# Alfine 8 developed coasting resistance



## Adie.mitchell (Mar 23, 2016)

Hello all,
i am currently riding an alfine-8-equipped dirt road tourer in South Amerca (Bolivia at the moment, see cadenceofcompany.blogspot.com).

Summary: Alfine 8 with 3000mi on it suddenly develops resistance while coasting. After oil change and re-greasing, the problem is worse. No shifting problems, hub looked good inside.

Here are some details. The hub has been fine for several years but recently developed a problem. When coasting, there is a lot of resistance within he hub. i recently left the bike parked (indoors) for a few days while doing a side trip. When I returned, and rode the bike again, I noticed the coasting resistance.

I am running a rear derailleur as a chain tensioner. When I stop pedalling, the derailleur is pulled forward and the upper section of chain (from top of chainring to top of sprocket) completely loses tension, dropping down below the chain stay. Additionally, when walking the bike, the cranks rotate with the wheel, which they didn't do before. There is no noticeable extra drag while pedalling, only while coasting.

After some online research, I decided it was time to give the hub internals an oil bath and a regrease. This is the first time, the hub has a couple thousand (mostly dry) miles on it. Here are the details from the strip-down:

-The nds locknut was loose (only hand tight) but the cone actually felt ok
-The rubber, drive side dust seal (inboard of the sprocket) was misshapen.
-The grease on the Interior of the hub was a little discolored but there was not much rust. I expected worse to be honest (photo available)
-After soaking and drip drying in automatic transmission fluid, I greased all ball bearings and roller bearings with a general purpose automotive grease (remember, I'm in Bolivia, proper bike stuff is in many cases unavailable). Compared to a lithium grease or other dedicated bearing grease I have used, I would guess this was a little bit thicker (more viscous). 
-There were metal particles left behind in the ATF, but that's expected for the first oil change.

After rebuilding, adjusting cones, remounting wheel and cassette joint, the shifting is flawless (as it was before) but the problem of coasting resistance remained. Indeed it seems slightly worse. The problem is not sprocket rub or the cassette joint, as the resistance is still there when those are removed (or the sprocket just placed lightly in position and rotated by hand). With the cassette joint removed, and the wheel on my lap, the axle turns easily in one direction (equivalent of the rim rotating forwards), but requires a wrench on the axle flats to rotate in the other direction (equivalent of the rim rotating backwards). If I hold the rim and rotate the cog backwards (equivalent of coasting) there is a lot of resistance.

Disclosure: (Other things about my use of the hub that may be relevant)
- I have always used the hub with a lower than recommended gear ratio (32/20, and currently, with a double front chainring and chain tensioner, my low ratio is now 20/20)
- when I first got the hub I had trouble tuning the shifting (with a j-tek bar end shifter). J-trek sent me a new shifter, which improved the situation but I still had to tune the shifting once a week while touring. Now, I have no shifting problems. 
- a couple times over the years I have noticed loose nds cones, and/or loose axle bolts.

I think that (exhaustively) covers my current situation. Thoughts?

Thanks!
Adie


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Bearing cones are too tight.


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## Adie.mitchell (Mar 23, 2016)

Hi Persuiter,
Actually when I put the hub back together a few days ago, I think I left the cones a little loose (or at least, there is some play in the axle right now which I assume is loose cone). I didn't touch the right bearing cones, only the left. So it is possible that the right hand cone is tight. 

However, based on experience with non-IGH hubs, wouldn't overly tight cones affect resistance regardless of which direction the hub was spinning? Why would it be only while coasting?

Thanks,
Adie


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Sounds like you didn't lock down the cones tight enough and they have screwed themselves in.


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## Adie.mitchell (Mar 23, 2016)

So we are talking drive-side cone here?

Adie


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Both, driveside and non-driveside adjust together. Best is to be sure driveside is locked tight, then adjust the hub's bearings by manipulating the non-driveside cone/locknut.


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## Adie.mitchell (Mar 23, 2016)

Ok, I got hold of some cone wrenches and readjusted the nds cone. While playing with it, I discovered the following:

If the cone is really loose (can rattle the axle) then the coasting friction(judged by turning the sprocket by hand) is much reduced. 

If the cone is adjusted properly, there is a lot of friction.

Thoughts?


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## Wombat (Jan 25, 2004)

Adie.mitchell said:


> If the cone is really loose (can rattle the axle) then the coasting friction(judged by turning the sprocket by hand) is much reduced. If the cone is adjusted properly, there is a lot of friction.
> 
> Thoughts?


In my experience with other Shimano hubs (non-alfine) this is always fixed with new bearings and cones. I assume the pitting the in old ones makes it impossible to correctly set the tension.

Tim


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Adie.mitchell said:


> ...If the cone is adjusted properly, there is a lot of friction.
> 
> Thoughts?


Not on any of my Alfines, properly adjusted they run freely and coast on the bike stand the same as a freehub.


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