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I have the American Classic 26 inch tubeless wheelset which i've been very happy with...up till now. A few weeks ago the freehub started spinning freely and not engaging the pawls, so I took it apart. It has a clutch plate which engages the pawls, and this plate is turned by the very tip of a single wire spring which had worn on the end. I asked how much a new spring would cost(expecting it to be pennies)and guess what? They don't sell it separately. I've now got to buy a whole new freehub for £50 and then buy one every year or so because that's how long the crappy spring will last. These manufacturers aren't stupid are they?
makes mental note to never buy American Classic wheels.
AC hubs are generally lightweight XC hubs. I wouldn't expect them to last long if ridden all year round in the UK. Great for XC race wheels though - I have a couple of sets.
I remember hearing that the reason AC hubs are quite light is because they use tiny bearings, and I've avoided them since. This gives me another reason.
Yep, they use tiny bearings, but if you want really light wheels you have to make some compromises. My AC wheels are 1250g all in (the pair).
You've got that all wrong. All that wire does is make a noise on the ratchet plate. Click,click,click etc when you free wheel.
I'd suggest that the paws only need a clean and to be greased as they aren't returning and allowing the free hub to spin.
might be worth posting a pic on here of what parts are broken, i'm sure there's a good chance a set from another brand might fit.
Bend the 'stylus' so it sticks out a bit more and file the end sharp again....bosh.
Sorry on and on, but I think you need to have a look inside the hub. The clutch plate has tiny indents in it which the spring rides over in one direction and catches in the other. It's this spring which turns the clutch plate, which in turn forces the pawls out of their slots and engages them. Rorschach- I tried that first and it didn't work for me. The end of the spring has to be dead centre of the tiny indents in the clutch plate and it wasn't having any of it. I will try to post a couple of pictures if I can work out how.
lightweight hubs aren't worth the bother!
not that this helps your current situation at all, but I doubt you'd get that kind of answer from Hope!I asked how much a new spring would cost(expecting it to be pennies)and guess what? They don't sell it separately. I've now got to buy a whole new freehub for £50