Freehub lubrication: How often?

Is never often enough?

I have an Ultegra 9sp freehub, four or five years old. I have replaced
the wheel bearings regularly, but have never done anything for the
freehub body. I will be doing the wheel bearings soon, since it is
drizzling non-stop in New England, and am wondering if I should do any
maintenance on the freehub body.

If it needs lubrication, how to do it with as little effort as
possible? I saw a Lennard Zinn video where he removed seals, had
specialized tools (a Freehub Buddy!) and made a big show with flushing
and aftermarket seal. What's the easy way out? Or should I postpone
maintenance until the hub sends me a message?

BC
hubbub

Op 18-5-2011 23:07, BCDrums schreef:
Is never often enough?

I have an Ultegra 9sp freehub, four or five years old. I have
replaced the wheel bearings regularly, but have never done anything
for the freehub body. I will be doing the wheel bearings soon, since
it is drizzling non-stop in New England, and am wondering if I should
do any maintenance on the freehub body.

If it needs lubrication, how to do it with as little effort as
possible? I saw a Lennard Zinn video where he removed seals, had
specialized tools (a Freehub Buddy!) and made a big show with
flushing and aftermarket seal. What's the easy way out?


Shimano, replace it when necessary. Otherwise leave it.

Lou

BCDrums wrote:

Is never often enough?

I have an Ultegra 9sp freehub, four or five years old. I have replaced
the wheel bearings regularly, but have never done anything for the
freehub body. I will be doing the wheel bearings soon, since it is
drizzling non-stop in New England, and am wondering if I should do any
maintenance on the freehub body.

A freehub body has a few things going for it that make it more or less
a non-maintenance item. It's better shielded than the hub axle
bearings, for one. Its bearing only turns when it isn't under load,
for another. And it can catch a little of the lubricant that weeps
out of the right side axle bearing.

It's easy to drip a little light oil into the gap between splined
shell and right side cup when you are doing a hub overhaul. Beyond
that, I wouldn't bother.

Chalo

On May 18, 5:57*pm, Chalo wrote:
BCDrums wrote:

Is never often enough?

I have an Ultegra 9sp freehub, four or five years old. I have replaced
the wheel bearings regularly, but have never done anything for the
freehub body. I will be doing the wheel bearings soon, since it is
drizzling non-stop in New England, and am wondering if I should do any
maintenance on the freehub body.

A freehub body has a few things going for it that make it more or less
a non-maintenance item. *It's better shielded than the hub axle
bearings, for one. *Its bearing only turns when it isn't under load,
for another. *And it can catch a little of the lubricant that weeps
out of the right side axle bearing.

It's easy to drip a little light oil into the gap between splined
shell and right side cup when you are doing a hub overhaul. *Beyond
that, I wouldn't bother.

Chalo

Chalo, what constitutes light oil? I have some 3 in 1, which I think
of as medium viscosity. I've got Phil Woods Tenacious for heavy, and
Liquid Wrench, but I think that's TOO light.

BC

light oil for activating OE grease? or saving what grease is left ?
what does grease inside a five year hub look like ? ANDREW ?
what does Shimano recommend ?
Does the hub malfunction or sound worn or funny ?
Has Zinn done a video where he takes the old hub and throws it in the
can ?
My hubs wear out at the spoke holes.
The bearings get better and better though is bearings are overgreased
at factory but observed only to the spoke hole wearout: six thousand
miles ?

On May 18, 9:46*pm, kolldata wrote:
light oil for *activating OE grease? or saving what grease is left ?
what does grease inside a *five year hub look like ? ANDREW ?
what does Shimano recommend ?
Does the hub malfunction or sound worn or funny ?
Has Zinn done a video where he takes the old hub and throws it in the
can ?
My hubs wear out at the spoke holes.
The bearings get better and better though is bearings are overgreased
at factory but observed only to the spoke hole wearout: six thousand
miles ?

Deore LX hubs

On May 18, 7:51*pm, BCDrums wrote:
On May 18, 5:57*pm, Chalo wrote:









BCDrums wrote:

Is never often enough?

I have an Ultegra 9sp freehub, four or five years old. I have replaced
the wheel bearings regularly, but have never done anything for the
freehub body. I will be doing the wheel bearings soon, since it is
drizzling non-stop in New England, and am wondering if I should do any
maintenance on the freehub body.

A freehub body has a few things going for it that make it more or less
a non-maintenance item. *It's better shielded than the hub axle
bearings, for one. *Its bearing only turns when it isn't under load,
for another. *And it can catch a little of the lubricant that weeps
out of the right side axle bearing.

It's easy to drip a little light oil into the gap between splined
shell and right side cup when you are doing a hub overhaul. *Beyond
that, I wouldn't bother.

Chalo

Chalo, what constitutes light oil? I have some 3 in 1, which I think
of as medium viscosity. I've got Phil Woods Tenacious for heavy, and
Liquid Wrench, but I think that's TOO light.

Motor oil works fine for freehubs. My bike with an ACS Claws freewheel
has Tenacious in it, as it's more exposed to weather than a freehub.

BCDrums wrote:

Chalo wrote:

It's easy to drip a little light oil into the gap between splined
shell and right side cup when you are doing a hub overhaul. *Beyond
that, I wouldn't bother.

Chalo, what constitutes light oil? I have some 3 in 1, which I think
of as medium viscosity. I've got Phil Woods Tenacious for heavy, and
Liquid Wrench, but I think that's TOO light.

By "light oil". I mean something other than Tenacious Oil or gear
oil. The objective is to lubricate without allowing the tiny pawls to
become stuck down even for a fraction of a second, which could cause
the freehub to skip and be damaged.

I usually use Tri Flow, sometimes 30 weight motor oil. It doesn't
matter much one way or the other, because the freehub bearing does not
turn under load.

Chalo

kolldata wrote:

light oil for *activating OE grease? or saving what grease is left ?

I doubt that freehub bodies contain grease. Even if they do have a
little bit of grease in the bearings, it can't amount to much if it is
to stay off the pawls. SInce I don't take the thing apart, and I want
to lube the thing throughout which will necessarily involve the pawls,
I use oil.

My hubs wear out at the spoke holes.

Spokes too loose? I have not seen that.

On May 19, 7:15*pm, Chalo wrote:
BCDrums wrote:

Chalo wrote:

It's easy to drip a little light oil into the gap between splined
shell and right side cup when you are doing a hub overhaul. *Beyond
that, I wouldn't bother.

Chalo, what constitutes light oil? I have some 3 in 1, which I think
of as medium viscosity. I've got Phil Woods Tenacious for heavy, and
Liquid Wrench, but I think that's TOO light.

By "light oil". I mean something other than Tenacious Oil or gear
oil. *The objective is to lubricate without allowing the tiny pawls to
become stuck down even for a fraction of a second, which could cause
the freehub to skip and be damaged.

I usually use Tri Flow, sometimes 30 weight motor oil. *It doesn't
matter much one way or the other, because the freehub bearing does not
turn under load.

Chalo

With freewheels, they can be left to rust up, gunge up and generally
become unwell and still be succesfully be revived with a wash out in
parafin and a fresh oiling. From what I hear about freehubs, this
probably isn't an option with them. Is this oiling done in a purely
preventative way or is there a certain amount of noise at which you
perform this procedure?