Lost pawls from freehub - any suggestions ?
Dear All,
I recently removed the rear wheel from my bike (gravel -style road bike, Verenti Substance II) to fix a puncture, whereupon the cassette, still attached to the freehub, slid off, and above the crash it made as it hit the ground there was a faint tinkling sound. It turned out all 3 of the pawls (the little hooks in the freehub that engage when you are pedalling and disengage when you're not) had fallen out of the freehub on its impact with the road. (Some freehubs aren't secured in anyway and can just be pulled off -I found out the hard way my hub was one of those). I managed to find 2 pawls, but search as I might, I couldn't find the other one. I contacted Wiggle (who sold me the bike) but they said they don't hold spares and couldn't do anything. The freehub has HFH-002, 2017.04.11 written on it, which, after much googling, I found out means that they were made by a company called Formula Hubs. Unfortunately they have not responded to any of my attempts to contact them (despite also trying in Chinese!). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do ? If I had a pawl I could get the bike back on the road in 5 mins, but it looks like it may be difficult/ impossible to get such a spare. The bike is pretty new (barely a year old) and I haven't put in big miles on it, so all the components are still close to their new state . I would be happy to buy a new freehub if necessary, but can't even see that for sale anywhere.
Grateful for any suggestions!
Dan.
I recently removed the rear wheel from my bike (gravel -style road bike, Verenti Substance II) to fix a puncture, whereupon the cassette, still attached to the freehub, slid off, and above the crash it made as it hit the ground there was a faint tinkling sound. It turned out all 3 of the pawls (the little hooks in the freehub that engage when you are pedalling and disengage when you're not) had fallen out of the freehub on its impact with the road. (Some freehubs aren't secured in anyway and can just be pulled off -I found out the hard way my hub was one of those). I managed to find 2 pawls, but search as I might, I couldn't find the other one. I contacted Wiggle (who sold me the bike) but they said they don't hold spares and couldn't do anything. The freehub has HFH-002, 2017.04.11 written on it, which, after much googling, I found out means that they were made by a company called Formula Hubs. Unfortunately they have not responded to any of my attempts to contact them (despite also trying in Chinese!). Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do ? If I had a pawl I could get the bike back on the road in 5 mins, but it looks like it may be difficult/ impossible to get such a spare. The bike is pretty new (barely a year old) and I haven't put in big miles on it, so all the components are still close to their new state . I would be happy to buy a new freehub if necessary, but can't even see that for sale anywhere.
Grateful for any suggestions!
Dan.
0
Posts
https://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?ActionID=67174912&PBCATID=3021073
If you scroll down you will see that there are 4 or 5 Formula freehub bodies that use pawls and to my untrained eye each seems to use exactly the same design of pawl. It would be a risk, I know, but you could, as a last resort, order the cheapest freehub body available with the pawl fitting (FH-501B at ~£30) and cannibalise it for the missing pawl.
You could also ring round several LBS's and ask if they have any pawls in their spares box. You might get lucky.
Final drastic option - new rear wheel!!!!!
A lot of pawls can be generic and you might be able to sort something out.
If you need anymore taken / different angles etc. let me know - that at least is easy to do.
bobones, I will be in touch soon !
.
https://www.google.com/search?q=spare+pawls&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB857GB857&tbm=shop&sxsrf=ACYBGNQlU4iXuIVX-lsL9ih4AcF9Yiuq_w:1575304816894&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUkZjgs5fmAhURlhQKHbJQABMQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=888&dpr=1
Maybe try your LBS as they might have something in a spares box?
People need to ask before buying a bike are freehub/wheel spares available. If not look at another bike. That would have the desired effect because this problem keeps on cropping up.
I got some new DT Swiss wheels from my lbs with my criteria being that they had completely serviceable freehub and bearings as they were for my commuter/winter bike used in all conditions. Got fed up with cheap wheels with unidentifiable freehubs failing meaning a new wheel/wheelset
The pawls are approximately of size 10mm x 6.5mm x 3 mm( widest in this dimension),
these are a few more pictures:
Hopefully it won't come to that but it may well do so.
This is going to be one of my points.
Then I remembered I had a strong magnet on an extendable stick. I slowly swept the area where it was all dropped and it piked up the spring.
Try going back with a strong magnet. Worth checking that the pawl is ferrous first though.
retired 9.6kg Carrera Kraken
The Carrera Hardtail combined thread - come on all you Carrera's!
The Sons Scott Genius RC20 build
On that basis, you wouldn't get any lag but you may put a bit of extra stress on the bit of freehub behind the pawls. I wouldn't think that's a very highly stressed bit of metal but i guess it depends on how much of a concern that is to you -I'd probably just fit 2 pawls and forget about it.
if the choice comes down to doing this or writing the wheel off I may as well do this as there is not much to lose.
which I am hoping will at least elicit some response. I am sure they must have a big box of pawls somewhere in their factory, would it be too much trouble just to post a couple off (they only weigh a few grams each).