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Hey peeps,
I have just got a second hand 2018 Specialized Diverge and have just been servicing it to work well.
The free hub is slow to back peddle. Â It works but is slow and the chain goes slack if done fast. Â I think its a Joytech cheap free hub? Â Does anyone know if I can serving it as it looks like a sealed unit? Â I was thinking of just dropping in some very light oil overnight to free it up if it's gummed up.
Any advice appreciated from people that have one.
Ells
I had this exact same symptoms recently with a superstar hub. Pulled the freehub off and cleaned the pawls which had quite a lot of gunk on them, it was then right as rain.
Easy to fix those hubs, just need a clean. May need to clean/replace the freehub bearing.
I'm not familar with "Joytech" but you don't want to just dip it in oil. The point of a freehub body is that it's supposed to have grease in some places and not in others, oil will mix everything up with whatever else crap has got in there and not help. You need to look up how to open it, understand that bearings will try to run away in all directions, clean it and reapply grease in the correct locations.
Pretty sure its a sealed unit, out of stock but I think this is what you need - https://www.certini.co.uk/components/service-parts/specialized-fhb-joytech-11-speed-shimano-crmo-cassette-body-for-axis-142x12-rear-hubs-my18-wh-axis-sport-disc__60877
You can usually service most stuff. Many freehubs use cassette bearings and can easily be replaced. Oil/light grease on the pawls only.
Have you taken the wheel and cassette off and felt the free hub spinning it by hand? I had a Hope hub do something very similar. Rode fine but the chain loosened if I back pedalled, and fell off a couple of times. When I got it home it turned out I'd snapped the axle and it was just the QR skewer holding it together. Dirty pawls and old grease seems the most likely but its worth looking at other options 🙂
Same at nickjb last week on my Camino, took wheel out of dropout and cassette fell on the floor. Warranty replacement on way.