replacement freewheel?

Not sure if this is going to come out right, but on my new Haro, there seems to be a lot of 'play'
in the crankarms before engaging the rear wheel under pedalling?

OK - to clarify, if you were at a dead stop, rewinding the pedals to hear the 'clicks' of the
freehub, they are quite widely spaced - 2 to 3 inches of crank rotation. So basically - there can be
2 to 3 inches of zero resistance when moving the cranks forward until the freehub catches, and the
wheels start moving. this can make if very hard to ride tchnical sections where you're positioning
the pedals correctly to add a bit of drive to get over a log or rock, then you hit the accelerator,
and from a quarter past nine position, the cranks only start turning the rear wheel at 11:25 !!!

Now - is this something that can be replaced without replacing the hub/wheel? Or am I stuck with it
until I get a whole new hub/wheel/cassette...

Also, if it is replacable, could I do it myself, or will I have to rebuild the wheel?

Cheers,

CandT

 

On Fri, 30 May 2003 07:05:01 GMT, CandT <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Cheers,
>
>CandT

Just to add - in case it's relevant. I believe they are Formula hubs, on WTB dual duty rims.

Cheers again,

CandT

 

On Fri, 30 May 2003 07:05:01 GMT, CandT <[email protected]> wrote:

>Not sure if this is going to come out right, but on my new Haro, there seems to be a lot of 'play'
>in the crankarms before engaging the rear wheel under pedalling?

Look at the bike from the side. What does the chain do when you take up the drive ? If there's any
looseness or slop here, then that can also cause the effect you describe. Go to www.sheldonbrown.com
and then check things like a clean drivetrain, correct chainlength, correct chainline, and correctly
adjusted rear derailleur, particularly the tension on the cage.

Take the back wheel out - Is there still any problem if you turn the cassette by hand ?

>this can make if very hard to ride tchnical sections where you're positioning the pedals correctly
>to add a bit of drive to get over a log or rock, then you hit the accelerator, and from a quarter
>past nine position, the cranks only start turning the rear wheel at 11:25 !!!

A few years ago, Shimano offered the "silent drive" hub, with a roller clutch. Great idea, no more
clicking from a freehub. But it was _dreadful_ for this sort of problem with a large "dead space"
of rotation.

>Now - is this something that can be replaced without replacing the hub/wheel?

A freehub is easily replaceable (on most modern kit). http://www.sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html
You need a splined driver to get the lockring off the cassette (which is worth having anyway) and a
big Allen key to remove the freehub.

Freehubs used to be strippable, but it's a fiddly job and the tool to do it is hard to get. More
likely a shop for a shop that already has the tool, or else just replace it.

 

Charlie-<< Not sure if this is going to come out right, but on my new Haro, there seems to be a lot
of 'play' in the crankarms before engaging the rear wheel under pedalling?

New? Take it back to where you bought it and have them ensure both 'pawls' in the freehub
are working.

<< Now - is this something that can be replaced without replacing the hub/wheel? Or am I stuck with
it until I get a whole new hub/wheel/cassette..

Freehubs can be replaced....

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

On Fri, 30 May 2003 11:34:46 +0100, Andy Dingley <[email protected]> wrote:

<snip>

Cheers for that - but just to clarify, and I'm not sure if I'm right - but if I were to replace
the freehub, then that should sove my problem? Aren't the pawls and teeth all self contained in
the freehub. This just screws into the hub body with a long thread which is self-tightening under
pedal load.

Though I suppose - if a shimano freehub body has a different screw thread than the Formula hub
body, then I'm screwed anyway... Thats the next question I suppose - will an XT freehub fit into a
Formula hub???!

CandT

 

On Fri, 30 May 2003 14:04:47 GMT, CandT <[email protected]> wrote:

>Cheers for that - but just to clarify, and I'm not sure if I'm right - but if I were to replace
>the freehub, then that should sove my problem? Aren't the pawls and teeth all self contained in
>the freehub. This just screws into the hub body with a long thread which is self-tightening under
>pedal load.

What you're describing is a freewheel, rather than a freehub. See
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html for the difference. If you've got a freewheel, you can just
replace that as a unit, if you've got a freehub, and it's a Shimano freehub, then you can probably
replace the freehub body without replacing the cassette of cogs.

Jasper

 

"CandT" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Not sure if this is going to come out right, but on my new Haro, there
seems to
> be a lot of 'play' in the crankarms before engaging the rear wheel under pedalling?
>
> OK - to clarify, if you were at a dead stop, rewinding the pedals to hear
the
> 'clicks' of the freehub, they are quite widely spaced - 2 to 3 inches of
crank
> rotation. So basically - there can be 2 to 3 inches of zero resistance
when
> moving the cranks forward until the freehub catches, and the wheels start moving. this can make if
> very hard to ride tchnical sections where you're positioning the pedals correctly to add a bit of
> drive to get over a log
or
> rock, then you hit the accelerator, and from a quarter past nine position,
the
> cranks only start turning the rear wheel at 11:25 !!!
>
> Now - is this something that can be replaced without replacing the
hub/wheel? Or
> am I stuck with it until I get a whole new hub/wheel/cassette...
>
> Also, if it is replacable, could I do it myself, or will I have to rebuild
the
> wheel?

When you say "new Haro" did you ask your dealer aboutthis? Itis likely to be a damaged/defective
cassette body from your description. You should consult with your dealer because that can lead to an
injury if it fails completely.

If you have an interest in this, take the rear wheel out of the bike and turn the cassette slowly
backwards in your fingers. Feel for the cruchy uneven symptoms of a cracked pawl. Work the cassette
back and forth with your fingers. It should catch exactly the same each time. If it occasionally
goes a few degrees more before catching or makes crunching sounds the body can be replaced. Frankly
if you are under warranty the entire wheel is the usual swap as the labor to exchange a body is
usually not paid to the dealer.

A body exchange is straightforward if it is a Shimano hub. Drop the axle out and remove the body
with a ten millimeter allen wrench held in a vise. Unscrew the wheel from the body. For the
replacement, there are various spacer and seal formats on the back side of the cassette body.
Shimano bodies broadly interchange but watch those clearances. Reassemble the axle set with new
balls and fresh grease.

If it is a not Shimano hub, some are theoretically repairable but the cassette bodies are
unavailable. Other common current copies cannot separate the cassette body from the hub. Another
couple pf reasons dealers replace entire wheels for that problem.
--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971