HUBS/FREEHUB with cartridge bearings?

Today I went for a ride on my bike, but imagine my surprise (When something broke):


All of a sudden on a straight ascent off road track there was alot of friction and my bike, it wasn't brake rub or a flat, so my bike came quickly to total stop, much to my surprise.


After looking more closely at my bike I realised the rear wheel, and more specifically the rear hub would not turn, no matter how how hard I tried to turn it.


So I said to my mates my bike is bust (And they should carry on enjoy themselves).


So I looked a bit daft with my fingers wedged in my bikes rear triangle to lift the rear off the ground whilst walking all the home.


So when I eventually got home, I said to my lass my bike needed some TLC


Anyway I get out my cone spanners and pull out the spindle, then take off the cassette, then I took a good look at the bearings.


All looked ok, so I looked a bit closer, then I realised that a part in FREEHUB, had sheared off, the 10mm bolt that holds the FREEHUB in place, the outer edge bearing surface was missing a big chunk.


So I take off the FREEHUB with a 10mm allen key


On taking off the FREEHUB here is what I find, smooth surfaces and bearings, and FREEHUB, but the FREEHUB BOLT looks all chipped



So I file the FREEHUB BOLT until it's nice and smooth, then put it all back together with lots of grease.


Then I said to myself, why don't I go for a ride, so I did.


After lots of jumps and hard riding the wheel is still silky smooth (Good heavens, I've saved myself £20, as didn't need a new 3Hub).


After all that unexpected comotion I wonder if any Shimano (Or other) hubs/freehubs HAVE CARTRIDGE BEARINGS?

I have a hope hub with cartridge bearings
And a DMR hub with cartridge bearings

Hope - big Un i think
DMR - Revolver

I have never serviced or removed a freehub body yet, doing it soon as i have ordered a replacment freehub body for my revolver. They are troublesome freehubs it would seem (although this one has needed replacing since i bought the hub second hand)

Yes all the way from BiTD
Hope use cartridge bearings, two in the freehub body and two in the hub body I don't think their basic setup has changed much either.

Suntour used cartridge bearings in the XC Pro series and had a sort of cup and cone setup to align the bearings better (unlike hope where it's more set and 'hope'.
Well at least from memory it adjusts the alignment, I could pop upstairs and have a look.

Mavic had cartridge bearings and with adjustable load/alignment as well.

Many of the early CNC hubs used them as it was much easier to make a hub with no bearing races and then just stick a cartridge in them. No fancy bearing surface machining tools needed.

FluffyChicken wrote:

Mavic had cartridge bearings and with adjustable load/alignment as well.

Click to expand...

I've got a pair of their 'Crossland' wheels with cartridge bearings and they came supplied with a suitable pin spanner for making adjustments. Nice touch, nice wheels.