Play in Easton Hub...please help!
 

First post...any help greatly appreciated.

My Easton EA90SLX wheels have a bit of play at the freehub, not associated (as far as i can tell) with the preload adjuster. I've stripped and reoiled, I've installed the freehub onto the axle away from the wheel and it's clear that the play is occuring here. I've no idea why!!

The wheels are a year old but have been used sparingly so I wouldn't say that this is down to wear and tear, they've seen one wet day.

The play isn't really magnificent at the level of the hub but once the wheels are clamped into the frame it feels pretty serious.

Any insight, advice, or anybody in a similar predicament; love to hear opinions. I'm at a loss.

There was a recall of this wheels a few months ago? anybody remember? Call easton because i think they were sending new cones or something to fix the problem.

Are you saying that the freehub and cassatte move only once in the drop outs and the wheel is ok, or the entire wheel moves with play in the hub?

Thanks for the replies guys...

Ultraman: I don't think that it was a 'true' product recall, though for those experiencing problems with thier preload adjusters you could/can call and request a new cone that allows the preload to be tightened using a spanner. I'm not sure if the new adjuster does anymore than that, so for those having to tighten their's every other ride, it can now be done with a tool instead of your fngers (!)

JT: The play occurs whether the wheel is clamped or not. I played with the freehub inserted onto the axle outside of the wheel and it was moving on the axle there. I did expect this to cease once the end bolts & cassette were in place and the wheel skewered in, but no, still the same amount of play. It's as if there should be something extra between the freehub and the
axle, but i've not changed anything or lost any part....

Easton are not answering my queries. £600 wasted in my opinion....very depressing.

The recall was for the preload adjuster loosening too easily. They added an o-ring to make it harder to turn, plus added a wrench flat so you can turn it. They will send you one for free, I hear, but I haven' tried them yet.

It is not actually a recall but a slight re-design which also has a place to put a wrench on it so you can adjust it, I do have it installed on mine and it is something they will send if you call and ask for it.

What cassette are you using? Shimano uses a spacer that goes on first before the clusters Sram has none, sounds like you may not have this spacer installed on a shimano cassette.

SO it is the freehub body the one that is lose or the wheel has a little play? Sorry but i have stuff lost in the translation, if you have play like lose cones i had a set of vento wheels with a play in the cones, i fixed them putting a washer made of a coke can in one side between the hub bearing and the cone. If the problem is that the freehub body is lose the only i can think of is that the preload thingy is not preloading?

Do you have the stock bearings also? 1 mm of difference in the bearings could make a big difference.

Send an email to easton, the guys are cool.

Nice one guys, I appreciate the help.

JT: I AM running a Shimano cassette but I don't have a spacer- is this one of those black plastic spacers that sits between one or two of the cogs? Though the cassette feels firm on the freehub. oThers have suggested replacing the ceramic bearings, since I'm also getting ahorrid grinding noise after one wet ride the other week.

Ultraman: Because the freehub is moving, and with the cassette on there the cassette 's also moving, there is side-to-side play in the wheel. Basically, I can reach down to the cassette and move it up and down at the point closest to the wheel itself, but this is not because the cassette is loose on the freehub.

Think that I've figured it out! Just removed the bearings and spacers from the freehub itself. Closest to the wheel something that resembles a bearing case has disintegrated compleetly, and lots of tiny, tiny black balls fell out, most of them crush into pieces. So it looks as if I need a new freehub...can't believe that this is the case after so litle use. Can anybody confirm that what's mashed up is a bearing case...it seems to have been secured by two retainers buitl into the freehub itself ie it's not removeable and replaceable???

Not much chance of me getting one before the club run tomorrow! Shame on Easton for such poor quality (also the splines are knackered)

Post pictures please. I think we'd like to see this.

First post you said you stripped everything!
No the spacer is not the black spacers take a look at #17
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=168300

Easton is a pretty good brand, 1st time i heard of the bearing that goes in the freehub body to go bad (if i understood right). The good news is that the fix is super easy, u need a new freehub body.

http://www.eastoncycling.com/road/as...-cassette-body

This might help a tiny bit :)

I thought I had JT, evidently I've not ventured into the freehub before. The bearing I'm referring to is held in place by a retainer that, in my experience so far, can't be shifted without damaging th rest of the freehub. If I could shift the retainer then I would just replace the bearings. Also, my cassette (DA - 10) didn't come with the spacer as pictured and it seems to work fine; it doesn't move around or anything...

Thanks for that Ultra, although mine is the R4SL and that will not upload for me. Sure it's similar.

The only one that does not have the spacer is the 9 speed cassette all 10 DA and Utegra and 105 should have it.
The retainer clip can be removed and bearing replaced if thats what you need to do, it does come out.

would I advice to get a new freehub body to play safe??

ps: it doesnt load for me either, thats why i posted the other link.

Wow, I'm struggling to remove that retainer! Anyhow, I've ordered a new R4 freehub with steel bearings as opposed to the R4SL with ceramic, at double the price I didn't think that it was absolutely worth it.

Many thanks for all your help here.

Fitted the new hub and I was getting massive amounts of play even though the axle was solid. Just had the spokes re-tensioned so i hope that things improve this weekend.

A question for those that have the new preload adjuster: mine arrived with two pieces; one is a flatter 'spacer' with markings similar to the original preload adjuster - what is this and where does it go? I did assume that it sat between the hub and the new adjuster but the axle isn't threaded that far up.

Oh JT, that hub is wrecked and of use to no one.