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Freehub assemblies: DIY?

1113 Views 13 Replies 7 Participants Last post by danoalb, Mar 20, 2006

Tbone

Discussion Starter · Dec 24, 2005

I have a Shimano Deore disc rear hub that's catching while the tire coasts as well as making a moaning sound. The axle bearings feel smoth and have had proper tension. Replacing a freehub body is about the only thing I haven't done on a bike. Anyone know how to get some step by steps on how to do it as well as what tools to use?

Oh yeah, and is the repair going to be more expensive than the hubs?

Thanks!

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Bikinfoolferlife

· #2 · Dec 24, 2005

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=45

Use this link for freehub service; if you can deal with taking your cassette on and off, and loose ball bearing adjustment, you should be fine. Only tool needed beyond that is a 10mm allen wrench (torque wrench good idea too). Dealing with the bearings is the part that's difficult/time consuming.

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Megaclocker

· #3 · Dec 24, 2005

I don't want to hijack the thread but, can we open a shimano freehub ? Because i have one broken and i would like to repair it

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GearHead

· #4 · Dec 24, 2005

Yes, you can open it with costly special tools. However, new replacement freehubs are so cheap from Shimano that it isn't really worth it. Once you would have it open, I don't know what the availability of new parts is for Shimano freehubs either.

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Hecubus

· #5 · Dec 24, 2005

A replacement Shimano Deore/LX/XT hub is $20. Not worth repairing. You can open them with some special tools but its not worth it.

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standard235

· #6 · Dec 25, 2005

My Joytech hub on my Hardrock Pro Disc is doing the same thing.

It's going to be warranteed... but I'm gonna upgrade even though they're offering Shimano XT.

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Tbone

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 25, 2005

Thanks for the replies.

I think I'm going to get the freehub and repair it. I realize I could get a new Deore hub for what I'll get the freehub for but then there's lacing it up - no thanks. If 20 bucks, a 10mm allen head and a breaker bar will do it, I'm in. This might be good preactice for me - at 235 pounds, perhaps I should get good at this!

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standard235

· #8 · Dec 25, 2005

Dude. They stripped my bolt using a vice and three guys...

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GearHead

· #9 · Dec 25, 2005 (Edited)

standard235 said:
Dude. They stripped my bolt using a vice and three guys...

That should never happen due to the large contact area inside of the bolt. They either used the wrong size of allen key, used an allen key that was worn out, they used an allen key that was too short and not inserted into the bolt far enough, they did not load the bolt in pure torsion (also bending moment), or a combination of the above.

If the bolt was seized due to not being greased when installed, a pneumatic impact wrench should have been used to vibrate the bolt loose.

Two solutions to your problem exist; tap a slightly large allen key into the wrecked bolt head and use a pneumatic wrench to get it loose or drill out the bolt head to remove the feehub and then remove the rest of the bolt.

Being it took three guys to screw this up in the first place, I doubt they have the tools/skills to fix this correctly.

Best of luck

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Hecubus

· #10 · Dec 25, 2005

standard235 said:
Dude. They stripped my bolt using a vice and three guys...

They must have used the wrong tools. The bolt is very tight but it should not get stripped easily. That is one strong hardened steel bolt. Make sure you use a quality SHARP 10mm allen socket wrench with a torque wrench or very long lever ratchet or similar. Not an old rounded off key thats been used in the shop for the last 10 years. The bolt is VERY tight and will not release easily. If you use a standard hand held 10mm key its not long enough to provide the torque necessary to release the bolt. You'd be forced to do something stupid like hammering the wrench to break it free.

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Hecubus

· #11 · Dec 25, 2005

standard235 said:
Dude. They stripped my bolt using a vice and three guys...

Where does the vice come into play in all this?

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Hecubus

· #12 · Dec 25, 2005

Tbone said:
I think I'm going to get the freehub and repair it. I realize I could get a new Deore hub for what I'll get the freehub for but then there's lacing it up - no thanks. If 20 bucks, a 10mm allen head and a breaker bar will do it, I'm in. This might be good preactice for me - at 235 pounds, perhaps I should get good at this!

You'll need a 15mm and 16mm (if i remember the size correctly) cone wrech to remove the axle first. These are cheap and still a good idea to have around so you can service and regrease the bearings.

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GearHead

· #13 · Dec 25, 2005

Hecubus said:
You'll need a 15mm and 16mm (if i remember the size correctly) cone wrech to remove the axle first. These are cheap and still a good idea to have around so you can service and regrease the bearings.

Actually a 15 mm cone wrench and 17 mm open ended box wrench will do. You don't need to use a cone wrench to hold the outside jam nut and I find that the wider flats on the open ended box wrench do a significantly better job of holding onto the outside jam nut than a thin cone wrench anyways.

If you are buying cone wrenches, get a combo 13mm/15mm as you will need a 13 mm cone wrench to service the front hub.

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danoalb

· #14 · Mar 20, 2006

Easy as pie

Tbone said:
I have a Shimano Deore disc rear hub that's catching while the tire coasts as well as making a moaning sound. The axle bearings feel smoth and have had proper tension. Replacing a freehub body is about the only thing I haven't done on a bike. Anyone know how to get some step by steps on how to do it as well as what tools to use?

Oh yeah, and is the repair going to be more expensive than the hubs?

Thanks!

It is so easy to fix a freehub if the pawls and ratchets aren't damaged. I winterize my shimano freehubs on contact and you don't need a special tool to open them up just a flat punch and a hammer. Well anyway shimano puts too much grease in the freehub. You don't need ANY grease on the pawls just on the bearing races that's it. The excess grease will make the pawls slow to engage. I take them apart and flush ALL the grease out of them and then just a small amount of grease on one race on each set of bearings and no more. They do not move while pedaling just when you are coasting and there is 0 load on the bearings. They WILL freeze up under 0 degrees F if left untreated and your bike WILL NOT MOVE. It's best to use a cold temp grease like lubriplate mag-1 if you can get it but any good bike grease will be alright if you don't use much at all.

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