Am I right in thining that the Pro 4 XD freehub uses the normal 12×142 end cap, and doesn’t need a specific drive side end cap for XD like the Pro 2 did?

When I swapped my shimano freehub for a XD freehub on my pro 4 I was able to use the same end cap on my 142×12, so yes.

For some reason I’ve got it in my head they sent another end cap with the XD hub but I can’t find it now so I may have imagined that bit.

Just make sure you remove the end cap if you ever decide to remove the XD driver so the tool engages properly.

doesn’t need a specific drive side end cap for XD like the Pro 2 did?

What!?

I’ve only just got over the fact that the normal QR end caps don’t work with XD and now you drop this on me.

You can file down the Pro 2 X12 ones to fit, just have to take a shoulder off them.

The cap comes with the Pro 2 xd freehub. But there’s no caps upplied with the Pro 4 freehub, which was worrying me for a bit. Seems they modified it to work with standard caps

Ahh, I did order a Pro 2 XD driver first by mistake so that’s why I remember getting an end cap with a hub.

When I switched to an XD freehub on my 142×12 Pro4 the end cap which came with the hub with the normal freehub body works fine with the XD freehub. I think it’s just the earlier hubs you have to switch the end cap on, not the Pro4.

The issue with the end caps isn’t about whether it works, but whether the cassette tool can get deep enough engagement so that the tangs don’t snap and leave you with a cassette that can’t be removed.

Just make sure the tool bottoms in the cassette and not on the end cap.

Always pull the cap off when removing a cassette, guarantees the tool has engaged all the way down then.

I’m even more confused now.

You have to remove the cap in order to get the tool in at all, don’t ya?

My Hope xD specific end cap doesn’t need the cap removed to fit the tool.

chakaping – Member
I’m even more confused now.

You have to remove the cap in order to get the tool in at all, don’t ya?

No – not with 12×142 at least Really depends on the tool, but I don’t tend to remove it for my tool on Pro 2 or Pro 4

Onzadog – Member
The issue with the end caps isn’t about whether it works, but whether the cassette tool can get deep enough engagement so that the tangs don’t snap and leave you with a cassette that can’t be removed.

Just make sure the tool bottoms in the cassette and not on the end cap.

Not true. There are combinations (Pro2evo+XD+10mmTA for example) where an XD specific drive side cap is needed regardless of the tool used to tighten the free hub. I wasn’t aware that other axle sizes are affected by this specific issue. The engagement of the tool is a separate issue.

^Fair enough, just passing on what I was told. The explanation made sense to me. If it’s not the case, I’m now curious as to the reason behind the differences.

Right, I’m off to have a closer look at the Pro4 hubs in my spares box.

Okay. Two hubs, both 142×12, both pro4, both out of my spares box. One shimano freehub, the other is xD.

End spacer is the same on both.

Yes, Pro 4, same spacer for XD and Shimano

Pro 2 – specific XD drive side spacer, ans the standard one had a little shoulder that fouled (shoulder could be ground down to make it work)

(I would love to have a spares box with two Pro4s in it)

I guess the pro2 existed before the xD driver then. Must have been a running change.

The spare hubs are from a bike swap I had to do. I’d rather not have had to buy two boost hubs and then have two spares doing nothing.