Freewheel has gone stiff

[NorthernSky]

Hi folks
have an issue with my freewheel / hub
Bike is a cannondale synapse with shimano tiagra 10 speed
wheels are (Maddux?) RD 3.0
bike is about 1.5 years old

the free wheel was spinning no problems. didn't cycle for a week and came to it tonight and it's stiff as anything 😕
i can turn it by hand but it won't spin freely at all

haven't stripped it fully down, but i guess i'll need to take the freehub off and see what it's at?
not sure how the freehub comes off just yet on this wheel...?

 

[fossyant]

You'll need a hex key from 10 to 12mm depending on the hub. It will either undo from the drive side (most common) or non drive side.

Likely it needs a good soak in oil unless its very rough.

 

[All uphill]

Those bearings look to me as if they are in an oil/water emulsion; has the bike been immersed in water? Jet sprayed?

Either way it will need stripping, regressing and careful reassembly. Lots of guides on YouTube.

 

[NorthernSky]

i do wash the bike regularly, some water has maybe worked its way in
i'll get it stripped then and see what's what
no cycling for a while yet

 

[Ajax Bay]

Been through a ford some time, more than 18" deep for a distance, perhaps?
Most people 'wash their bike regularly' but soapy water and a good brushing and a spray off with a hose will not threaten the seal: @All uphill asked about pressure spraying . . . . .
Pretty sure it'll be a 10mm allen key to remove the freehub and then there's a seal to prise off.
Excellent photos.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/shimano-tiagra-fh4500-cassette-freehub-body-y3cr98070/
ETA: Looks like hub is not Shimano Tiagra (not 10mm allen key - from post below - and so ignore link).
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/cannondale-synapse-al-disc-tiagra-review/
"The rims are Maddux RD 3.0 spinning on Formula hubs." Suggests 11mm or 7/16th" allen key. OP may be able to confirm that by using a 5mm and a 6mm side by side.

 

[NorthernSky]

just tried a 10mm hex key in it but it didn't catch
that's the biggest i have, looks like ebay to find a 12mm one...
got the bearings out

 

[Sharky]

Try with two Allen keys adding up to 12.

 

[Big John]

If you decide to take the freehub apart be prepared to lose several hours of your life chasing bearings everywhere. Spray it to death with GT85 preferably rather than dismantle. If you do decide to take it apart there are a few YouTube vids. Nightmare job.

 

[NorthernSky]

yeah don't want to spend huge amounts of time on this as i think these are cheap hubs

if i was to buy a new freehub what am i looking for?
will i have to buy the axel and everything too?
i'd probably go for a Shimano hub, something that will last a bit longer!


this is the spec at the moment

Rims	RD 3.0, 28h
Hubs	(F) Formula CRX-512, 12x100mm thru-axle / (R) Formula DC-1422, QR

https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/cannondale_synapse_disc_tiagra_road_bike_56cm_2022-ID_81261?opt=163360&msclkid=f19b40a5913e146a706724866cf00bc6&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=*Bing - Shopping - All&utm_term=4582833201061301&utm_content=UK All

 

[tyred]

Try with two Allen keys adding up to 12.

Or a flat blade screwdriver pushed in the side of a slightly too small Allen key to take up the slack.

 

[Ajax Bay]

From my looking around the Formula freehubs need an 11mm allen key to remove. The hub they're screwed into may have the same thread as a Shimano one (see link in my comment) but I don't know.
Your best way ahead is to leave in situ, squirt every orifice and leave (as @fossyant has said). Check it then engages and push in as much light oil (chain oil but others might suggest better) and ride on, keeping an eye open for a new/used wheel (NB QR and likely 135mm OLD: replacing the whole hub is totally uneconomic, given entry level quality).
Taking freehub off off will allow closer squirting entry to where the pawls have seized up.
If faced with a freehub that doesn't respond this I'd call on my LBS. They can have the freehub off in a jiffy and can try some freehubs (probably Shimano as you have cup and cone) in the chance they'll fit (ie have same thread). That'd be a simple freehub replacement (not axle and cones which are fine (assumed)).
NB An 11sp road freehub will need a 1.8mm spacer to go with the other spacer when you fit your 10sp cassette back on.
Good luck.

 

[cyberknight]

Recently had my freehub seize Inthe frost so I took it off , removed the seal and found a load of gunky grease in the hub bearings.i removed it then squirted the bearings with citrus degreaser from wilko's.i then fed motor oil into the bearings till the oil ran true to colour

 

[Alex321]

If you buy a replacement and it is one which needs an 11mm hex key, they often come with an adapter (which goes over an 8mm one). It is almost impossible to actually buy 11mm hex keys, they usually go up in 2mm increments from 6 onwards.

My hybrid has that type of freehub, and when I bought a replacement from SJS, it came with said adapter.

 

[Paulus]

Amazon are selling this Park Tool 11mm hex in their sale today.



Check this out! https://amzn.eu/d/ckP1QYb

 

[T4tomo]

yeah don't want to spend huge amounts of time on this as i think these are cheap hubs

if i was to buy a new freehub what am i looking for?
will i have to buy the axel and everything too?
i'd probably go for a Shimano hub, something that will last a bit longer!


this is the spec at the moment

Rims	RD 3.0, 28h
Hubs	(F) Formula CRX-512, 12x100mm thru-axle / (R) Formula DC-1422, QR

https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/cannondale_synapse_disc_tiagra_road_bike_56cm_2022-ID_81261?opt=163360&msclkid=f19b40a5913e146a706724866cf00bc6&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=*Bing - Shopping - All&utm_term=4582833201061301&utm_content=UK All

you either go for a freehub that fits your existing Formula hubs, i.e. same again,
or........
you buy a different hub (incl an appropriate freehub) and rebuild the spokes and rim onto it, but there is a high chance the new hub requires different spoke lengths, so then you'll need new spokes as well and by that point you're only a £25 rim away from a new hand-built wheel.......