Roval AFD Hub

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JoeKirk64
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:00 am

by JoeKirk64

Good day, I hope this question is allowed here.

The bike:
2018 Specialized Roubaix Pro
Roval AFD Hub

I upgraded the wheel bearings to ceramic. For disassembly of the hub and freehub, I placed everything in order of which it came off so I would not get confused on assembly.

The bearings:

15x28x7mm and 15x24x5mm (I compaired the size of all the old bearings with all the new ones.)

The problem:

I re-assembled the hub and freehub, making sure all bearings were seated snug and proper greese was applied. When I placed the rear wheel back on the bike and tighted the through-axle, the wheel stoped turning.

The wheel would turn backwards fine, but it is the freehub that is binding up and causing the issue. What I noticed was the endcap is tighting on the outter freehub bearing on the drive side. There is a gap of approximately 5-7mm between the axle and endcap tip.

Obviously the endcap is not supposed to sit on the bearing but I spent days trying to fugure why it is. Can anyone help?

by Weenie


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alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

I'd check that all the bearings were pressed in completely and that the axle doesnt have excessive play. When you tighten the thruaxle you are compressing the spacers and endcaps onto the bearing inner races. If there is play in the system you'll preload the bearings until they seize.

How sure are you that the order of the installed components is correct?

JoeKirk64
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:00 am

by JoeKirk64

I used the correct tool to press in all bearings and all are seated correctly. No play in the axle and it (without the freehub) spins smooth. When I disassembled the hub and freehub, I placed everything in order.

alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

On my hub (not roval) there is a sleeve inside the freehub between the bearings.

There is also a spacer between the freehub and hub shell.

On my hub If I press in the freehub bearings too deep the sleeve inside presses the inner races outward enough to seize the bearings.

Once I encountered an alloy spacer with compression damage which would reduce the needed clearance between hub shell and freehub.

...just a few observations that may or may not be useful.

What happens when you spin the wheel in your hands and start to push on the freehub inward? Does it slow down?

It's hard to diagnose the issue with the freehub on the hub. I'd take it off and check for play or seizing, on both hub and freehub side. Even a small amount of play could be enough to cause seizing when tightening the qr/ta. Check the spacers for damage.

JoeKirk64
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:00 am

by JoeKirk64

Everything spins as it should until I tighten the through axle. As I said, only the freehub binds with the through axle, wheel still spins backwards.

There are two washers, one in the freehub, between the bearing and C-clip and between the bearing and ring nut on the hub. The two spacers are different sizes and would be noticeable if those were mixed up.

I’ve checked for play in the free hub which there is none.

alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

Can you describe the binding feeling a bit more? Especially the transition of when it starts to bind with ever so increasing qr/ta tension. Are we talking about seizing or light binding?

Spinning the wheel backwards should take the freehub/chain with it. The freehub then moves with the hub. The freehub seal between hub shell and freehub is not seeing any rotation.

Check the freehub seal maybe (sometimes theres a second near the cassette lockring). When spinning the wheel forward the seal will see some friction. Maybe they aren't seated or greased properly to allow the freehub to coast freely when clamped down.

In such a case the binding would be quite gentle though. That's why I asked to describe the binding above.

A rear hub does rarely spin as freely as a front hub. It should certainly not bind but with 4 bearings, 10 seals, pawls and a lot more components and tolerances you are unlikely to get it close to a front wheel.

JoeKirk64
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:00 am

by JoeKirk64

To describe it better would be like this :

When tightening the through axle it’s like you’re applying brakes to the rim.

alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

To summarize: It could be...

1. Bearings not positioned properly. Pressed too far or not far enough.

2. Freehub seal not positioned or greased properly. (Unlikely, = light bind)

3. Misplaced, damaged or missing spacer.

The spacers are TINY. Much smaller than a washer. They could be 1x1 mm crossection and fit on the inner race of a bearing. It's easy to not notice it's right on the bearing when pulling them off. Later it falls off and it's gone.

Ask roval for an exploded view of the hub so you can double check all the parts are in place.

Or if you post a picture of your hub a forum member with the same hub can help you confirm the orientation and number of the parts.

ParisCarbon
Posts: 1918
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:39 am
Location: Winnipeg Canada

by ParisCarbon

If these follow the DT Swiss internals, there are several videos on the DT Swiss website that may be helpful as well.

JoeKirk64
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:00 am

by JoeKirk64

ParisCarbon wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 12:42 pm
If these follow the DT Swiss internals, there are several videos on the DT Swiss website that may be helpful as well.
I’ve been to DT’s site and watched the video on bearing replacement but it didn’t go into servicing the freehub. I did find a video on the freehub bearings but it wasn’t the same as mine. Didn’t have the c-clip.

ParisCarbon
Posts: 1918
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:39 am
Location: Winnipeg Canada

by ParisCarbon

Is there anyway that a spacer or seal could have been put in backwards at all?

JoeKirk64
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 2:00 am

by JoeKirk64

ParisCarbon wrote:
Tue May 14, 2019 3:32 pm
Is there anyway that a spacer or seal could have been put in backwards at all?
I am really leaning towards that direction. I know the problem is in the free hub and I’m starting to think that maybe the C-ring should have went in first and the bearing underneath it and then the spacer and then the last bearing. In my original post I stated that there is a gap between the endcap and axle I’m about 5 to 7 mm which is exactly the thickness of the bearing.

alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

Let us know what it was afterwards. :thumbup:

by Weenie


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