DT Swiss 240 hub stuck

joe2008
joe2008 Posts: 1,531
edited February 2018 in Workshop
I regularly take off my hub to clean and lube the ratchets, however, it is now stuck and I can't remove it by hand or in a vice.

I had a thought of using a Campagnolo Ultra Torque bearing puller and pulling an old cassette up, and hope to free it.

What's the worst that could happen?

Obviously I'm not worried if I break the sprocket, I may break the puller which is a pain that I can live with.

I can't see how I could break the hub? Could I?

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,484
    do you mean the freehub body is stuck?

    have you pulled off the end cap ok?

    unless the bearings have somehow corroded onto the axle it's hard to see what'd stop it coming off

    bearing puller should be ok, though i'd also try freezing the axle (freezer spay inside it) and/or pouring hot water on the fhb to see if the differential expansion helps unstick things
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    sungod wrote:
    do you mean the freehub body is stuck?

    have you pulled off the end cap ok?

    unless the bearings have somehow corroded onto the axle it's hard to see what'd stop it coming off

    bearing puller should be ok, though i'd also try freezing the axle (freezer spay inside it) and/or pouring hot water on the fhb to see if the differential expansion helps unstick things

    Yes the freehub body is stuck, and I can't seem to get the end cap off either. The hub is running smoothly so the bearings haven't corroded.

    The ratchets have just got noisy, a clean and lube sorts that out.

    Thanks, I try that.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,484
    so end cap itself is stuck? only clips into place, but they can be pretty tight

    can't remember the sizes, but if you take off the end cap the other side, is the difference in axle bore vs. end cap hole enough to put a rod through the axle and then use it to knock the cap off?
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • buckmulligan
    buckmulligan Posts: 1,031
    sungod wrote:
    so end cap itself is stuck? only clips into place, but they can be pretty tight

    can't remember the sizes, but if you take off the end cap the other side, is the difference in axle bore vs. end cap hole enough to put a rod through the axle and then use it to knock the cap off?

    The axle bore is fairly wide on these, they're designed to be able to be used with either thru-axles or QRs by switching the end-caps over, so if you're using QR end caps then you should certainly be able to try the above. Of course that relies on being able to get the non-drive-side end-cap off :lol:

    I'd wrap an old rag/tea towel around the freehub body and keep pulling on there until it starts to budge the end cap. As others have said, they can get stuck on there pretty tight but it should relent eventually!
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    on new hubs they can be very tight so tight i struggle sometimes to remove the endcap. gripping the endcap securely enough is the problem. it sometime as to be such a tight hold in a vice that you risk damaging the end cap. no joke they have been that tight before.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • buckmulligan
    buckmulligan Posts: 1,031
    Yeah, they're only aluminium so I wouldn't want to resort to clamping/pressing tools unnecessarily.

    As I said, you can pull them off using the freehub body underneath rather than having to grip the end-cap directly, but I reckon sungod's idea of tapping it out from the other side is best if possible.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    So, both end caps on stuck on tight and as stated above they are not the easiest things to grip.

    Might have to try the bearing puller...
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,484
    when i had trouble shifting one, i got it off ok by...

    wrapping a strip of thick rubber around the cap to protect it and provide grip (degrease first, then a bit of old slick tyre or similar, inner tube will be too thin/delicate)

    then used the circular 'notch' behind the cable cutter blades in some big pliers to grip it and twist it about until it came free
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • gazza1286
    gazza1286 Posts: 45
    If you have an old cassette lockring available screw it into the freehub body. Then with a set of locking pliers against the lockring 'wiggle' the body free from the hub.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    gazza1286 wrote:
    If you have an old cassette lockring available screw it into the freehub body. Then with a set of locking pliers against the lockring 'wiggle' the body free from the hub.

    Yay, that worked a treat, thanks!

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