Finally got that 1990s freehub body off after two weeks of soaking

Been wrestling with a sticky freehub on an old Trek 850 that came into my shop. Last month I tried the usual tricks, heat, a bigger breaker bar, nothing worked. Finally decided to let it soak in penetrating oil for 14 days straight, reapplying every morning. Yesterday it cracked loose with just a standard wrench and no swearing. I replaced the bearings and regreased it, and now the wheel spins like new. Has anyone else had a stubborn freehub that took way longer than expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jesse11d ago

Nah, I gotta disagree with you there. Two weeks of soaking just to get a freehub off sounds like you were being way too patient... I've never had to baby one that long. A good torch and a rapid heat/cool cycle with some ice water usually breaks the corrosion loose in an hour or so. Patience is fine and all, but at a certain point you're just letting rust have the upper hand. Plus all that penetrating oil just makes a mess, and if you're not careful it'll seep into the new bearings you just put in. I'd rather spend a little more time upfront with heat than wait half a month for a part I could've bought used off eBay by then.

hernandez.jordan11d ago

Torch and ice water sounds aggressive though. I've seen guys crack their hub shells doing that quick heat and cold thing (especially on older aluminum ones). A little patience never hurt anyone, and two weeks of soaking is basically set-it-and-forget-it while you work on other stuff. Plus eBay parts can be a gamble too, no guarantee the used freehub you grab isn't just someone else's rusty problem.