Help, can't remove micro spline freehub from Rail 7 line comp 30 wheels

[IMeasureStuff]

Hi guys
First time trying to remove the micro spline freehub from my rail 7 line comp 30 wheels.

The end cap is on as is the freehub. From what I have seen the free hub should pull straight off with the end cap (but I could be wrong) , but both are on tight!

What's the proces to get these off?

Here is a photo of where I'm at....




Thanks for your help!

Dan

 

[Philly G]

The end cap has an o-ring to help keep it in place, and seal out the elements. I guess if it's dried out it could be causing quite a bit of stiction. I would grab the end cap with a pair of pliers. Use a rag to avoid marring the surface. Maybe squirt some silicone or wd40 in there first to loosen things up. Once the end cap is off, the freehub body should just pull off quite easily

 

[IMeasureStuff]

The end cap has an o-ring to help keep it in place, and seal out the elements. I guess if it's dried out it could be causing quite a bit of stiction. I would grab the end cap with a pair of pliers. Use a rag to avoid marring the surface. Maybe squirt some silicone or wd40 in there first to loosen things up. Once the end cap is off, the freehub body should just pull off quite easily

I tried the pliers and was giving it a hit from underneath with a hammer, and it was not budging at all! Where is the O Ring seated, so I can squirt some silicone in there?

 

[Pyr0]

Put the cassette back on and use that for leverage?
When I first got my dtswiss wheels the microspline hub seemed stuck on there, but i managed to get a plastic pry tool around the edge to lever it off

 

[Philly G]

I tried the pliers and was giving it a hit from underneath with a hammer, and it was not budging at all! Where is the O Ring seated, so I can squirt some silicone in there?

The o-ring just sits in a groove on the inner face of the end cap. The caps can be tight at times but yours seems unusually so. Maybe try very gently warming the end cap to expand it slightly, see if that helps. Gently, with heat gun or hair dryer or even just out in the warm sun for a while. Dont know what else to suggest tbh

 

[IMeasureStuff]

Ended up taking it to the local trek shop. They had a tool specifically for getting these off when they are stubborn. Even with the tool it tool quite alot of effort. It's off now and I can now service the hub and add the extra Pawls. Will be interesting to see how much force is required to get it on.


While I was there I ordered another cap (currently out of stock, so no ETA) , and it will be interesting to see if I have the same problem with that one in the future.

 

[Philly G]

Ended up taking it to the local trek shop. They had a tool specifically for getting these off when they are stubborn. Even with the tool it tool quite alot of effort. It's off now and I can now service the hub and add the extra Pawls. Will be interesting to see how much force is required to get it on.


While I was there I ordered another cap (currently out of stock, so no ETA) , and it will be interesting to see if I have the same problem with that one in the future.

Wow I didn't know there was a special tool for that! I'm amazed it was on so tight, I've always managed to get them off by hand.

 

[IMeasureStuff]

Wow I didn't know there was a special tool for that! I'm amazed it was on so tight, I've always managed to get them off by hand.

There is a tool for everything!

This is it....

Hub Genie

 

[Philly G]

There is a tool for everything!

This is it....

Hub Genie

Who would have thought? A tool that ParkTool haven't thought of! I've learned something today! ? Glad you got it sorted in the end.

 

[IMeasureStuff]

Who would have thought? A tool that ParkTool haven't thought of! I've learned something today! ? Glad you got it sorted in the end.

Yeah it a great tool, that you don't need until you really need it!

Seriously though there was no way that cap was coming off without a tool!

 

[IMeasureStuff]

Final update. Added the extra pawls, greased up and assembled. The cap can now be removed much more easily, so future hub servicing should be a breeze. I wonder how often this actually happens. The trek mechanic said it was common.

 

[Philly G]

Final update. Added the extra pawls, greased up and assembled. The cap can now be removed much more easily, so future hub servicing should be a breeze. I wonder how often this actually happens. The trek mechanic said it was common.

That's good your caps are coming off easy now, I would put a bit of silicone grease on the o-rings to keep them nice. I guess this must be fairly common, since there's a special tool for the job. Quite an expensive tool though if you only need it the once!

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Bugger. I'm having exactly the same problem right at the moment. I hate going to the shop with something I've started and can't finish! What's worse is nwatching all the videos showing the freehub falling straight out into their hands

 

[Smittylube]

mine was MFer to get off. I have a couple plier gouges. It went back on hard as well. Added 3 more sprags to the freewheel.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Yeah I have just got it off - wasn't pretty & I'm ignoring the big gark marks. Now to find those bloody pawls & springs I left somewhere -aaargh!

 

[Philly G]

Yeah I have just got it off - wasn't pretty & I'm ignoring the big gark marks. Now to find those bloody pawls & springs I left somewhere -aaargh!

The struggle is real! Good old Bontrager...my original Bonty wheels are for sale if you get stuck ?

 

[Doug Stampfer]

L O S T T H E B L O O D Y S P R I N G S ! ! ! Cost me fricking $60 for the springs & pawls.

I'm never buying a Fricking Trek again.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

The struggle is real! Good old Bontrager...my original Bonty wheels are for sale if you get stuck ?

I may have seen those advertised recently. Pretty cheap.

 

[Philly G]

I may have seen those advertised recently. Pretty cheap.

I actually haven't listed them anywhere as yet . How much were the ones you saw ?

 

[Doug Stampfer]

On facebook

 

[IMeasureStuff]

Total turd to get it off. But once it's off apply a tiny bit of grease like SRAM butter to the o-ring and it will be a lot easier to remove next time.

 

[EuanS2]

Mines was also an absolute ballache to get off at first, there was defiantly a bit of sweat and swearing involve… It’s all good now though

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Yeah I was just throwing a little tanty? but you know what it's like when you're teed up for what should be a 5 minute job & it goes pearshaped. I could never be a motor or bike mechanic for a living, it would do my head in.
I ended up throwing the cassette back on loosely & whacking it with a long screwdriver & hammer from the other side. I've got the extra 3 pawls but lost the new springs springs somewhere so cleaned it up, lightly greased the original 3 pawls & reassembled. It's eerily quiet now which is kinda worrying?
I'll attack it next weekend

 

[dixie600mhz]

Leave the cassette on and use both hands to pull on the 52 tooth gear. It's stubborn but will come off as an entire assembly.

 

[Smittylube]

It's eerily quiet now which is kinda worrying

Mine with the 6 pawls is super quiet now as well. My guess is It has to be from more grease. Mine trail tested excellent.

 

[Mikerb]

Who would have thought? A tool that ParkTool haven't thought of! I've learned something today! ? Glad you got it sorted in the end.

Yep..they do. Shaped soft jaws for a vise ( Park Tool AV 5). You put the end cap in the most suitable hole shape in the soft jaws in a vice. You then have the entire wheel to act as a lever to remove the end cap. The technique is to hold tension on one side of the wheel ( upwards) and then tap up the opposite side of the wheel............trying to pull the end cap off straight is the key mistake.....it is purpose designed to resist that sort of force so it can keep the freehub/cassette in place!!

 

[Philly G]

Yep..they do. Shaped soft jaws for a vise ( Park Tool AV 5).

Very interesting ! Just watched a video on this tool. Thanks for the information ??

 

[Smittylube]

Mine with the 6 pawls is super quiet now as well.

A bit louder after a few rides. Still less noise than 3 pawls.

 

[Mikerb]

The amount of noise is totally proportionate to the amount of grease used. A very quiet pawl freehub is likely to need a clean!!

 

[Smittylube]

In my case it is quiet due to more/ too much grease and is louder now I would suspect it probably pushed some of the excess grease out a bit. Still not loud and I like that.