Help required with rear hub (powertap)

mr.b-campag

My rear hub (a powertap sl+ wireless) has started to make some unhappy grumbling noises when coasting. More disturbingly, riding into work today the hub went into something akin to a 'fixed' mode for a while i.e. when I didn't pedal it was making a horrible noise and pushing the chain around/off.

It sorted itself out after a while but I'm concerned about cycling home and more generally for the hub (not a cheap thing to replace!). Any advice/thoughts on what might be going on? I might send it off to Saris next month (when I will be off the bike for a while) for a much needed refresh but any ideas what to do in the interim as I would like to continue riding with power? Should I even be riding home on this wheel?

Thanks

B

ugo.santalucia

Service the freehub, it's very easy, as the hub cap pops off without tools. If needed, replace it, it's just a novatec type B freehub... 30 quid

mr.b-campag

Thanks Ugo. I'm a bit mechanically challenged but I'll give it a go. Are you saying it just a case of cleaning it up and regreasing the bearings? Should I be using a particular type of grease?

ugo.santalucia

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19667816#p19667816]Mr.B-Campag[/url] wrote:

Thanks Ugo. I'm a bit mechanically challenged but I'll give it a go. Are you saying it just a case of cleaning it up and regreasing the bearings? Should I be using a particular type of grease?

It could be that you just need to wipe the crap out of the pawls and ratchet and put some fresh grease. Forget about the bearings, they're none of your concern.

It could also be that the pawls retainer is rusted and the pawls pitted and you just need a new freehub

mr.b-campag

OK I'm unable to get the freehub off. It makes me wonder which model of powertap hub I actually have (I've had it for ages it seems). How can I tell whether this is just stiff and needs lubing or is an older model that needs tool to remove it? It's got the alloy and carbon body and is a 2.4 (and I've just dug out the manual which says it is a SL 2.4). There's no where obvious for a 5mm allen key and 17mm spanner to fit tho there is a fitting for cone spanners on the axle. Any ideas? Do I just to MTFU?

mr.b-campag

ok I used the tools in the end. One end wasn't machined for the allen key which confused me :-) I regreased the pawls and generally cleaned it all up. Just did a quick spin down the road and it seems to have the same issues. WIll also do the commute on it tomorrow. Assuming I need to replace the freehub is it still the Novatech type B you mentioned ok for this hub?