Is this freehub fit for purpose?

where I have I failed to understand that this item is not fit to be part of a bicycle wheel?

Basic STW interweb error really.If this had been a Superstar or Planet X hub that had gone bad then you would have trashed them in the thread title 😉

The fact that something has broken (without knowing how or why) does not make it unfit for purpose.
A warranty claim,probably (there is a difference).
I like to think of my arse as shapely,rather than being smart but I appreciate the compliment all the same.

Taking all the viewpoints on board – I stick by this: A freehub containing bearings that disintegrate after less than 6 months is not fit for purpose.

The bearing may have being faulty and failed early but can’t see how that makes the design or spec of the hub “not fit for purpose “
That’s what a warranty is for , but that cassette must have been wobbly as heck before the the failure you finally noticed

Many of us use the 240 hub and have sold many more with very very few issues.

but that cassette must have been wobbly as heck
Wasn’t when I changed cassette 2 months ago.
Chain was slipping slightly on the ride before the chain snapped. No other evidence until that. I’m not in the habit of removing my wheels and checking the freehub for play every few months.
But then I’m obviously not as mechanically empathetic as the clever folk on STW.
It’s so good that you guys are out there with your friendly advice.

I do agree with you the bearing should have lasted longer and will hopfuly be treated as a warranty job by who ever supplied the wheels. Just surprised that the gears still worked and the wobble was not evident that’s all

Oh and avoid Useing the not fit for purpose phrase at least to begine with if you do go down the warranty route

This wheel isn’t even 6 months old, not had masses of use and it’s ****. So what should I have done to prevent this?

that is properly shit. But as others have said is probably a shockingly bad bearing failure rather than freehub specific.

My 440 bearings lasted ok – front are still on originals ~10years on (not massive miles tho and mainly dry ones), got the 240 2nd hand I fitted new bearings (iirc same as the 440s) haven’t really run them long enough to comment.

Looks like poor sealing. I’ve seen an xtr hub damaged by one (very very wet mtb) ride.

How much wet riding?

How much wet riding?

Hardly any. I reckon it’s 1000 dry miles on that wheel max. I don’t commute on proper wet days, so it can only have seen 30 miles or so of rain.

I’ll contact CRC, see if they’ll replace the freehub under warranty.
Supposedly a £900 set of wheels that. Fortunately, I paid far less.

that is properly shit. But as others have said is probably a shockingly bad bearing failure rather than freehub specific.

Agree with this

I think Shimano Hubs come from the factory with not enough grease on them (this I’d say about stuff like XT hubs from experience) I always pull them apart and shove loads in, Doesn’t help you now, but with a new set of bearings and some grease, it’ll last ages…(probably)

Hope you get it sorted.

Supposedly a £900 set of wheels that

if they’re appreciating at £100/day i’d keep hold of em.

1000 miles in 6 months is not insignificant use – and as has been said, if anything, it’s just a warranty claim on bearings, nothing to do with “not fit for purpose”. In an old job, I actually went on some extensive training with Trading Standards, and they told us about the sad fact that every man and his dog now tries to use that to force a retailer’s hand. All a retailer/brand has to do is demonstrate ratio of units sold to failure/return is decent and it would be laughed out the door. DT have sold hundreds of thousands of these units. If they were unfit for purpose, the internet would be awash with rumours/horror stories/”don’t buy DT” posts.

Given you also mention that it was fine when you checked it 2 months ago, any “not fit for purpose” claim would be shot down in seconds as insufficient regular checks (suggest at least bi-weekly given mileage stated) haven’t been carried out by the owner. To frame this, I do lots less mileage than you, but check all bolts front to back on the bike every single week.

I’d suggest the approach to take is a friendly call to CRC, be nice, be matey, explain to them the bearing has collapsed after only 6 months and can they help you out if you email them some pictures. Get all shouty/demanding, you’ll likely get your absolute minimum you are entitled to, which given lack of regular checks will likely be sweet FA.

Doesn’t help you now, but with a new set of bearings and some grease, it’ll last ages…(probably)

Hope you get it sorted.

Cheers Nick. maybe I’m being unreasonable in expecting Mavic reliability from other wheelsets…

if they’re appreciating at £100/day i’d keep hold of em.
Wooosh.. ❓

Bizarre! Never seen anything like it, especially when you consider that the hub is six months old.

Hope you get it fixed, OP.

@andyrm – I have no intention to be “shouty” with CRC – (they don’t make the wheel for a start!). I wasn’t actually being “shouty” on the forum, it’s all good humoured, which I guess doesn’t come across in reading stuff.

I said “not fit..” 2 months ago in finding that the aluminium was too soft and the cassette splines had already damaged it. I then find a few months later that the internal bearings are shagged! Therefore I still stand by it not being fit for purpose! ie. the materials used in manufacture do not stand up to the item’s intended use (if this does not describe FFP, then I’ve used the wrong terminology). I’m not mentioning FFP to the supplier when I ask for a new freehub under warranty. 🙂

That is unacceptably short life, I’d assume a faulty bearing

But also, you must have all the mechanical sympathy and awareness of a railway sleeper.

Thanks for another “I’m much cleverer than yow” post Northwind. Much needed.

It’s not cleverness or otherwise, it’s just awareness. That bearing was ****ed some time ago, and you’ve been riding on grinding metal. I don’t mean to be nasty, but you need to pay attention to your bike, or it’ll hurt you. Or get someone else to do it, for safety’s sake.

Hmm, maybe I’m mechanically inept, but your reading skills don’t appear to be up to much.

I’ve read all your posts, I don’t see anything that contradicts what I’m saying. Next time it could be something that leaves you lying in the road, but feel free to ignore friendly advice and rage against DT.

Tough call, its hard to tell if there would have been any signs of the impending destruction in use, but it beggars belief the state of some of the bikewe see at work.

its hard to tell if there would have been any signs of the impending destruction in use

There may have been, if I’d regularly checked the cassette for movement before riding. I’m not in the habit of doing this, because I haven’t had this issue before! As said previously: Chain was slipping slightly on the ride before the chain snapped. No other evidence until that. 2 months ago when I changed cassette it was fine.

it beggars belief the state of some of the bikes we see at work.

this wouldn’t be one of those! (Not quite anyway). I’ve only just put brand spanking new bar tape on 😉

I’m surprised you couldn’t hear it though!

Nope, sounded pretty normal. On the ride back, after the broken chain, I couldn’t freewheel, as it was turning with the wheel and taking the tension out of the chain. Before snappage, it was fine! Honest!

I’m not familiar with the hubs so am likely totally wrong in this but…

In your op, is that a grease port (torx bolt betwixt spokes)? If it is the hub looks mighty dry so may need using more.

Also there looks to me to be a gap round the bottom of the freehub, where there should be a seal (or the freehub has lifted slightly when removing the stuck cassette)

If I’m not totally wrong in the first case you’ll have had water ingres (what do you clean the bike with, anything which would have degreased your bearings?)
In the second the bearings won’t have been loaded properly and may have moved in their seat which won’t help life.

Not that this helps now – and unless it’s the cassette removal dislodging the freehub it shouldn’t have happened – but if I’m not totally mistaken things to bear in mind on replacement.

Alright! Who was it? Who told me it’ll be ok?
2 months later the freehub is completely knackered. Chain just snapped miles from anywhere and found that the cassette was wobbling all over the place. Lock-ring is tight. Supposed to be an £800 set of wheels. Bloody rubbish. (As for those DT Swiss skewers, also shite)

There, y’are. I’ll stop now though as your sense of humour seems to be on the backburner for now.

Ah, right. I checked the rrp and it was actually £900!

In your op, is that a grease port (torx bolt betwixt spokes)? If it is the hub looks mighty dry so may need using more.
Manual doesn’t mention this. It does say:
Due to the separation of the hub body and the hub flange the bearing seat can be hold stressless. The result is a smooth running and a long life cycle of the bearings. 🙂

Also there looks to me to be a gap round the bottom of the freehub, where there should be a seal (or the freehub has lifted slightly when removing the stuck cassette)

No gap, but even if there was the installation of the new cassette would have resolved this.

No jet washing has occurred. Not much cleaning really. Certainly no GT85 (or similar) into the freehub area.

things to bear in mind on replacement.
Yep, cheers.

a long life cycle [as recorded by our in house fruit fly]

FTFY

1000 miles in 6 months is not insignificant use

(suggest at least bi-weekly given mileage stated)

is this Fox style of service scheduling? Are you expecting a biweekly stripdown of the wheel to check bearings and cassette splines? Coz quite frankly that sounds like cobblers. My hope rear has done ~5000miles and I’m not best pleased that the bearings need replacing but that does include one and a half fairly wet winters so I’ll cut them some slack. 1000 of mainly dry miles is (or should be) bugger all use for decent wheels.

My hope rear has done ~5000miles

Indeed… the cheapo Aksium wheel I had a couple of bikes ago has done well over that and is still smooth as when new.