Morning

I have a set of wheels in which the freehub has died on the third ride. Have contacted to sort a warranty and they are dealing with it well:

We are happy to process a warranty claim for this item. In order for us to do this we request that you please forward use a photo of the damage to the freehub and the internal of the hub body

My question is how do I take the freehub off? Is it straightforward? A google seems to suggest pawls and ball bearings will explode everywhere (given its broken anyway not a huge issue perhaps).

It’s a superstar hub btw

From memory, remove the axle with a couple of cone spanners and the free hub should slide off. It’s easy and worth cleaning and regreasing, it won’t explode into a million bits unless it’s borked.

Depends on the hub, it ranges from ‘just pull’ to ‘full disassembly with big hitting stick’…

All the SuperStar variants I’ve ever worked on have just needed endcaps removing either by hand or with basic tools (allen key or cone spanner) and then the freehub should slide off easily with a gentle tug.

If it’s not obvious from looking at it, or you’re not sure, or if something seems amiss half way through and isn;t moving like it should then just ask them, I’m sure they’ll advise accordingly.

Some of the Novatach (rebadged by superstar) hubs have a small 2mm grub screw in the middle you need to undo (and another next to the pawls you don’t)

If the free hub has “gone” it’s mostly likely either the pawls or bearings … when you take it apart and clean the free hub if the pawls are just sticking and you take them off, inspect and clean em you likely just fixed the problem. If it’s the bearings it’s another story but unless they had bad bearings in that shouldn’t really be the case.

My experience of Superstar is assembly can be variable. I have some Nano-X pedals that started clicking 3rd ride and after disassembly, cleaning and regressing are now fine… but they had been badly assembled and water and mud was getting in…

My wheels needed rebuilding… on the 1st ride I had a cm of wobble on the front (wasn’t using the rear) .. I just intentioned all the spokes and re-did the end of the build and they are now (many many rides on) working great and running true.

I could have warrantied either but the hassle of then having to be in to get them delivered back outweighs 10 mins on the pedal or an hour for both wheels…

Did you buy the whole hub (wheel?) or just the freehub on its own? I’m guessing the former otherwise you’d probably know how to remove the freehub.

The reason I ask is that surely they should warranty the whole hub without you doing DIY mechanics on it first? So just send it all back.

How do you know it’s broken without taking it apart? 😀
I would just email superstar to ask for instructions if unsure

The reason I ask is that surely they should warranty the whole hub without you doing DIY mechanics on it first? So just send it all back.

If you have another wheel and don’t mind waiting in for a big box delivery that’s fine
He’s not having to do anything that’s not normal maintenance though… just after 3 weeks.

I’m not defending superstar at all… I’m just saying the hassle factor might easily outweigh the consumer rights and pulling the free hub to clean and inspect bearings is a 2 min job (once the cassette is off) and takes longer to clean than take off and of course you can clean the cassette properly a the same time (when its not 3 rides)

They offer a free truing service as well but the hassle of sending a box, having no wheels and waiting for it to come back just outweighs the hassle factor

Thanks all, superstar have also now confirmed

To remove the freehub you have to pull the drive-side endcap off and then the freehub should just slide straight off.

Should be a straightforward job then.

How do you know it’s broken without taking it apart?

Probably the fact I can spin freely without any pickup from the cassette unless I’m missing something?

Bought a set of wheels by the way, I have a spare and another bike I can use but would rather not have the hassle of boxing the whole wheel. To be fair they’re dealing with it well and simply want a photo of the freehub and the inside as per my original post, which is easy (hopefully, now I know how to take it apart).

Appreciate the replies and help everyone.

Probably the fact I can spin freely without any pickup from the cassette unless I’m missing something?

Could simply be over greased …
When you do take it apart clean the pawls (assuming they are all in place) and then just regrease outside and on the pivot point…. if you stick grease on the inner pawl this can prevent it returning… especially thicker axle grease…

That will make a lot more sense when you pull it apart….if there is any rust or dirt then definitely return it as there is likely a seal problem but if its over greased it will start working when cleaned…. you can just press the pawls with your finger and test…

If it was the opposite (i.e. won’t freewheel) then that would be bad and likely the bearings seized…

I’ll try and remember to take a photo later…

Right, I’m probably incredibly dumb but how do I remove the end cap?! I thought I may need cone scanners but can’t see they’d work.

As the instructions say, just pull it off.

Maybe use some pliers or something to grip it. It’ll probably have an o-ring inside to hold it on the shaft but a bit of force pops them off.

Edit: I don’t know these hubs. Just going off the above posts, lack of spanner flats and dismantling similar ones.

Thanks survivor – I was being stupid, put a cone spanner in the groove and pulled and the cap came off.

For those interested I’ve taken photos and can’t see anything obvious? Sent to SS to see but can anyone spot anything immediately wrong? Not taken a hub apart like this before (as you can tell) but everything seems in order. If it’s not the freehub I can’t understand what it would be – drivetrain otherwise fine and simply a mile into a ride when suddenly no resistance when pedalling (but cassette would still move just not engaging the hub).

Is that a big bit of bearing race missing in the top pic? At the bottom. If so did you find a piece of metal floating around anywhere?

Pics of the ratchet bit on the hub needed. The bit that the silver spring loaded pawls would run over/bite into.

Is that a big bit of bearing race missing in the top pic? At the bottom.

took that out and seemed fine, it is there just taken out for the photo.

One of their Fuel hubs I take it?

Need a shot of the inside of the hub too – the bit with the teeth.

It might be the free hub had pulled off the hub slightly, so the pawls weren’t engaging properly.

When I took mine apart to grease and check it from new it was quite difficult to re-seat, and if I hadn’t got it in the last mm or 2 I imagine it might not have worked properly, but you’d still be able to fit the end cap back on.

Might be it ajantom.

The teeth look fine.
I’d regress and reassemble, make sure it’s fully in 😉

*edit – just realised I didn’t reply to your PM. Sorry, baby brain! We’ve got a 5 week old do I’m not running on all cylinders currently.