Free body (hub) not engaging - American Classic 26"

[SURFER]

I have American classic 26” MTB wheels. Yesterday while cycling the Free Body (Hub) suddenly lost “grip” (spinning free) while pedalling forward, lucky not to fall.

 

Any idea what could be wrong?

[brussel]

yip...new freebody

mine did the same 20km into a national marathon event that I was doing rather well in

 

There is a spring that engages with a plate on the hub that rotates, engaging the pawls. The spring gets worn out and no longer engages the plate, the pawls no longer engage and voila...

[Azonic]

You might need a new clutch plate. The spring can be bent again. At least I did. There is nothing more off-pissing that going along and "KA" it shoots free and you are spinning with air under the pedals. I've been there before with my AM wheels.

[Eugene]

My American Classic CR350 road wheels did the same thing. My LBS (well known as wheel building specialists) had to send them to CT for repairs.

 

After paying R600 odd I discovered 3 months later that there was a recall on their wheels for this problem.

[Johan Bornman]

Easy to fix.

 

Remove the axle ends and pull the freehub body off. Don't worry, nothing will jump out.

 

Now identify the black rubber seal - it is a large black ring that seals between the hub and the freewheel body. Gently lever it out.

 

Now the mechanism will be exposed, albeit full of gunk.

 

Remove everything by hand, wipe, spray with parts cleaner and get it nice and clean. There are four pawls in there and you'll notice that they are undamaged. They are not the problem.

 

Look at the freehub body at the hub end and identify the spring that's mentioned here.Have a loook how it engages with the wheel side and what it does. It will be obvious. Bend it out a bit and have a good look at the tip. If it is worn at an angle, consider cutting the worn tip off so that you start with a nice sharp, fresh 90 degree tip. It is very hard, so don't try a sidecutter but use a cut-off tool on a dremel. If you don't have a dremel, bend it nicely and hope.

 

Grease it all up, replace the seal, push the freehub body back on and fit the axle ends.

 

Voila. New wheel. No need to send it to Cape Town or Cairo for a R600 fix.

 

I can't see how a wheel specialist could not fix that in 20 minutes but there you have it.

[Weight Weenie]

Thanks Johan ! Ek neem aan my Stan's wiele met AC hubs gaan dieselle moeilikheid gee op `n stadium ?

[Meezo]

I think this is the 3rd AMC wheel that i've heard this happen to, including yours its been, o and brussel(4th), 3 MTB and 1 Road.

 

Still love their wheels

[Johan Bornman]

Thanks Johan ! Ek neem aan my Stan's wiele met AC hubs gaan dieselle moeilikheid gee op `n stadium ?

 

Ja, maar moenie warrie nie. Dis regtig nie 'n issue nie. Daai hubs is moerse goed.

[GLuvsMtb]

Happened to my AC wheels on stage 2 of the KKK 3 day race this weekend past. Getting them fixed and then getting a set of Chris King hubs custom built for me. I HATE equipment failure, especially during a stage race.

[PYGA1]

Same thing happened to me on stage 3 of joberg2c, nearly the end of my race but fortunately the moble mechanic had a spare wheel for me. Replace th freewheel body after the race.

[SURFER]

Thanks for the info. God good instructions on AC website. Will try and do it this weekend

[SURFER]

You might need a new clutch plate. The spring can be bent again. At least I did. There is nothing more off-pissing that going along and "KA" it shoots free and you are spinning with air under the pedals. I've been there before with my AM wheels.

 

 

How would I know if I need a new clutch plate?

[Johan Bornman]

Happened to my AC wheels on stage 2 of the KKK 3 day race this weekend past. Getting them fixed and then getting a set of Chris King hubs custom built for me. I HATE equipment failure, especially during a stage race.

Maintenance could have prevented this. However, many cyclists are so service-shy that they do themselves in. If I service a freehub body for someoneone without it having first failed, I get all sorts of snotty comments about unnecessary work being done etc etc.

 

Someone asked how you know if you need a new clutch plate. Take out the existing plate, clean it nicely and look at the engagement points. If there is wear, replace it. However, clutch plate wear can be countered by "Sharpening the engageent spring.

 

The clutch plate wears not so much because the spring engages with it but mostly because it is so dirty in there that the spring has to do extra work in gripping the plate and dirt casues it to miss the mark.. It is slippages that wear the plate, not engagement.

[SURFER]

Sorted out, Opened the hub, found it to be dirty, cleaned it, no more problems.

 

Tx again for help

[Bike Mob]

This just happened to me again on Pioneer after having my hub rebuilt less than 500km ago. I stripped it in the Epic as well.

 

I cannot afford to have this reoccur so i wanna replace the hub with something rock solid. What are my options?

 

Chris King, I9, E-13, Hope, Tune?

[SURFER]

I found the problem after it happened a 2nd time. I had the hub and axial serviced (bearings replaced). It seems that when the LBS replaced the bearings (axial side) they did not insert the bearing (axial) on the free body side fully in (if you take that bearing out you will see a “lip” that will stop the bearing going in deeper). By not inserting the bearing against the “lip” (axial), you will leave a gap between the outside of bearing and the side of free body (with spring). When you cycle and the spring engage with the paws, the spring will be pulled out of the groove due to the gap between free body and bearing (axial). Once the spring is out of the groove, the free body will not engage.

 

Take the bearings out and make sure that they are inserted fully. Problem sorted.