Freehub bearing cone and adjustment washers, DIY?

[oliverrr]

Gave my freehub body from Deore DX hub a full service but sadly managed to destroy one of the freehub bearing adjustment washers and already threw it to the trash. It was thinner than paper...

Now, the freehub system gets rough even after finger tight torque on the bearing cone.

Is there a way to reproduce the washers somehow? Aluminum cans or can I buy something similar at a tool shop?



Image from Park Tool webpage.

Secondly, something anomalous happened with the hub bearing surface after sinking the bearing cone in degreaser for a night. The surface looked almost perfect but now it has black pitted spots as if the chrome came off.. Did I do anything wrong or it was about to pit and degreaser just fastened the process?


Most probably there isn't a spare part for the bearing cone am I right? The faulty freehub belongs into the spare parts bin..

First time freehub overhaul lessons learned....

 

[hookooekoo]

The washers can be found on Ebay by searching for 'shim washer'. Someone on here made their own shim washers to space the rear dérailleur away from the frame slightly. They used pieces of drink can, but they had access to specialist punch and die equipment, so not everyone can do that.

The surface blemish might be corrosion. Ball bearings, cups and cones are made of high carbon steel. They should always be kept oiled to prevent corrosion. If you're going to degrease for cleaning, make sure you apply lubricant immediately to prevent corrosion (this is one of the advantages of using something like WD40 for cleaning off grease and oil). If the corrosion is very shallow, you might get away with it.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Basically the surface has flaked - could be pressure, corrosion or just long term use. Brinnelling?
The old guys used to skim their hs& axle bearing surfaces on a lathe but i suspect a shimano fhb cup has no spare meat.
You need to replace the freehub body to fix that.
We've got a drawer full of old fhbs if you like - including 6s and 7s with the screw on final sprocket.
The simplest fix is to buy another matching hub though and swap everything over.

 

[FluffyChicken]

It's not true brinnelling, that would be deformation of the race, it would usually be in a regular spot around the race. (potholes, washboard on roads)

Seen most often in headsets as they don't tend to move a lot and get the pounding shock in the same position, that and overtightening pushing the bearings into the races.

Hubs tend to be correctly set and not over tightened that often, that and the bearings rotate all the time.

A common place for brinnelling, but not seen, is press fit bearings (aka cartridge bearings) when people fit them and hammer the races together to get them in. That and some designs don't support both races so the inner race can be clamped down and the outer race stay out. You then get a notch created all around at that spot.

This just looks like surface corrosion/damage.
Could grind (delicately smooth, not angle grinders) it out, or more than likely not really notice it with some good lube.
I think some would use bearing and grinding compound etc..
Never tried it myself.


At least that is my take..

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

How do you dismantle one of these beasts? I have vague memories of watching someone adapt a socket of a particular size; 16mm maybe? Is there an official tool for the job.
I have an 8 speed Shimano cassette on my touring bike that has not sounded right for 15 years or so. Grumbling rather than ticking. I suspect the pawls. I figure on replacing it so have nothing to lose in taking it apart! I know there are a lot of tiny bearings in there but they can’t be worse than SPD pedals that I’ve done can they?

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[bikeworkshop]

As a rule if an old freehub sounds nasty its too worn to be worth servicing - you could give it a go if that's the only way to save the hub, but the ball bearings are probably the only part you can replace - the pawls, ratchet ring and bearing surfaces will all still be worn.
It's definitely a lot harder than spds too

 

[cjr61]

Bringing this thread back to life.....anyone know where I can get some of those shims? Rebuilding an old hub that I swear had two shims, replaced two shims and the bugger seizes when i tighten the outer cone. I'm fully expecting to find a third on the garage floor in the coming months. Thanks!

 

[bikeworkshop]

Shim between fhb and hub, or between cone and locknut?

 

[cjr61]

these bearing adjustment washers - thin ones that sit on top of the central bit and space out the outer cone....

 

[bikeworkshop]

I think you get them by dismantling another similar freehub body.
I remember freewheel shims being available, but the move to freehub/cassette came with a (modern) reduction in serviceability