Freehub failed

karlth
karlth Posts: 156
edited October 2012 in Workshop
I was riding home last night, came to a roundabout, saw it was clear, put some pressure on the pedals and they just span. Cleared the roundabout under momentum and ground to a halt where I discovered that the cassette was freely spinning without turning the wheel. Fortunately I was a mile away and around 100' above a railway station, so decided to freewheel down to it. As I set off the freehub started behaving again, so I though "I can make it home", only for it to fail again at a miniroundabout (outside the railway station) then work again after a short back-pedal. Didn't fancy risking it so got the train anyway.

When it wasn't behaving it felt like the insides of the hub were moving with the cassette, so I think it's the hub rather than the cassette's connection to it that's at fault.

So is this going to mean a new hub, which at my level (Triban 3 predecessor with stock wheels) means just replacing the wheel, or is it possibly serviceable? I've never pulled one apart before, but I've done fork replacements largely by following my nose, common sense and a bit of internet guidance, so if it's doable I expect I could do it.

Comments

  • Most likely a compatible free hub should be available...typically 30-40 pounds... alternatively a new hub or a new wheel if it's not an expensive wheel.
    New hub and rebuild will cost you around 100-120 pounds, just to give you an idea
    left the forum March 2023
  • karlth
    karlth Posts: 156
    Most likely a compatible free hub should be available...typically 30-40 pounds... alternatively a new hub or a new wheel if it's not an expensive wheel.
    New hub and rebuild will cost you around 100-120 pounds, just to give you an idea

    The wheel is available for £35 on a like for like basis, so I think that points in that direction. It's a bit out of true as well, so adding that on, I think it's new wheel. Would be nice to upgrade from the stock wheels, but the money isn't there.
  • karlth wrote:
    Most likely a compatible free hub should be available...typically 30-40 pounds... alternatively a new hub or a new wheel if it's not an expensive wheel.
    New hub and rebuild will cost you around 100-120 pounds, just to give you an idea

    The wheel is available for £35 on a like for like basis, so I think that points in that direction. It's a bit out of true as well, so adding that on, I think it's new wheel. Would be nice to upgrade from the stock wheels, but the money isn't there.

    Sometimes it's easier to have only one option... :D
    left the forum March 2023
  • karlth
    karlth Posts: 156
    karlth wrote:
    Most likely a compatible free hub should be available...typically 30-40 pounds... alternatively a new hub or a new wheel if it's not an expensive wheel.
    New hub and rebuild will cost you around 100-120 pounds, just to give you an idea

    The wheel is available for £35 on a like for like basis, so I think that points in that direction. It's a bit out of true as well, so adding that on, I think it's new wheel. Would be nice to upgrade from the stock wheels, but the money isn't there.

    Sometimes it's easier to have only one option... :D

    Well, there is that. Nip into Decathlon on way home, buy wheel, nip into JE James and buy tools (like excuse to buy tools!) - looking at the cassette it's fine, which isn't bad going for entry level stock 8 speed after two years and on its third chain. Bit worn on the sides of the teeth but not taken on that "line of sharks approaching swimmers to sound of 'cello playing" look.
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    Is there a generic style of freehub for these generic cartridge bearing hubs?

    The freehubs on sale seem to be for specific designs (Hope, easton, Prolite, Mavic).
  • karlth
    karlth Posts: 156
    Took cassette off (thank you Aldi £20 bike tool kit)* and found the existing freehub, whilst behaving while I played with it, was wobbly. New wheel on (oh the pain, £35!) and all is well. Better than well; I think the bearings were going in the old one; the new one seems much happier above 20mph than the old one was. Well, something took two minutes off my commute in this morning. Definitely faster flat and downhill. Wish it had the same effect uphill, but the limiting factor there isn't the hub ;)

    *mixed bunch though; the 16mm gap on the spanners appears to be the same size as the 15mm. Fortunately I have tools for that job already.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    If it a novatec/joytech hub then it may be possible to source a free hub body seperatley but I would not bother as it likely to be a ball ache, just get a new wheel.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.