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Mate from a cycling group has posted these pics with the question how do I remove the freehub. Anyone know?
12 or 14mm Allen key from the opposite side?
(Presume you mean removing the freehub?)
More info would help. No hex socket visible from either side? Branding?
Those were the only pics he posted. He was wondering if some kind of tool went into the two slots…
I have asked for the make of wheel/hub… he says no hex socket…🤷♂️
Ignore the slots
A mate of mine made a tool to get one of those off. I’m sure it was a Shimano freehub.
Should be easy enough to get hold of a piece of steel plate to fit the slots.
My experience is that most brands just pull off, albeit with a lot of persuasion required. Some Shimanos ones require a 15mm Alan Key (though that would be obvious). Without a brand then just guessing.
My experience is that most brands just pull off
Whereas I see far more that screw on / off 🙂
Whereas I see far more that screw on / off 🙂
I should have been cleared. My Very Limited experience (Limited pretty much to Hope and DT Swiss) 🙂
Looks like an old Shimano. They needed a 10mm (or was it 12mm) Allen key down the axle hole from the freehub side. There was a bi-hex hollow bolt down there, quite a long way inside.
The hex is inside the hub (shine a torch down the hole, you will see the keyed edges). You need a Allen key the right size, which is also long enough! I think the one I did was 10mm.
If you want to dissemble the freehub itself, you have to bodge a tool to go in them slots. It's easier to gut a brand new hub (cheap to buy) and use all new parts (most importantly the freehub seal which lets water in after years of use), that's what I did!
Ok cheers all. I’ll pass that info on.
Sometimes 10mm, sometimes 11 or 12 mm, hex/allen. I’ve also had some later Shimano that use a big splined tool that I got from a motor factor- a bit like a large torx bit. Be prepared to put some effort in and also some had a left hand thread. Good luck! Oh yes, insert tool from the non drive side.
Remember you can always use the longest part of the Allen key and put a spanner on it!
Or in a vice, sorry, forgot that. Considerable force is often needed!
12mm allen key in a vice, undo
If you like messing about with stacks of tiny bearings ansds shims and are a dab hand at setting up wheels cones and want an extra challenge pull that bearing surface off via those slots. If not leave well alone.
If it is a cheapo hub it may well not be dismantleable or may need something like a 12.367 mm 7 sided allen key!. Some are pressed on.
Can we have some closure here? 😀 What was the answer, OP?
To remove the freehub you need a big Allen key down the middle.
However that type can be serviced in situ
You can get a tool to fit the slots cheaply
The bearing race with the slots is also the cone for the freehub
It's reverse threaded.
Put the wheel on a bench over something to catch all the tiny bearings
Unscrew the slotted race
Lift the freehub off, you'll see the pawls and middle bit left behind
All the tiny bearings will go everywhere
There will be some shims left behind on the middle bit
Clean up everything
Little but of grease on the bearings to hold them in position and a tiny bit on the pawl seats only
Reassemble leaving a shim out to take out any play
It's tricky but not rocket science and you can do it with the freehub on the wheel
Probably too late but my guess is an 11mm hex. Come on OP, we need an update!
12mm to 15mm key required. Put the short end or handle of the tool in a vice and turn the wheel. I can't imagine it being as small as 10mm as a 10mm axle has to fit through there.
12mm hex for novtec hubs
Sorry - will get an update ASAP. Actually I'm seeing the chap tomorrow so if he doesn't respond on the cycling group FB I'll ask him. Last thing he said was that he was off to buy an 11mm allen key...
They use a 10mm hex. The inside of the bolt has 12 points, like a ring spanner, which gives the clearance needed for a 10mm axle.
Aaaah. Some are 10, some are a rare 11. Some 12 and some a torx style. Without being able to see inside, or measure we don’t actually know. This thread could have been a lot shorter if readers started at the beginning!
He did say he’d tried a 10mm and a 12mm hex. I asked what make of wheel etc but he didn’t answer. 🤷♂️ I still don’t know if the 11mm worked. I’ll find out later and report back!
If it does turn out to be 11mm hex, whatever you do don't tell him he could've just used 5mm and 6mm hex keys rammed down together 😅
If it does turn out to be 11mm hex, whatever you do don’t tell him he could’ve just used 5mm and 6mm hex keys rammed down together
They are usually bi-hex (like a socket) so that technique wouldn't work. They are also often crazy tight so you need a well fitting tool
so you need a well fitting tool
Good advice for a number of aspects of life... 🙃
I just replaced a freehub. First time so was a bit of a journey but got there in the end.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/sram-x9-v2-freehub-body/
It came with an 8mm to 11mm hex adapter to use when removing the freehub.
Seen quite a few 8-11mm adapters split in use, not really up to the job a lot of the time. Most tool suppliers will give you a blank look if you ask for an 11mm hex key as they're pretty rare, but the tuned in ones will give you a 7/16" AF as they're so near as to be identical.
So finally an update - an 11mm allen key worked. Thanks for the help all. 👍
And some freehubs unscrew from the non-drive side... that got me on the Mrs bike, and needed an 11 or 12mm hex from the non-drive.
However that type can be serviced in situ
You can get a tool to fit the slots cheaply
@wzzzz - Have you got a link to one of the tools you mentioned in the above?
When I last searched for one my Google Fu let me down.
Perfect! Thanks wzzzz.