We’ve a RF Aefect wheel. The tiny pawl springs have rusted (in 6 months…).

(Due to Covid I assume) we’ve no reply from UK importers or RF about where to get spare ones.

Any suggestions?

Aeffect hubs are formula made. You might find some that fit by looking for them instead.

In my experience, the U.K. importers of Race Face (you know who you are 🤬) are about use useful as a chocolate teapot, so yes definitely look elsewhere.

I was gonna say check Formula spares as well, but six months is warranty territory surely?

So…. It is basically a re-branded and slightly adjusted Formula TD3910 hub.
No you cannot get spare parts. At all. You could try other springs, but you are shooting in the dark.

We are messaging CRC – these are (edit) 6 4.5 months old, and to not be able to get any spares is crazy. I get that we ride a lot, in crap weather, and probably lob too much degreaser at the drivetrain, ergo things haven’t lasted. But the only thing we can buy is a complete free-hub, which is £120!

How can I phrase this to them? The issue is the lack of support, rather than lack of durability I think.

Assuming we can send back, what rear wheel that is serviceable and has spare parts? Local shop is saying ONLY DT Swiss 350… I would have though Hope are worth looking at as well?

Funny enough I bought one of those Aeffect rear wheels on CRC for £120 and just sent it back unused for a refund, as my plans changed and it was heavier than quoted anyway.

I replaced my dodgy Novatec rear hubs with Hope Pro 4s, sourced secondhand. Quite happy with them.

We bought it as eldest_oab destroyed a rear wheel a few days before a race – and this was one we could order ASAP, local shops were all on a 2-week build time. I do regret it – but the reviews of RaceFace were positive and ‘bomb proof’ so we bought it over some other things.

I am properly fed up of this biking different standards and lack of parts thing…

If you go on the Silverfish site, their Web Chat is generally a good way to get sorted, seems to be live and working right now

We build to order same day and have tonnes of spares as we make all our hubs in house now. So being biased I would say buy British like us or hope.

What do those springs look like?

Neil SuperstarComponents

We had a pair of RF wheels from CRC and had to send them back after 3 months due to faults. Only use Superstar wheels now and they’ve been brilliant BUT I’ve just had the free hub on the new V3 hub destroy itself so that’s my tomorrow job to sort out.

What do those springs look like?

About 2/3mm dia and 4mm long, coil springs like old Campag or Mavic ITS but different size.

I’m struggling to buy your goods Neil – we had equally poor back up from you a few years back on another worn out freehub, and our SS Alpine wheel set last year had a free hub that fell off any time you removed the wheel was ‘character’ – but cost us two packs of pawls through losing them in a year. Sorry, I’m not impressed.

Hope are hubs are generally good, DIY serviceable at home, have a history of good spare parts availability. Freehub springs do corrode and fail if not greased.

DT Swiss are good, reliable. Basic 18t star ratchet are 20* engagement if that matters to you, the higher tooth counts can be unreliable for MTB (depends on the rider). Star ratchet hubs are more difficult to service as the ratchet ring must be unscrewed from the hub shell to replace the drive side hub bearing. Not all DT hubs are star ratchet, some are 3 pawl.

If you get a new hub check the freehub before you use it, factory lubrication can be a bit hit and miss.

You can buy small compression springs, eg this is 3mm OD, and clip to length if you want to try a DIY fix.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compression-Spring-Small-Various-Sizes-Up-To-10mm-Diameter-Pressure-Compressed/222303808733?hash=item33c256ecdd:m:mMijpHIbntB23tauIBEoyOw

OEM formula spare parts availability tends to be dire.

Local shop is saying ONLY DT Swiss 350

Martin?

Yes!

And those eBay springs do look good.

It would be good to work this one out – there are a lot of folk on the internet asking it seems.

He loves a DT 350, they are mega reliable and just keep working. Do you have a decent vice solidly mounted to remove a ratchet ring?

CRC have agreed to take back the wheel. Quite what they say for warranty I don’t know.

Meanwhile he has ordered a Halo Vapour, with a spare set of springs and pawls as they are easily available.