Zipp 303 FC 2021 not spinning when tightening the thruaxle

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Noro
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:18 am
Location: Europe

by Noro

Hi everyone,

I wanted to check if someone had a similar issue with the new Zipps or any other brand.

When tightening the thruaxle the wheel locks and is not spinning freely. Now, this occurs randomly sometimes it tightens more or less. I could ride to the mechanic and once there it will spin freely. I can go to ride and back at home it will be lock again.

A couple of things that I've tried.
  • I've removed the brake pads and the issue happens without them so are not rubbing.
  • In my hands, they spin perfectly.
  • I've used other wheels in my bike, no issues. So is not the thru-axle or the bike.
  • I've changed the cassette. Nothing. The cassette has all the spacers correctly aligned. There is no spacer in between the free body hub and the cassette as is an 11 speed Shimano Ultrgra system altogether.
  • The bike is a Specialized Aethos and this happens only on the rear wheel - Zipp 303 Firecrest 2021.
Does it affect my riding? I don't know. But I am really disappointed with these wheels. In the end, the benefits of being lighter were neglected with being tubeless and being tubeless limit tire choice. They are extremely comfortable and very good in the wind yes. I may claim a warranty but I wanted to check if I overlooked something.

Here are some videos:




Thanks in advance!
Last edited by Noro on Fri Jul 02, 2021 9:26 am, edited 4 times in total.

by Weenie


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TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12455
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

You've linked URLs to still images ... ("/images/" should provide a hint)

My bet is the wave spring/washer isn't seated correctly.

jch3n
Posts: 199
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:34 pm

by jch3n

I've had something similar happen to me before with a rear wheel which perplexed me for a while. It turned out I was missing a spacer in the freehub body which had been removed with the prior freehub body that I was switching out and that I didn't notice. Like you, it spun fine in hand. However without that spacer, tightening the thru axle would cause everything to bind along the hub axle.

My guess would be that your hub is missing something or it's defective/out of tolerance where tightening the through axle causes binding of the components.

Noro
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:18 am
Location: Europe

by Noro

Thanks for the replies.

I've uploaded the videos now.

I was guessing that a spacer may be missing, but do this spacer goes between the freehub body and the cassette or inside the freehub body itself?

Wheel where brand new, a mechanic put the cassette on. If the spacer is missing should be inside the free body hub if not it will not be possible to screw in the last 2 sprockets.

Coolcat
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:21 pm

by Coolcat

Noro wrote:
Thu Jun 24, 2021 1:06 am
I was guessing that a spacer may be missing, but do this spacer goes between the freehub body and the cassette or inside the freehub body itself?
If I remember correctly, it is between the left freehub bearing and the right hub shell bearing.

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Spinnekop
Posts: 310
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:03 pm
Location: South Africa

by Spinnekop

In my case it was the incorrect end caps that was supplied with the wheels.
Each freewheel body (Sram / Campy / Shimano) has their own end caps.
"In my experience, there is only one motivation, and that is DESIRE.
No reason or principle contain it or stand against it........"

Noro
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:18 am
Location: Europe

by Noro

Spinnekop wrote:
Thu Jun 24, 2021 11:50 am
In my case it was the incorrect end caps that was supplied with the wheels.
Each freewheel body (Sram / Campy / Shimano) has their own end caps.
Thank you. I've checked the end caps serial numbers with the website and they are all right. But thinking in the possibility of the retailer to build it incorrectly means that I will have to send them back (which is a pain).

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

by alcatraz

Maybe zipp can supply you with an exploded view of the hub assembly. You can compare the parts.

How much TA/skewer tension is required to noticeably bind the wheel?

Noro
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:18 am
Location: Europe

by Noro

alcatraz wrote:
Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:21 pm
Maybe zipp can supply you with an exploded view of the hub assembly. You can compare the parts.

How much TA/skewer tension is required to noticeably bind the wheel?
I thought about the same but I don't don't want to "ruin" them more. And Zipp emailed me saying I should return them for inspection.

How much tension? Sadly enough to avoid wobbling in the wheel. When tensioned the TA the cassette moves outwards right? So is in that movement when it compressed something in the hub internally.

SummitAK
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:48 am

by SummitAK

We have a couple of these wheelsets in the house and have not had any issues with them over a few thousand miles of use.

The ZR1 doesn’t have many end cap options for TA. It’s either HD/XDR or Campy. If you checked these I’m sure those are fine. The latest ZR1 hub service manual listing these can be found here: https://www.sram.com/globalassets/docu ... nglish.pdf

There aren’t any internal spacers behind the freehub as on past Zipp hubs. As mentioned earlier in this thread the most likely culprit would be the NDS wave washer being missing. Have you pulled the NDS end cap to check it is place? If it is then there must be something out of spec in the ZR1 hub.

Noro
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:18 am
Location: Europe

by Noro

SummitAK wrote:
Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:59 pm
We have a couple of these wheelsets in the house and have not had any issues with them over a few thousand miles of use.

The ZR1 doesn’t have many end cap options for TA. It’s either HD/XDR or Campy. If you checked these I’m sure those are fine. The latest ZR1 hub service manual listing these can be found here: https://www.sram.com/globalassets/docu ... nglish.pdf

There aren’t any internal spacers behind the freehub as on past Zipp hubs. As mentioned earlier in this thread the most likely culprit would be the NDS wave washer being missing. Have you pulled the NDS end cap to check it is place? If it is then there must be something out of spec in the ZR1 hub.
Thank you! I've just checked the manual today. Is there any other way of removing the endcap without the tool from Park Tool?

SummitAK
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:48 am

by SummitAK

Noro wrote:
Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:05 am
Thank you! I've just checked the manual today. Is there any other way of removing the endcap without the tool from Park Tool?
The end caps are only retained with tight o-rings. If you have rubber covers for a bench vise that would work. Or soft jaw pliers. I don’t have the wheels in front of me, but check the axle bore and see if the bore steps up in size from the end caps. Their Cognition hubs have this difference and it should be possible to tap out the end caps carefully from behind using a dowl or similar soft punch.

mb2978
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:54 pm
Location: Ontario Canada

by mb2978

Hi.

I actually just had this exact issue happen with my zipps. There is no chance of a spacer on the driver end falling out or being misplaced as with this version Zipp built a "spacer" right into the axle as a lip.

I've recently had a few wet rides after they have treated some of the roads with brine, and the moisture, and unfortunately salt got into the non drive side bearing and completely seized it. The axle has very low interference (not a tight fit) with the inner race of that bearing so it was still able to turn inside the race (wheel was able to spin)

What I ended up having to do was remove the non drive side cap, the bearing seal and flush out that bearing and unstick it and get it moving again. Eventually this bearing will have to get replaced in the near future as it's now had a taste of corrosion and salt.

Hope this helps

kupa18
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2022 2:25 pm

by kupa18

I bought a pair of 2022 Zipp 404 Firecrest wheels. I have the same issue. The front wheel spins like butter when you hold it on your hands or when is on the bike with the thru axle not tight. When the thru axle is loose to the point that is not ridable the wheel spins like they should. HOWEVER, when I tighten the thru axle to 10nm (spec) the wheel does not spin like it should.
So we are all in the same page, all wheels (besides the ones with a counter balancer) should always end up with the valve at the 6 oclock position (due to the weight). When the front wheel is tighten to spec the wheel spins "okay" but it does not end up with the valve at the 6 oclock position.
When I measured the Zipp 404 wheel front hub with the hub caps from end to end I get 100.6 mm
however with my cheaper set of Bontrager front wheel hub cap to hub cap I get 100.1mm Thats about .5mm extra of space!

I tried mostly everything!
- I took the disc brake off to make sure it was not rubbing. nothing
- I ordered a new wave washer (in case it was not machined up to spec from the factory) nothing
- I used a bearing press to make sure the bearings were properly seated. nothing
- I ordered a new wheel axle(not the hub, just the inner axle) (in case it was not up to spec from factory ) nothing
My last effor is going to be to file the hub caps down each .25mm.

any other suggestions please let us know.


I dont know what to do. I am going to bring the front wheel to the LBS.

I hope this helps

by Weenie


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AadamI77
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2022 1:56 pm

by AadamI77

How did you get on with your wheels? Rod you ever resplve the probelm?

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