# Joytech freehub body removal



## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

got a 2017 Kona unit and the freewheel has a gross griding sound. I can't seem to get the freehub body off. I've only worked on Mavic freehubs in which the body just slides off. Is it possible to remove the Joytech? I know these are garbage hubs but I haven't even ridden the bike yet. 
Any help is appreciated


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I'm guessing that you're using a 9mm skewer? Remove it.

Remove the axle buy lossening the lock nut and nut on one side of the hub and,

I'm guessing that you'll need a 10mm hex wrench to remove loosen and remove the freehub?


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## LarryFahn (Jul 19, 2005)

I'd say just ride it. If there's an issue, it'll probably be taken care of under warranty. 
If you have to remove the freehub, you'll have to have a very stable workbench and vice. Put the 10mm in the vice and the wheel on top of the wrench. Turn the wheel ccw. It will be on there VERY tight.


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

Yes, 9mm QR. No warranty most likely, I bought it used. I'm going to take it apart again this weekend and give another crack at it. If I can't figure it out I'll just ride it like you said Larry and see what happens.


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

It takes an 11mm hex. No bike shops have one. I've been to hardware stores and auto stores. Looks like there are some on the web for sale. Why the heck would they use such an uncommon size?


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## LarryFahn (Jul 19, 2005)

Wtf?


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

I'm currently looking for a rear wheel replacement in 27.5+. I ordered the right size wrench but it probably wont even be worth my time to try and fix this POS


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Correct. The possibility of fixing this might be moot, but I would at least make an effort to find and correct the problem. 

Have you ever serviced this freehub?


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

No, It's fairly new. Bought the bike used. I can't find much out there for a replacement wheel that's not super expensive. I'm gonna do my best to fix it though


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

No dice. I used a 7/16 allen and literally stood on top of it and the freehub would not budge. What a POS. New wheel time I suppose, but It's not easy finding a 27.5+ without a boost hub at a decent price


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## Slash5 (Nov 27, 2011)

Put the hex wrench in a vice and turn the wheel. Or a big piece of pipe on the wrench.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

It will take some effort, but it will come loose. 

If new wheels are too expensive for you and you're not able to service it back to life, then a replacement freehub can be acquired for a reasonable price. 

If you go the replacement route, anti-seize the freehub bolt threads and torque correctly.


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## tk1971 (Aug 10, 2007)

My 2016 Unit’s Joytech hub started slipping under load. Being a singlespeed I almost lost my nuts when that happened. 

I got the correct 11mm and a 5 ft breaker bar. Still no go. Did some Googling and read that some Joytech freehubs are welded.

Good news is that a DT Swiss 350 fits right in. I even re-used most of the spokes and nipples... most.

Good luck.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Charles1944 (Feb 2, 2019)

Do you put the 11mm into the hub from the outside or the inside? Thanks in advance.


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## Charles1944 (Feb 2, 2019)

Remember it is very likely reverse threaded.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

It's not reverse threaded.


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## Charles1944 (Feb 2, 2019)

Did you ever get that free hub to come loose?


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## HenryC460 (Jun 29, 2019)

I know this is an old thread. It came up in the search. Maybe this is useful to someone.

On my ~2009 Rockhopper, remove the wheel from the bike. Unscrew a 17 mm hex nut off one end. My non-drive-side nut came off first. Remove other stuff. Pull out axle. Nine big loose balls on each side. To remove the freehub, insert a 3/8" square socket drive into the 12-pointed hole in the center of the freehub. A 12 mm or 7/16" Allen wrench might work, but they don't come in standard sets, and 12 teeth is divisible by 4, and a 3/8" extension fits nicely and it is compatible with a breaker bar. It's right-handed threads. You unscrew it counterclockwise from the drive side or drive on out the drive side by turning clockwide on the non-drive side. The piece you're turning is like a captive screw in the freehub body. The body itself engages a set of lugs on the hub proper. If your new freehub fits this set of lugs, you can probably toss what you took off. I serviced mine.

(One thing that didn't work is a 1/4" bolt with opposing 1/4" nuts on it for locknuts and try to use the 7/16" wrench flats on the bolts hex head as an improvised Allen wrench. That only removed the head from the bolt.)

To service, re-install the freehub. You'll need to use the wheel as a wrench. Next step is seriously tight. Left handed threads too. On the outer end of the freehub, over where the 9 balls were in the drive side bearings is the metal part of a grease seal. From the outside, it looks like a semitoroid dish, like a moat. Pry it out with a tire lever. Below it, the bearing race in the end of the freehub has two notches. Good luck finding a wrench.* If you have one, it's left-handed threads to get the bearing race out. Twenty five little balls on either end and three pawls held to the center part by a thin springy wire ring. The pawls click on 15 ramped teeth on the inside of the freehub body. One of my pawls had a burr on the end, which I removed with a whetstone.

(Note: you don't have to remove the freehub body to service it. Use your 2 lug spanner* to remove the bearing race described above. You will then have access to the pawls and all the little bearings. You can leave the center of the freehub attached to the hub. You will literally miss nothing.)

I stuck the little balls back in their races with grease. It is not a good idea to pack the freehub with grease, unless you like the pedals to turn when you coast. Once you wipe off most of that grease and apply a little oil, the situation is not so bad. (I used 15W Motorcraft Diesel motor oil. I don't think that is an ideal choice or a problem, and I don't expect to service the freehub next time, beyond swapping out the entire rear wheel.) Or follow service directions from someone who isn't making it up as he goes along.

*You need a tool that fits into 0.150" wide slots and is about 1 1/8" in diameter. I made one from a 3/4" grade 8 bolt (1" wrench flats, a little over 1 1/8" across hex points). Hacksaw down about 1/8" in two parallel cuts a little over 1/8" apart. Cut in from the wrench flat perpendicularly to remove a piece from each side. File the raised bar that remains until it is 0.150" thick. File down hex points so it will fit into a 1 1/8" hole. Grip the threads in a vise, better yet, file a couple of flats and get a really good grip on it. Clean off all the filings and shavings. Use that little bar raised bar you've left on top of the bolt head to engage the slots in the bearing race.


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## gnatsOnTeeth (Mar 2, 2019)

*Freehub bearing preload adjustment to correct chain drop*

[It's ridiculous to have to preface new posts to old threads with a date related disclaimer, but that's the eco-system here. We're sharing knowledge in the hope of helping others with similar troubles, and in a relevant thread. As HenryC460 points out, mtbr.com is a database indexed on search engines. His reply is SPOT-ON and a huge help!]

More joy with JoyTech. Nashbar 29er ridden hard for over a year. Last week trouble developed when coasting. The freehub would randomly turn with the rear wheel and throw the chain into the tire and below the stays while ripping it from the chainring. Dangerous and frustrating. There's a post which describes how this type of trouble was resolved at a shop by removing the o-ring between the freehub body and hub. I've done that as well, fortunate to have a 12mm allen from the backside.

But I think it's wobble caused by wear which allowed the freehub to end up off center and the o-ring to bind with the hub. So HenryC460's procedure for servicing freehub bearings is the solution. (It looked like an 11mm allen was involved in addition to the custom tool for the race?) An eBay vendor in Canada has a replacement freehub for $15. But if I can remove the play which the freehub developed, I could likely reinstall the o-ring. 
[Joytech freehub removed]


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