camapg freehub bearings?

on-yer-bike

Does the bearing nearest the dropout inside the freehub have a tendency to wear out quickly due to its location? Can using thin chain lube on the chain like RocknRoll Gold wash the grease out, I wonder? Not sure if it could get in the bearing but its a thought.

ugo.santalucia

how many miles?
Is it a Record hub or the hub of a Campagnolo wheel?

on-yer-bike

ugo.santalucia wrote:

how many miles?
Is it a Record hub or the hub of a Campagnolo wheel?

Its on a 2008 Neutron not sure of mileage but the rim is pretty worn. However, I took the Boras out of hibernation and found the same bearing seized and they havent done many miles (it freed up after some gentle persuasion). I have taken the freehub off a Eurus with about two-three thousand miles on it to put on the Neutron to see out the winter and that didnt feel great either, although much better than the Neutron. The inner bearing feels fine on all three freehubs.

I thought the Record hubs had exactly the same freehub?

Monty Dog

Obviously, if ridden in all weathers, outermost bearing is exposed to water ingress, particularly if you use a jet-wash. Certainly, popping-off the seal and dunking the bearing in oil can resurrect them temporarily - depends on how pitted they get from corrosion. AFAIK Neutron, Shamal and Record all share the same hub internals - FWIW I've never had to replace a freehub on a Campagnolo wheel.

ugo.santalucia

these things can last indefinitely or very little and it is ALL down to when you use the bike and what you do after the ride. If you ride on salty wet roads and then don't rinse the bike, you can be sure the bearings won't last 1000 miles. If you rinse your bike after the ride with a bucket of warm water and a bit of soap and allow it to dry in a reasonably warm/mild place, it will be fine.
No road hub has been designed to be ridden in British winter without care, so if they survive without bearing replacement, take it as a bonus.
I haven't seen much improvement on freehubs fitted with an extra rubber cap to shield the bearing... moisture gets in anyway and struggles to get out, so they can even be counterproductive.
If you want to ride in all weathers, you need to be prepared to change bearings... they are neither expensive nor hard to replace. The hub that lasts forever without TLC is largely a myth

on-yer-bike

I hardly ever ride in the rain if i can help it and don't use a jetwash. With the Boras I got caught in the rain during a 60 mile race in the summer of 2011. Perhaps I should have stripped them down afterwards. Am I right in thinking that this particular bearing can't be changed and that I have to replace the free hub? There is so much play in the bearing that it had started to effect the shifting because the cassette was wobbling about.

ugo.santalucia

on-yer-bike wrote:

I hardly ever ride in the rain if i can help it and don't use a jetwash. With the Boras I got caught in the rain during a 60 mile race in the summer of 2011. Perhaps I should have stripped them down afterwards. Am I right in thinking that this particular bearing can't be changed and that I have to replace the free hub? There is so much play in the bearing that it had started to effect the shifting because the cassette was wobbling about.

I have never changed a Campag one, but roughly speaking they all have two bearings separated by a spacer. If you can knock them out with a punch (like a metal rod) and a mallet, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to change them. If it has gone in, there must be a way to get it out.
It is worth trying anyway, before paying for a new freehub

on-yer-bike

Got the old one out, ordered a new one from Simply Bearings – 6803RS 17x26x5. Now to see if I can get the new one back in.

ugo.santalucia

on-yer-bike wrote:

Got the old one out, ordered a new one from Simply Bearings – 6803RS 17x26x5. Now to see if I can get the new one back in.

Getting it in is the easiest part...