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Step 4Prepare for a mess of parts
Once you have loosened the combination cone, be sure to hold the freehub shell down against the wheel as you remove it. This is where things get rather complex, and your need for order is essential.
With the combination cone removed, you will be faced with a flood of loose ball bearings and shims determined to make life hard on you for disturbing them. If there is any grease left in the freehub at this point, life is good. If not, sacrifice some grease and spread on the ball bearings to keep them in place.....no one said this job wasn't gonna be messy soldier!...Flood the area with grease if need be. Contamination is not an issue at this point as this grease will not be in the hub after cleaning...You are using the grease as a binder for now...
Using a suitable fine tool, carefully remove the 3 or more shims on the freehub core and be sure not to distort them. If possible, keep them in the correct order as you clean each of them individually. They are usually steel, so just about any solvent will do, including automotive brake cleaner (Uber-Kleener :D )....just allow to dry before reassembly. Ideal is to return each part to it's previous position as the armed-forces would do. Use a small screwdriver to pry out the bearings and place them on a rag.
NEVER lose or omit any of these shims unless there is a significant problem with shifting. In nearly all cases, these should all be returned to their place. If you are experiencing shifting problems and have corrected everything else, experiment by removing the thinnest shim first and temporarily reassembling the hub, progressing by replacing the thinnest shim and removing the next larger size. If you have to leave only the thickest shim to attain acceptable preload, consider the fact that the hub may be too worn out to continue. ANY binding means that there has not been significant wear to readjust preload, and you definitely do not want this too tight.
A persistent *clunk* when going from coasting to power, or "brinneling" of the bearing race in the freehub core or shell, may indicate an excess preload, but not in all cases. Some freeplay is expected, but it's hard to tell when this becomes excessive. Test before assuming changes to be permanent, and nonetheless do not discard the spare shim. The aim is the lowest amount of freeplay without binding. Dry bearings should have a just barely detectable amount of freeplay when the cone is set to normal torque.
If you do not know for sure, or are unsure about the procedure, do not omit any shims at all. Adjustment here is ONLY for pro bike mechanics or engineers, and improper adjustment here can severely hinder proper operation. If in doubt, leave it alone!
There's no such thing as too much precision...
With the combination cone removed, you will be faced with a flood of loose ball bearings and shims determined to make life hard on you for disturbing them. If there is any grease left in the freehub at this point, life is good. If not, sacrifice some grease and spread on the ball bearings to keep them in place.....no one said this job wasn't gonna be messy soldier!...Flood the area with grease if need be. Contamination is not an issue at this point as this grease will not be in the hub after cleaning...You are using the grease as a binder for now...
Using a suitable fine tool, carefully remove the 3 or more shims on the freehub core and be sure not to distort them. If possible, keep them in the correct order as you clean each of them individually. They are usually steel, so just about any solvent will do, including automotive brake cleaner (Uber-Kleener :D )....just allow to dry before reassembly. Ideal is to return each part to it's previous position as the armed-forces would do. Use a small screwdriver to pry out the bearings and place them on a rag.
NEVER lose or omit any of these shims unless there is a significant problem with shifting. In nearly all cases, these should all be returned to their place. If you are experiencing shifting problems and have corrected everything else, experiment by removing the thinnest shim first and temporarily reassembling the hub, progressing by replacing the thinnest shim and removing the next larger size. If you have to leave only the thickest shim to attain acceptable preload, consider the fact that the hub may be too worn out to continue. ANY binding means that there has not been significant wear to readjust preload, and you definitely do not want this too tight.
A persistent *clunk* when going from coasting to power, or "brinneling" of the bearing race in the freehub core or shell, may indicate an excess preload, but not in all cases. Some freeplay is expected, but it's hard to tell when this becomes excessive. Test before assuming changes to be permanent, and nonetheless do not discard the spare shim. The aim is the lowest amount of freeplay without binding. Dry bearings should have a just barely detectable amount of freeplay when the cone is set to normal torque.
If you do not know for sure, or are unsure about the procedure, do not omit any shims at all. Adjustment here is ONLY for pro bike mechanics or engineers, and improper adjustment here can severely hinder proper operation. If in doubt, leave it alone!
There's no such thing as too much precision...
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