£10 vs £200

[GrumpyGregry]

Sometimes, despite having done the Cytec technical course(s) and having (most of) the tools, the lack of a full workshop and the limited exposure that only maintaining one's own fleet brings, means it pays to chuck something over the counter at the lbs.

They know exactly which magic potion to apply overnight (Wurth Rost Off Ice), which club hammer (XL) to apply, with which amount of force (lots), onto which part of the component (the axle) to get a recalcitrant freehub off. I stood by in awe and with three well-aimed blows off it popped.

£10 for their labour being so much less than £200 for a new rear wheel.

Sorted.

(alloy Shimano pattern freehubs, non-spider cassettes, and a 100kg rider, are not a match made in heaven, hence the need to get it off to replace it with a steel freehub.)

 

[Profpointy]

At the risk of slightly nit-picking - even a new wheel for said £200 would still have required the old wheel biffed off

 

[fossyant]

Nope. Cassette probably worn and freehub splines goosed, hence need for biffing.

 

[Slick]

I did similar as I was frightened to excerpt the required force for fear of causing more damage which is what usually happens when I apply force to anything. I was actually a bit embarrassed by how easy the LBS got it free. That's what they are there for though.

 

[overmind]

I find a cheater bar is perfect for removing freehubs. I have a 2ft length of scaffold pole which I slide on the end of a large adjustable spanner. The reason I like it is that the additional leverage means you can slowly apply more and more pressure until the freehub suddenly gives way.

 

[Tenkaykev]

I did similar as I was frightened to excerpt the required force for fear of causing more damage which is what usually happens when I apply force to anything. I was actually a bit embarrassed by how easy the LBS got it free. That's what they are there for though.

Don't feel embarrassed, I worked for nearly 50 years in electrical / mechanical repairs. You get a feel for things and can sense when things are starting to free up or when they are seized solid.
The guys working on your bike knew how hard to whack it and would have backed off if it wasn't going to give.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Nope. Cassette probably worn and freehub splines goosed, hence need for biffing.

Splines goosed to flippity but the cassette was new(ish). Freehub was seized on the axle which in turn was seized on the axle bearings. All jolly now though. Newish cassette now back on new steel freehub body and test ride shows all fine and dandy.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

 

[Profpointy]

Somewhat related but I recall a lesson from a car enthusiast mate seriously into motorsport - (to the extent of becoming British champion) explaining that if you need to take something apart that's stuck and it needs hitting, if it gets broken in the process, then so be it since it's got to come off one way or another. The moral being to gradually hit it harder till it frees or breaks.

My Dad on the other hand would stop me hitting stuck things and show me how to gently tap with a piece of wood in a way that wouldn't break a champagne glass - with predictable lack of any result on, say, a seized brake drum, other than making me cross, and then have to wait till he'd cleared off out of the way

It does help if you are undoing things in the right direction though !