How To Service / Repair An Old Bicycle Freehub

Is your freehub sticking? Spinning the crankset by itself? Causing a lot of chain slack when back pedalling? You may need to service and clean that freehub! Here's how!
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[@petemason2888]

Great video i like the sound of the birds in the background really relaxing, just like gardeners world.

[@boofuls]

Monty don of the bike world

[@polarweis]

The little wobble in the casette on 8:08 can be fixed by removing one of the thinner washers thats inside the hub. This will pull the hub a little tighter and is made so it can be ajusted once the bearings wear out the inside of the cones.

[@dumpkingbikes405]

Hold a 10mm allen key in the vice and hold the wheel to remove the freehub. Lots of torque that way.

[@zykoncito]

I use transfer case oil 80w90. I don't have this tool to dissambly the free hub, so i clean the freehub with brake cleaner then I put a little drops of 80w90 oil.

[@ashpunting]

another good fix and what I appreciate was the use of the camera setup and angles for the closeup shots you did for the video 👌

[@ronalmeida2536]

Another great video. You are going to help a lot of (bike) people with this one!

[@redwallace7934]

The freehub sounds perfect !!

[@vicsimmonds]

Nice tweezing. Thanks for the upload. Lovely birdsong soundtrack

[@MonkeyShred]

You’re welcome.

[@Herbybandit]

You could make one of those tools from an old socket! You can attach it to a ratchet handle then. I think I've said before a semi fluid grease, like Miller Delta 000ep, is just as good as Phil Woods lube and costs a fraction of the price. Great idea dis assembling over a large tub, so many times I've dropped a bearing or two that immediately head for the darkest recess of the workshop 😀

[@rangersmith4652]

Yes, but the real danger there is stepping on one and slipping. If you're opening a freehub, or any bearing with free balls, you ought to just replace all the balls anyway. They're very inexpensive. Just measure one and order the same size, about 1/3 more than you counted when you took them out to account for two things: the ones you lost (or weren't there in the first place) and never counted, and the ones you drop and can't find when you're putting the new ones in.

[@meadows408]

Very timely, thanks.

[@31.8mm]

Thanks for sharing. i miss my job as a bike mech :) hope i can work again soon

[@denverspin]

Best of luck. We need more mechanics.

[@markusilomaki8922]

My quick fix for this kind of a hub is not to disassemble it but to run wd40 from the top while spinning it to drain out the gunk first. Once working well then run high grade fully synthetic motor oil into the hub while spinning it. With the use of fully synthetic high grade motor oil I have got the hubs to work and engage in -30 C temperatures in the winter, but of course you will not have this issue in the UK 😀

[@donttouchthisatall]

Thanks, I was wondering how i should go about this withot remove the freehub body (since i have an older style UG where the hub is apparently pressed on and doesnt come off, i presume) - I will try that. What type of "fully synthetic high grade motor oil" did you use?

[@markusilomaki8922]

@@donttouchthisatall any fully synthetic about 5w-30 should be just fine.

[@donttouchthisatall]

@@markusilomaki8922 thank you very much for your reply. Unfortunately, 5w-30 doesnt mean a lot to me since i don't know about those things. Any brand you can reccomend, or should i just go to my local hardware store and tell them i need a "5w-30" type oil? I have honestly no experience with these things.

[@denverspin]

5-30 is the viscosity or weight of the oil. Typically, it is the oil most use in car engines. One of the most common oils out there.

[@FixTechStuff]

Thanks for the tip, as I don’t have the tool I might just try this.

[@seankennedy3485]

Great video 👍

[@mikebudka7489]

Nicely done

[@MonkeyShred]

Thanks!

[@themarinman8339]

MH the bike guy 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@ToddNZMTB]

Reference within a reference nice one!

[@ToddNZMTB]

The art of MonkeyShredding! How do you get that dust cap to stay in place? Mine are quite loose

[@mrJayGaragebikes]

Thanks a lot🤟🔥😎

[@raylaux8295]

The dry lube will dry to a waxy solid. Oil is what is required.

[@cccpkingu]

That looks to be a margarine tub. Only butter is butter :)

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

3:35 - spend a week with my wife - there will be hair everywhere!!

[@andreduplessis79]

I feel you🤦🏼‍♂️

[@benjleath9406]

Finish Line Wet Lube is excellent for freehubs pawls and Motorex 2000 is best for the bearings 👍💚

[@MonkeyShred]

Never heard of that grease before. I’ll have to get a bit to sample.

[@rangersmith4652]

The pawls require a light mineral-based lube that will remain liquid. The bearings can get by with a light marine grease or a heavy oil. Has to be viscous enough to hold them in place while you assemble. RJ the Bike guy does this then flushes the grease out of the finished freehub and re-lubes with oil.

[@Sekhmet6697]

Thanks for the video! Ever had to disassemble a freehub that's not laced to a wheel? I'm curious if you've found a solution for that - other than lacing it to an old rim (which by the way, only about 6 spokes in a radial pattern seems to be enough to hold the hub)

[@jacksteel6817]

I was just thinking about the same thing. I have a hub that I want to remove the freehub from, but because it's not laced to a wheel it's hard to get another leverage to remove it. Any thoughts?

[@Sekhmet6697]

@@jacksteel6817 Just a tip from experience, don’t try to hold the spokes in a vice, it won’t work, you’ll just destroy the spokes 😂

[@RobertG762378]

This might help kzbin.info/www/bejne/lajWlGCHo6yGjrM

[@pete2347]

Excellent video! Thanks for sharing that. Any idea the name or model # of the special tool you used to disassemble the free hub?

[@MonkeyShred]

I've been trying to find it but I'm striking out at the moment! Although... something like this on Amazon looks like the same thing: www.amazon.co.uk/CYBTM-Disassembly-Installation-Flywheel-Cassette/dp/B08S386GVX/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=freehub+removal+tool&qid=1668937770&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[@pete2347]

@@MonkeyShred That looks like the correct tool for the job. Thanks for that!

[@romnickpalana4585]

We have the same rear hub for my road bike.. My problem is the cup for the bearings of it is damage and i dont know how to remove it..

[@LetsDiscoverMauritius]

What is that tool called which you used to remove and install the bearing cub inside the freehub body?

[@jazzper_nl]

this is the hardest part in hub overhaul. Not having it. I used a piece of metal schrapnel and a pair of plyers.

[@wartdawg4656]

W/O the proper tool.... A punch and a hammer.... it's reverse threads.

[@liamg9846]

Struggling to get into mine off a Cannondale topstone. Taken axle out but then there's still a tube like thing it runs through and no idea how to get it off ,🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ariboni73]

nice

[@MonkeyShred]

Thanks

[@Ricobass0]

I'd be interested to know how you came to the decision to use a wax-water emulsion lube (muc-off dry) for the pawls and outer freehub balls. Is there not a risk that when the water evaporates the solidification of the remaining wax will result in pawls sticking again?

[@AndyL6972]

I was thinking the same thing and thought if anything muck off wet lube would have been better for the pawls rather than the dry wax lube. Then a lithium grease for the ball bearing race's

[@thebigchinbc]

My understanding is that Mucoff Dry is still a petroleum distillate. It's just a bit less tenacious and sticky that the wet version. It's not a wax emulsion lube like Squirt.

[@vahidnejati6445]

Dude I saw more your gloves 🧤 instead of the pieces :))

[@KKoji]

the main part, the heart of the bike, the freewheel hammers have not received grease

[@KKoji]

I wonder how stores close and bikes break so much these days? a bunch of amateur people filming their sxxt.

[@MonkeyShred]

What you on about?

[@KKoji]

@@MonkeyShred buy cheap grease and use on all moving parts

[@PAUL-uz9lq]

Dustcap is not easy to get out.

[@bicycleworkshop1779]

please tell me where you live. Might be able to meet. I am one of your subscribers. I left Ukraine, I will soon come to England.

[@pulex73]

hey, can somebody post a link to the right tool. i am struggling to get the right one.

[@rangersmith4652]

The correct tool for opening the freehub varies by the brand and era of the freehub. Watch the Park Tool videos on ID-ing your freehub, then buy a tool accordingly.

[@a.sarmiento5116]

Liked the video but the camera angle ia wrong missing out some details.

[@mostcomplicatedman8115]

i have nothing but old bikes

[@WingmanLive]

Tell you what those deore xt hubs sound amazing, i heard one in one of your vids it sounded like fucking dreams mate! Don't know what you done to it. It just sounded right!

[@MonkeyShred]

Which XT hubs were they? I have a few bikes with XT on now 😅

[@WingmanLive]

@@MonkeyShred Yeah you do! The propper old skool ones aswell! Them XT hubs though they are rare! , just a rear XT hub is like hens teeth these days! We are looking at £50--£150 per component if your lookin for XT these days getting silly.

[@chrisosborne6957]

Where did you get the tool?

[@myvicariouslife4012]

eBay...got mine for $5 to $10 but it took a month to come from china.

[@KarlosEPM]

@@myvicariouslife4012 How is it called?

[@KarlosEPM]

@@darthtrolleus1947 Bro thanks for replying so fast. You know... I googled it with the name you suggested and found one from Walmart! Problem is I'm in Belgium, but now I have hopes of finding one, I'm sure the Dutch sell them (for cheap too). Happy cycling 😎

[@myvicariouslife4012]

@@KarlosEPM Freehub dissasembly tool on Ebay.

[@joshuabuilds3051]

I immediately felt ashamed when you said "but the comments will tell me if ive used the wrong lube" haha we're just trying to help. Anyone who tests lubes just doesn't like "dry" lubes because those lubed use a carrier that eventually dissolves and leaves behind the lubricant. It is always outperformed by a lubricant that is 100% lubricant and not 60% solvent/carrier. So the tenacious oil would be fine all over the thing. I rebuild freewheels and use red n tacky without noticeable issue.

[@severs1966]

What is the special tool? Where do I get one? Can I do the usual fudge and just tap the race round with an old screwdriver and a small hammer, like you do with old fashioned bottom bracket lockrings if you don't have that tool?

[@valentindelaunay7690]

A friend of me grinded down a 22mm (or was it 24 ?) socket. You just need to keep two notches to match

[@213tpg]

I just used needle nose pliers spread open into the two notches and turn clockwise not anti clockwise

[@rahanabandu8154]

No start no order

[@delcambekevin]

There is allways hair, allways...

[@user-jk8ke5pl8w]

"Special tool time"...that will preclude a lot of viewers from putting into practice what you preach. Although an earlier comment did suggest converting a socket into the "special tool" and I'm sure you can purchase a suitable tool online.

[@MonkeyShred]

I don't really preach anything - I just fix bikes and sometimes you need a special tool.

[@fernglez60]

Do u have a part number and manufacturer name for the special tool. No point in re inventing the wheel.

[@stewartjohnston3975]

Good video, unfortunately your camera shots are horrible and it is hard to see what you are doing.