Removing freehub from cheap wheel...

Manc33
Manc33 Posts: 2,157
edited March 2015 in Workshop
I took all the bearings out, washers, axle etc...

I got as far as needing to use a 10mm allen key to unscrew the freehub body off, but in my hub there's just a hole going right through, as though the rear hub was made to be unserviceable. Can't do it from the non drive side either. There's just a big hole right through it.

If it does need an allen key, then I would estimate it needing to be a lot bigger than 10mm (like 15mm at least) but there's no hexagonal hole inside it.

pq31kEL.jpg

The only thing in there anything could grip to is the part I blew up in the corner with those lumps on and that is deeper in, behind the freehub body itself.

Is it just made to be unserviceable?

I ain't got the tool even if one exists, I will just put my other wheelset on lol. :roll:

All the ones I have seen videos of removing freehubs they just pull out a long handled 10mm allen key.

No way did I think freehub bodies screw on just the same way the old ones did. The more you know.

Look at the state its got in from above though, would you even want to service a ten quid rear hub thats already seen two or three winters? :lol:

It annoyed me because I got really far now I'm stuck with an immovable freehub. When you turn it, it sounds like ass as well, all gritty etc.

Comments

  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,216
    It might be an idea to clean and flush out all the gunk first then you'll able to see what you are looking at and be able to determine how it is fixed to the hub.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Use your Allen key so measure it. A 5 and 6 together are the same as an 11 (which is 7/16")
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    Its all cleaned out and I am non the wiser.

    There's nothing there to measure, it is literally a smooth circular hole until it gets to beyond the freehub body inside, then it has that weird bumpy part, but that isn't what loosens the freehub off because nothing would grip it (that's if it wasn't too deep in).

    Aside from that there's three holes inside it, but again you'd need some tool thats a cylinder with prongs that are sprung and pop out.

    I'm not faffing about anymore with this, its a sealed thing, I will just put my other wheels on. :roll:

    The cassette wobbles a little on this hub I am on now anyway. Its cheap, its nasty.

    The entire back wheel only costs £15 new. :shock:

    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/road-bike-re ... 05016.html

    Looks suspiciously similar:
    http://i.imgur.com/UD6jn55.jpg

    "Purchased a Triban 500 in August 2014 and within a few weeks found the wheels out of true and loose spokes. Had these tightened and wheels trued to then have serious grinding in the rear hub after 5 months. Water has got into the bearings as there was insufficient grease and poor seals and has corroded the bearings and damaged the bearing cup. Not happy to replace like for like as have no confidence in these wheels and Oxford store will only offer me upgraded wheels at the current sale price with notihing in compensation for my damaged wheel. Real pity as I love the bike but not the wheels."

    And so on and so forth. How much life are you gonna get from a rear hub costing what, a fiver? Three quid?!

    I knew they were cheap but never knew they were that cheap, whoa.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    And the bumpy bit is what you undo. It might screw into the hub or out if the hub,
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    Cheers guys. I just swapped back to my other wheels. I'm not buying some tool costing £12 or whatever to undo a £1 freehub body :P Well if the entire rear wheel brand new is £15 it sounds about right lol.

    You might wonder why I took the better wheels off if they are "better" than the crappy stock Triban 3 crap... they were a bit flimsy is all. I'm 2 stone lighter now though than when I bought them and they held up perfectly fine then so I'll trust them.

    Summer is coming... might as well get some use out of them.

    (they probably have smaller hub bearings but lets see)

    Here's one scary thing and it shows how thin/soft the rim metal must be... I setup the brake pads really close, then I pumped the tyre up to 100PSi (about 115 is the max) and the brake pads were now touching the rim. :shock: I just screwed in the rear brake barrel adjuster a little bit and tried to pretend it never happened.

    Now you can't do that with the stock Triban 3 wheels, nor can you push the rim and make it touch the brake pads, it takes force, but on the light wheels its surprisingly easy.

    What I want really is some sort of compromise like 32F/36R using double butted spokes like DT Swiss Revolutions + Archetypes + 105/Ultegra hubs but, its money. :roll: Thats the perfect wheelset for me, strong, light for the strength... but also "relatively" affordable. Heard too many rave reviews about that Archetype to not get them.
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    Manc33 wrote:
    Heard too many rave reviews about that Archetype to not get them.

    You might want to ponder this response from the sticky on Handbuilts above

    "Have any of the wheel builders on here had any bad experiences with H Plus Son Archetypes, I ask because Strada say they wont use them anymore http://www.stradawheels.co.uk/product/h ... archetype/
    I'e got two sets of them and am happy with both, just wondered if there was anything in this."

    Haven't had any comments on that yet from our resident wheel builders so just hold fire before you make any decisions
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    DJ58 wrote:
    It might be an idea to clean and flush out all the gunk first then you'll able to see what you are looking at and be able to determine how it is fixed to the hub.

    The hub looks like a cheap Shimano, so a big hex form may show up after the dirt is off. :)
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    When you say cheap... you mean it just has a code number and isn't even at something like Tourney or Claris level?

    Did some slight truing on the 20/24h wheels last night, its amazing how careful you've got to be turning the nipples on 20h double butted spokes compared to 32h wheels with straight gauge spokes. :oops: One false move...
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    No, the form of the hub shell is equal to a Shimano Parallax hub I had.
    So I'm pretty shure the freehub is screwed and can be unscrewed, Shimano never made anyting else (patended construction)
    When I look further in the hub on your picture I actually can see teeth where a wrench/key could fit.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    The Shimano hubs use a hollow screw that takes an allen key, but it's not hexagonal. I think I have a Joytech hub somewhere that uses a similar setup but I can't be bothered to dig it out of the shed, my legs are too tired.
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    On Strava.{/url}
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    Cheers guys. It would take something like a 16mm allen key and need an extender tube over it to get the leverage. My other wheels just have an actual hex hole and its more like 8mm. :roll:
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    have you tried any other hobbies,
    I hear basket weaving is entertaining.
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    have you tried any other hobbies,
    I hear basket weaving is entertaining.

    Whats entertaining about basket weaving?
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    Manc33 wrote:
    have you tried any other hobbies,
    I hear basket weaving is entertaining.

    Whats entertaining about basket weaving?

    It might not be your cup of tea, but the baskets get a kick out of it
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    Manc33 wrote:
    Cheers guys. It would take something like a 16mm allen key and need an extender tube over it to get the leverage. My other wheels just have an actual hex hole and its more like 8mm. :roll:

    It is never 8 mm, because a 10 mm axle goes trough.