Bicycle Mechanics - Freehub question

All,

I was 55 miles into a 70 mile ride on Sunday when I noticed that there was no "free-wheeling noise" at the rear wheel when I wasn't pedaling.

When I finished I could spin the cranks/pedals in the drive direction without anything engaging. Obviously the pawls on the freehub body are not engaging.

Question....is there something I should/can do to fix the problem or is it an automatic freehub body replacement? The components have 11,200 miles of fast but not abusive miles. I have a Fulcrum Racing 5 wheel with an Sram OG 1070 cassette.

Thanks

Before you deep-six it, try flushing the ratchet mechanism out with e.g. WD-40 to free up the pawls.

You can try to flush out the freehub body with WD40 or a solvent, after your remove the body from the hub. Then lube with a heavy oil or light grease through the annular space. A grease injector is probably required. But this may just be a temporary fix. I've used Phil Wood Tenacious Oil (relatively heavy and sticky) to lube a freehub body, but it was only temporary.

It'll probably be worth buying a new freehub. Depending on the freehub brand, I'm guessing they're about $30 (at least my Bontrager costs that at the LBS). You need to match the freehub body to the hub. And match the casette to the freehub body (most likely Shimano compatible based on the 1070 cassette. If you can remove it (fairly easy) you can probably take it to an LBS for a match,

BTW - 1070 is a great cassette.

Thanks.

Online the best price for a Sram/Shimano compatible Fulcrum freehub is about $60. Considering the mileage on the original cassette and chain over the last 22 months (11,200) I've already planned on replacing them with this repair, this time with a PG 1070 12-25 and a KMC DX10-SC chain.

I'm not sure if Fulcrum wheels use the 4 bearing system that Campy uses on Campagnolo branded hubs and wheels. If so it's ultra easy to service the ratchet system. Yemove the axle from the left and the cassette body will come off together. In this system and others like them the ratchet is half on the cassette body, and half in the hub shell. That allows you to clean and inspect the ratchet ring, pawls and spring very easily and repair them (usually just the spring) as needed and reassemble.

I've got a cassette lockring tool and chain whip coming...hopefully tommorrow so that I can remove (and replace) the cassette and then take the freehub body off the hub shell and see what's going on.

Freehubs have 2 sets of pawls and springs...one internal (and not repairable) and one external (and fixable)......correct?

The advice here is to flush the internal pawls?

Carb or brake cleaner from the auto parts store will remove any hardened grease and crud. Use in a well ventilated area and relube.

Those wheels have 4 cartridge bearings, 2 in the hub and 2 in the freehub. Very easy to take apart and check the 3 pawls, which are held onto the freehub by the spring. Nothing will fall apart when you remove the axle. I serviced mine not too long ago.

Those wheels have 4 cartridge bearings, 2 in the hub and 2 in the freehub. Very easy to take apart and check the 3 pawls, which are held onto the freehub by the spring. Nothing will fall apart when you remove the axle. I serviced mine not too long ago.

Thanks....but are there also internal pawls that aren't accessable?

Thanks....but are there also internal pawls that aren't accessable?

No, just the 3 that engage the ring in the hub body. It's a very simple mechanism.

Thanks for all the advice and help guys.

I got the freehub off today and discovered a broken pawl spring. No luck finding one at my 2 LBS's, so I'll order one online tommorrow....better than getting an entirely new freehub!

David