Freehub is making loud noises and is randomly engaging/binding

1. What makes a freehub noisy?
2. Why do some rear hubs make noise?
3. How do I know if my free hub needs replacing?
4. Why does my bike make a noise when freewheeling?
5. How do I know if my bike hub is bad?
6. Can you replace a freehub?
7. Why do people like loud free hubs?
8. Are Shimano Freehubs loud?
9. Why are Hunt wheels so noisy?
10. Should you grease the freehub?

What makes a freehub noisy?

When the freehub body is driven in the opposite direction, the pawls can't engage with the teeth of the drive ring, so it is able to spin freely. The pawls click up and down over the teeth, which is what produces the buzz of the freehub.

Why do some rear hubs make noise?

This noise is usually caused by the pawls on the hubs making contact with the engagement surfaces, which are part of the ratcheting unit. This contact makes noise because high-end hubs have more pawls and more engaging units than cheaper hubs. So more pawls are hitting the engagement points to create audible sounds.

How do I know if my free hub needs replacing?

Check the freehub for wear to see if it needs replacing or just cleaning and relubing. To do this, firmly grab the splined body and give it a wiggle. If it moves more than a couple of millimetres side to side, replace it. Otherwise, a good clean and oil will do fine.

Why does my bike make a noise when freewheeling?

The noise you are hearing is the pawls, which are spring loaded teeth. These teeth allow the hub to move forward when you stop pedaling, by moving out of the way. But thy will spring back up and grab the inside of the freehub shell when force is applied from the chain.

How do I know if my bike hub is bad?

If you find that the wheel turns stiffly when you move it lightly by hand, or even seems notchy or wants to stop on its own, it's a sign that the hub has issues and needs maintenance.

Can you replace a freehub?

You can either buy a new freehub body or if you're lucky your local bike shop or bike recycling project may have a stash! Your replacement freehub body needs to have the same interface as your old one (meaning the same spline pattern) so it can fit onto your old hub.

Why do people like loud free hubs?

The reason some hubs are loud is because the components are built to perform better than just "okay" and to last. Show activity on this post. High end road bikes have a louder free hub so that riders in a peloton can have an audible clue that those ahead of them are coasting or braking.

Are Shimano Freehubs loud?

To answer your question specifically, you can get a shimano freehub body on loudest hubs in the world, or the quietest. So dont judge how loud it will be based on what cassette will fit on it. Pedal more, there is less sound then.

Why are Hunt wheels so noisy?

They might be noisier than some other hubs but this is generally regarded as a sign of good engineering. This is the sound of positive engagement of the pawls in the hub shell. Each pawl is individually sprung using a strong leaf spring, which connects with one of the 45 ratchet points in the hub.

Should you grease the freehub?

You can use chain lube on your freehub body before installing the new cassettes and you can also put a few drops into the cassette before threading the lockring through it. Don't forget to grease the inner part of the chain, as this is where the cogs get their lubrication from.