In the process of replacing bearings on my XT hubs and wondered if its possible to strip the freehub as I've noticed that it has recently started to stick when the bike has been sitting in the garage for a week or so.
Thanks
They are not intended to be servicable but some folk have managed to do so.
You could try flushing it with solvent and then re lubing it perhaps
you can but not easy . Do as TJ says and most likely all will be well
Take a look at the [url= http://morningstartools.com/freehub_buddy1.html ]Morningstar tool[/url].
Yes you can but replacement parts are not available so if you find anything broken you're out of luck. It's a shit job but doable. Freehub lock ring is left hand thread. I've used a punch to get one off, a mate did the same recently or you can make a tool from an old freewheel tool.
Mmmmm? I don't know if I am thinking of something completely different reading the first few posts? But I recently replaced the freehub on my XT M776's & have since also done a 'service check' on it, where I striped it and checked all was ok and it was quite simple?
So my answer would be yes - just make sure you don't lose the bearings when you open it up (do it over a bowl or something).
^bearing on the hub or bearing on the freehub?
There is nothing complicated about pulling a shimano freehub apart but it is pain in the ass much worse than doing the hub bearings.
I actually replaced the Freehub? and it bearings etc.?
Yeah done the bearings part but want to open up the actual freehub body.
May try the flushing through first.
Thanks.
I actually replaced the Freehub? and it bearings etc.?
Sounds like you just removed the freehub and it was the wheel bearings your removed? you can replace the bearing in a shimano freehub but that is all, the paws and springs are not available. If you did not see the paws and springs you only removed the freehub.
Yeah done the bearings part but want to open up the actual freehub body.
There is a whole heap of little bearings inside the freehub on two levels. One above the paws one below. If you can try and keep them separate so that you know how many go on the top and how many go on the bottom. If some fall out and you're not sure which lot they fell from always make sure when placing the bearings back in the free hub that there will be a little space left, usually enough for one bearing just about so don't pack them tight.
Pawl 😉
No I actually had some small kittens feet in mine.
I flushed it through and then dripped some heavy lube through it a few times - will see if that works.
For those that have done it, what's he best grease to use? I used my std castrol stuff but the pawls are sticking a bit.
Finish line does ok.
Also, there's some thin shims inside them you can remove to take out any play that's developed if they're really old.
If you strip it down then be careful to keep grease on the bearings and away from the pawls.
If you get too much grease around the pawls and their engagement points on the freehub body, then they may fail to pick-up correctly and may fail completely. (yes - you learn from experience !!!)
I'd use only sufficient grease to hold the bearings in place whilst you re-assemble, then run a small amount of lube in before refitting the nut.
HTH
grease mainly oozes out of the non drive side, but my freehub's been fine for a year and a half now.
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/grease-nipple-xt-hubs
I got something like the Morningstar tool many years ago off a stall at, I think, the Birthday Rides for about four pounds if I remember right. It just has a nipple to accept a plastic tube to squirt oil through. If you use grease it will be too thick and prevent the pawls working (in my opinion).
I can't stand noisy freewheels so use gearbox oil to lubricate and silence them. No problems so far.
I imagine any problem short of physical breakage of components will be solved as far as it can be by flushing and lubricating.
I wouldn't fancy stripping one (I once did an old fashioned screw-on freewheel), as they say, you can't get the sh1t back in to the seagull.
Gearbox oil?
Car gearbox oil. I even used a splash in my SRAM 3 speed hub.
You can strip one, reassembling it is the tricky bit, some folks have managed but my attempt went a little awry.