Freehub problem

[miklos]

Hi

About 4 months ago , I replaced my rear wheel on my Ridgeback cyclone as it was buckled. Something hasnt been quite right with the new wheel so I bought the tools and removed the cassette to have a look at the free hub. It was loose, it moves up and down slightly. I removed the axle and bearing and there was no grease and lots of corrosion on the drive side bearings. I not done this before , this is not normal is it?

I tried to tighten the freehub but a 10mm hex does not fit. I belive it is an 11mm hex as 12 was too big. I have a spare hub on my old buckled wheel . I believe this is fixed with a standard 10mm hex, although I havent removed it yet. Will thus freehub fit on my new wheel. Surely the freehub should last longer than 4 months, would I be entitled to a refund/replacement on my new wheel

Thanks

 

[Crepello]

You should have taken the wheel back to the shop and you still could. It's only four months old. Strictly speaking, for the manufacturer's warranty to be valid you shouldn't dismantle a product and the shop may try and play that against you if you admit as much. I would just present the wheel as it is knowing that it is not fully functioning. You could expect a repair or replacement, but not a refund.

If it is a cheap wheel, you should expect some play in the freehub - tightening it up is unlikely to help. Sounds like the wheel bearings are probably shot though.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I assume the movement of the freewheel element is in it's own bearings rather than with the 11mm fitting screw being loose? If so it's a cheap freewheel probably - or it is so worn it's pretty cream crackered. Either way you can't fix it really. And as for there being no grease in the wheel bearings - that's criminal.

 

[miklos]

Thanks

Yes it was a relatively cheap wheel (£35)

I have taken the wheel back to the lbs, they said they would try and fix the freehub, although it does not look as though it can be repaired as it seems like a seeled unit.

They seem to think that tightening the securing bolt will fix it, but they did not have the tool to fit at hand so I left it with them