Identify Free Hub?

photonic69

Hi all.

My son's bike (Plant X Pro Carbon) has an issue with the freehub. It was making not nice noises and dragging a bit (would turn pedals slowly when rear wheel spun)

Tried to strip it down but ran into problems. It has cartridge bearings. I've no idea what the hub is (Mavic CXP22 Rims) as there is no marking or name on hub or freehub. There is no hex key in the bore through the axle. The Drive Side end cap bolts unscrew to reveal the cartridge bearing inside the freehub. The other side has a larger end cap that I can't unscrew as I don't have an axle vice (don't want to screw up threads).

Freehub only as ME stamped onto spline near the wide bit and a ring scribed around about 10mm from the outer edge.

It appears a spacer was missing as the 9 speed cassette had made contact with the spokes and rubbed them a bit (caused sharp edge and I sliced my finger open on it!)

So: The wheel spins nice and smooth on the cartridge bearings. Freehub is noisy. Rims are quite light. Spokes could be compromised?

Questions: What is hub? What is freehub? How to remove? Worth replacing freehub and bearings or buying new rear wheel (if spoke damage is an issue)?

Any help most appreciated.

photonic69

Pics:

https://flic.kr/p/258tFc9

https://flic.kr/p/26dtWex

https://flic.kr/p/Gyo3PZ

TheGardenGnome

Free wheel is older tech and the coasting mechanism is on the gear stuff vs freehub which is newer tech and the coasting mech is in the wheel hub. One of the ways one can tell between the two is that a freehub wheel when spun, the nut holding the cassette in place doesn't spin with the wheel. The older wheel with free wheel, the nut holding the cogs spins when the wheel spins.


I'm not too good at explaining but I wouldn't want you making the mistake I did confusing the two wheels looking for spare parts

TheGardenGnome

Thanks to Dr Google:
https://www.ilovebicycling.com/freewhee ... -cassette/
http://sheldonbrown.com/free-k7.html

Anything above 7 speed is usually a freehub.

cooldad

I think he's asking what make, not what it is.....

photonic69

cooldad wrote:

I think he's asking what make, not what it is.....

That would be it.

ugo.santalucia

Hard to say, but it looks like a screw on type freehub, like the one Shimano still use, as opposed to a slide on freehub, like most modern ones.
There are a number of them still on the market, Shimano aside, SRAM and some of the cheaper Novatec are screw on type. If it is an unbranded hub, chances are it is one of the cheaper Novatec... not sure where to buy a screw on Novatec freehub though... it's none of the more common ones you can buy typically.

this is a slide on



These are screw on

photonic69

Thanks Ugo.

Something like this then?

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/ ... d-shimano/

Might just take it to my LBS and see if he can 1/ Identify it and 2/ Give me a price for replacing it. I guess bearings should be replaced if out already or if damaged removing axle. If 2/ is more than £40-50 then it is worth buying a new wheelset such as these?

https://www.merlincycles.com/dt-swiss-r ... 04670.html

Would rather repair than replace but sometimes it's not worth it.

crankycrank

PhotoNic69 wrote:

The wheel spins nice and smooth on the cartridge bearings. Freehub is noisy. Rims are quite light. Spokes could be compromised?
Questions: What is hub? What is freehub? How to remove? Worth replacing freehub and bearings or buying new rear wheel (if spoke damage is an issue)?
Any help most appreciated.

Try calling Planet X as they may be able to identify the hub used. Once you know this there are usually manuals and videos online explaining exactly how to remove but often you just remove the wheel axle and the Cassette hub can be removed with a large allen wrench in the recess of the hub. Also as you can see from Ugo's photos that most have a large O-Ring on the backside which you can carefully pry off and either soak or douse with solvent, let dry and add some fresh lube. A fresh lube often is all that is needed to bring the hub back to life. I have a wheel with spoke damage that looks almost identical to yours from a chain comming off. Over 10K miles later and no breaks or problems. File down the the shards on the spokes just enough to keep from bleeding on your wheel again and you should be OK.

photonic69

crankycrank wrote:

Try calling Planet X as they may be able to identify the hub used........

No use I'm afraid. Bike was 2nd hand and the previous owner has confirmed the wheels didn't come from Planet X.

Managed to tap axle from drive side and NDS bearing came out and axle was free from DS bearing but axle wouldn't come out any further. It would move freely side to side but no further. Gave good squirt of gt85 into inners of the freehub and spun it. Drained out remains then squirted some 5w-30 engine oil in. Tapped axle back in.

Seems free-er but not exactly smooth. Might put my Turbo cassette and tyre on it and see how it goes.

Still looking at replacing freehub if I can.

photonic69

More pics if that helps?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/71996210@ ... res/7FxRE0

photonic69

Pretty sure I've identified it now:

https://thesportinggeeks.com/product/vi ... ehub-body/

Cannot find any info on this at all. Most strange. Any ideas if there is a compatible alternative that will fit?

ugo.santalucia

I suspect it's the Novatec you linked at earlier from SJS

First thing you should remove it... no point in buying a new one if you can't remove the old one... that will also give you a better idea of how it looks at the back.
Typically you need a large Allen Key 11 or 12 mm, depends on manufacturer

photonic69

ugo.santalucia wrote:

First thing you should remove it... no point in buying a new one if you can't remove the old one... that will also give you a better idea of how it looks at the back.
Typically you need a large Allen Key 11 or 12 mm, depends on manufacturer

Thanks Ugo.

Problem I have is removing the axle to get at the back of the freehub.

"Managed to tap axle from drive side and NDS bearing came out and axle was free from DS bearing but axle wouldn't come out any further. It would move freely side to side but no further. Gave good squirt of gt85 into inners of the freehub and spun it. Drained out remains then squirted some 5w-30 engine oil in. Tapped axle back in. "

I need a guide on how to remove axles from hubs with cartridge bearings as I've never done this sort before. Don't want to bugger it up!!

ugo.santalucia

Can you not access the Allen key slot to remove the freehub?

photonic69

No. There is no accessible allen key slot. Not in the ends of the QR hole (as per Mavic axles), no external Allen holes. I believe I need to remove the axle to access the large 11mm internal Allen key hole from the NDS.

I've got a feeling I need to tap the axle out from the NDS to force that bearing out first. I think there is a rubber grease seal that comes out first if you see this pic (https://thesportinggeeks.com/product/vi ... ehub-body/) , then support bearing and tap axle back to release bearing from axle then withdraw from DS of the freehub.

Well, that's the theory I've dreamed up in my head through lack of available videos showing me how to actually do it!

keef66

I'm no use to you I'm afraid; never had anything but simple Shimano cup n cone hubs and freehubs held on with a large tubular bolt.

Even if yours is a Shimano pattern hub, you clearly need to get the axle out in order to see if a large hex key will fit inside to unscrew the freehub.

Random googling throws up all manner of disassembly possibilities for various kinds of rear hubs with cartridge bearings. Many of the Novatec ones seem to involve a small hex key in the NDS axle and unscrewing the DS with a wrench or cone spanner, followed by withdrawing the axle and freehub together from the drive side. Others involve removing endcaps and bashing axles with hammers.