.
Nice video, but I'd love to see a Shimano version. All of my hubs are Shimano!
Very informative 👍
Aaaahhh, the video i was looking for two months ago!
Missing more like these do it yourself videos, but you are doing great. Please, cover a bit more bike mechanics.
thank you so much you helping me
good vid, I have play with the 2nd freehub version, will a simple tighten with cone wrench resolve that?
also, can i use naptha as a solvent should that be needed?
Thank you so much.
nice info...
You cut the ball end off your 5mm Park allen keys too? I think every mechanic across the world has done that trick. Those are the achilles heels of those allen keys. I'm using some no-name P-handled allen keys that have held up absolutely stellar in comparison. It's almost as if (dare I say it) that Park don't treat their materials correctly so you're left to replace their tools more frequently. Kudos to them however for actually putting in the effort to make the right tools for the job.
While you can put heavy grease on the engagement teeth inside the hub shell and even the tips of the pawls, oil (e.g. Phil Wood or even sewing machine) should only be used on the pivot points and springs of the pawls. Grease can tend to become contaminated and cause the articulating surfaces of the pawls to become immobilized and difficult to clean. Dry lube is probably the worst thing to put on the pawls, because it dries to a waxy substance, which can slow down the action of pawls and become difficult to remove.
I have a question, recently got a pair of Reynolds wheels (used wheels) and when I freecoast the wheel is very quiet, not noise at all. Is that normal or should I return the wheels and get my money back from my LBS? or should I try and disassemble the freehub and see what's going on inside?
Thanks for the video and keep them coming, I've learned quite a bit watching y'alls videos
graet vid gcn
To ensure longevity of freehub ratchet, it is advised to grease it lightly, that is what manufacturers do
impressing how that little pins can actually soustain all the force involved in pedaling
So, so, so thx so much!!!!
thank you bro
have you ever adressed powercranks ? they are said to improve running form but to be of less help for cycling ?
When can we expect the Shimano version??
#torqueback. hi i am looking for any video related to ceramic bearings..have u guys cover it before if any? anyhow i would like to know if ceramic bearings hub does improve cycling power watts / performance?
And they seem to have missed the DT Swiss star ratchet, the brilliant solution.
Make a top 10 best sounding free hubs
Haha, yeah, noise is really important. Its like loud mufflers or a big subwoofer.
Don't forget the blingy colors too!
I _finally_ know how those thing work.
What is the best grease type that we need in that work ?
When you showed the pedaling animation for how a free hub works it was going the wrong way
Hi, how service Zipp NSW freehub?
Thanks.
Are animation ilust reversed?
Hi, I have a question. Can I replace 3 pawl xd driver with 4 pawl xd driver?
Thanks
I noticed there is a very slight wobble on my cassette. The wheel is spinning remarkably well but Im worried that the wobbling action of the cassette will cause the chain to wear out. Do you think I could find the problem by opening the freehub ?
Fulcrum uses healthy amounts of grease. Thus campag too. Change 1 spring that failed? You are in there do em all!!! Springs have a service life. U10
Having taken apart a number of different freehubs, I had no reservations about tackling the first service on my Parcourse Grimpeur wheels. However, I was in for a shock. There is no internal hex on the axle ends and no external flats. The freehub body will not just pull off, so I'm stumped. How can I dismantle this hub? Any ideas?
No freehub removal and other stuff for ball-bearing types of hub?
Brilliant
Something that would be really helpful would be a video telling where grease should be used vs lubricant. I'm constantly baffled!
Grease is used in wheel bearings. Hub drivers use whatever is recommended by hub manufacturer. Ask a mechanic regarding your specific hub.
Grease would be too thick and possibly cause the driver not to engage. Learn how your specific pawls or driver function. That's the best way to understand.
You rock Si
Thanks 🙌 Hope you found this useful?
Thanks Simon. But you've sold out. #WD40illuminati
that's what I was thinking - where's the can of WD40?? that's the only degreaser/lube a home mechanic needs!!
Mavic Instant Drive 360 please...maintaining those seems to be the world's best kept secret
how do i service the bearings within the freehub?
I do daily commute year long, near the coast in Denmark.
Thomas Svane Hansen Shimano and similar can be flushed out with triflow, spinning and compressed air, they're difficult to disassemble and overhaul. Replace the body if anything is damaged.
Cassettes using cartridges require removal and replacement. You need the tools and knowledge to do it.
On Chris Kings (best hubs on earth) you can clean and relube the bearings as they sit inside the body.
Does the bearing that’s not in the free hub need to be replaced over time too ?
I just pulled the freehub off a brand new Fulcrum Quattro last week and it was stuffed full of grease?
I have timeless freehub with cartridge bearings. I removed the lock nuts but the freehub body wont come off no matter what. It moves ok and locks on too when pedaling but it wont come off. Can it be that there is yet another atttaching mechanism...forth? Maybe some hex screw holds it on other side? But how can i get it open?
Sorry, but the no grease advice is terrible. Grease is designed to remain in place. Oil will slowly seep out with centrifugal motion and dry lube will provide substandard lubrication. Every new free hub that I have opened had grease on it from the manufacture. LM4 grease will go for years before it starts to get sticky (long after the non grease lube has seeped out the free hub.) Also terrible to spray degreaser onto bearings.
You need to check the manufacturer. Zipp for example specify a very light oil.
MRGRUMPY53 Thanks for pointing that out. I live in South Africa, so never experienced that.
I had a set of Mavic wheels that took oil and a set of Fulcrums that took grease so it really is down to the manufacturer. But, what I did not like to see was how he let the degreaser sit on the bearing where it could seep down and break up the grease in the bearing
EXACTLY. So why are you telling your viewers not to use grease? The required lubricant is entirely down to the manufacturers design, and using the wrong one can be fatal to the hub. Example; Extralite specify a very very specific type of grease, yes GREASE, for their hubs, called 'Alugrease Super'. Using anything else in these hubs can cause heat dispersion and drag issues, which can cause massive chain suck, potentially wrecking a frame, and causing serious injury to the rider.
You don't know what you are talking about.
Fran Rod Just a hub? And how much money do these wheelsets cost? Yep, loads and loads of money. This channel is handing out 'advice' that can damage people's investments.
HEY GCN! so i came to my local bikeshop yesterday to drop my bike off and let them clean my drivetrain and i told them to grease my hubs cuz its getting cranky so when i came to pickup my bike my hubs was quieter can u please tell me why did that happen or give me any solutions :/
In regards to 3:39 what do you do if the other end uptightness first? This is happening to me and i don't know what to do
Watching this from the side of the road
There should be a segment called #GCNVICES (Similar to ''The Vises of Garage Journal) In which we showcase our secret 'hangers' where we maintain/build our pride and joys!
When I was washing my bike I noticed brown gunk coming out of the hub, and my free hub was very sticky. So I bought the tools and found that the free hub and teeth were covered with this stuff. I think it was rust. So I got my degreaser and wd40 and cleaned it the best I can, I also put new grease in the bearings. I lubed it up and assembled it, very exited to see it work perfectly. Now it hardly free wheels at all. Why would this be.
help!!...I have a Cannondale Synapse Alloy 105 Disc 2017 Road Bike.....this video is exactly what ive been looking for...,but none of the 3 methods seem to apply....any ideas??????????????
Holy moly I guess that's it for this channel. So many corrections in the comments! Blind leading the blind!
Sooo...the Shimano one coming out next Monday, then?
O yes , open the Pandora`s box , next time i'm going to respoke the wheel before I make that mistake again
For future travellers, shimano’s basically the same but you have to take the bearings out. Watch a clean your bearings video and then when it’s all disassembled you stick a beefy Allen key in there to undo the free hub. Because of the cup and cone bearing grease, the hex hole you stick the Allen key in is usually hard to recognise when you look down the hole, so you may have to give it a little clean with a cloth and the tip of a screw driver if your Allen key won’t go in.
How do we fit the free hub back? The springs prevent the hub to fit in.
My Campag Zonda rear wheel has a bit of play when mounted securely. It wobbles ever so slightly left/right. Is this an issue with the hub/bearings? The wheel was true, although recently I spoke broke. Less than 1,000km. My Khamsin wheels are fine with the same distance. Should I have them repaired under warranty? Not good for a €400 wheelset :/
Mavic says mineral oil is the way to go for their freehubs, not dry chain lube. They recommend either their in-house mineral oil, or Shimano brake fluid.
Any concern with spraying degreaser on the bearings?
They have seals its fine.
No as long as you regrease or lube afterwards .