Bicycle Mechanics - Freehub dilemma (pics)

So, all this recent talk of freehubbing got me around to arsing with mine (being that it is a bit stiff).

So, I drop the 10mm hex into the freehub to effect removal and I get nothin'.

Examination reveals a smooth round cylinder all the way to the hub (Ritchey Sport & Shimano body). Haven't seen this before.

WTH.

I can see some "teeth" when i peer through the hub's NDS, so is this where joy is found? A particular tool?

TIA

You have an older hub design. There isn't a separate hollow bolt that attaches the freehub to the hub-shell:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/DannoXYZ/Cycling/ShimanoFH7400.gif

versus the more modern design:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/DannoXYZ/Cycling/ShimanoFH6400.gif

Main issue is finding a replacement freehub-body. Not many of those around. You can try spraying WD-40 into the gap between the outer-shell and the bearing-cup to loosen it up. Then follow with heavy oil.

Thanks Danno.

The hub was stock on a 2000 Allez. Any takes on how such an "older" technology got to be on a "modern" 9spd STI set-up?

Why I ask is that even my 7spd freehubs from the very early '90s have the retaining bolt.

The freehub is presently being seeped with triflow.

Also, the schematic of the "older" freehub shows a 4-notch DS race. Except for no apparent retaining bolt my freehub resembles the "modern" hub.

Strange.

You have an older hub design. There isn't a separate hollow bolt that attaches the freehub to the hub-shell:


I don't agree, Danno. An older freehub would have threads on the outside of the cassette body- the one in the photos is Hyperglide-only.

Since it's a Ritchey hub, I'd suggest that it's not a Shimano body. Shimano-compatible, for sure, but no obvious way to remove it.

Maybe an Allen wrench goes in from the left side of the hub?

Maybe an Allen wrench goes in from the left side of the hub?
That's what I was thinking. The OP saw "teeth" on the nds side and I expect they are the recesses for some size hex wrench. I'd try the 10 mm first just to see if it fits.

Also, the schematic of the "older" freehub shows a 4-notch DS race. Except for no apparent retaining bolt my freehub resembles the "modern" hub.

Strange.

Is that a Uniglide hub in the OP photo??? I think Sheldon has a photo of that hub and the removal tool on his site. Was just there poking around freewheels last week and saw it. I'll bet a suitable remover could be made out of some steel stock to get that thing off for real cleaning/greasing.

Is that a Uniglide hub in the OP photo??? I think Sheldon has a photo of that hub and the removal tool on his site. Was just there poking around freewheels last week and saw it. I'll bet a suitable remover could be made out of some steel stock to get that thing off for real cleaning/greasing.

Nope- again, a Uniglide body would have threads on the outside of the cassette body. Hyperglide has threads on the inside. Early Hyperglide bodies had both internal and external threads, but that was before Shimano went nuts with 11-tooth sprockets.

FWIW: The top drawing of the two that Danno posted is of an early Dura-Ace Uniglide hub. The threads are smaller to accomodate an 11-tooth cog and are probably very hard to find nowadays. For the truly loony, the 11-tooth small cog means you could make an 11-15 5-speed cassette- providing you could find a 5-speed Dura-Ace cassette hub: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/shimano1982/pages/20.html

Excellent discourse.

This is a straight-up HG freehub.

I emailed Ritchey for their opinion as to any proprietaryness.

I will consult with the LBS wrenches, perhaps by the weekend or so.

Triflow and the wealth of the Sun have loosened-up the freehub's ratchet, so I'm good in that respect. I would, however, like to get some Phil's into the mechanism.

Again, strange.

I don't agree, Danno. An older freehub would have threads on the outside of the cassette body- the one in the photos is Hyperglide-only.Yeah, I seem to recall a Hyperglide-only option back then, perhaps on the Sante line.

There were also 7-spd Hyperglide-only freehubs going back as far as the 600EX line:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/DannoXYZ/Cycling/600AX-7spdHyperglide.jpg
Although in this particular photo, it was most likely a 600EX freehub-body that was retrofitted to an older 600AX hub.

Given that this is a proprietary Ritchey hub dating from a 2000 bike, it's most likely that the hub was designed several years earlier. At that time, they could've designed to accept the older pre-1997 spin-on freehub-bodies. As any small manufacturers know, you don't want to waste your R&D time & expense by re-designing something if it's not absolutely necessary.

BTW - how many speeds are on that freehub? 7 or 8-spds?

BTW - how many speeds are on that freehub? 7 or 8-spds?


If you mean me, 9.

Anyway, do you think this freehub is permanent?

Look in from the non-drive side of the hub. Can you fit a 12mm allen-key down that side? Apparently on the Ritchey hubs, the attachment for the freehub-body is from the non-drive side as opposed to drive-side like for Shimano.

My generic Taiwanese freehub came off using a 7/16 inch hex key. I couldn't locate the proper 11 mm hex key locally so I used a 7/16 inch one that I found at Ace Hardware. Try an 11 mm or 7/16 inch.

My generic Taiwanese freehub came off using a 7/16 inch hex key. I couldn't locate the proper 11 mm hex key locally so I used a 7/16 inch one that I found at Ace Hardware. Try an 11 mm or 7/16 inch.

IME, 11mm and 7/16" are close enough not to matter. It's one of those quirks of the metric and Imperial measurements- kind of like minus 40 Fahrenheit equalling minus 40 Celsius.

I'll give it a go on my next "I haven't got it today" day.

Grease to the freehub is greviously overdue, and oil in the interim will suffice, but man o' man, it now sounds
like I laced-in the SA off the Collegiate. That's. gotta. go.

Who for shyte's sake uses a 12mm bolt on a plain roadbike?!?

My thanks to everybody's taking time for this one.

Look in from the non-drive side of the hub. Can you fit a 12mm allen-key down that side? Apparently on the Ritchey hubs, the attachment for the freehub-body is from the non-drive side

Richey sent me a fine .pdf schematic detailing the NDS approach to this "V1" hub, so there it is Danno. You had the goods early.

I tell ya', if I had the bucks I would do one of those carbon American Classic clincher wheelsets I would.