A freecoaster hub is a hub that allows
your pedals to stay put while the
wheel is rolling backwards. If you ride flatland you will eventually have to
have a freecoaster hub. Freecoaster hubs do need more maintenance than other
parts of the bike and if you ride flatland you must learn to maintain it
yourself. If the hub is too tight or too loose and you ride it you will be
guaranteed that it will self destruct. The maintenance is easy though and if
you take care of your hub you will have no problems with it.
Tools Needed: 17mm open ended wrench
24mm Nankai Cone Wrench
Adjustable wrench
Cone wrench: A thin wrench designed
to fit on the thin surface of the bearing cones.
Hub maintenance is impossible without the proper tools.
On the non drive side of the hub
there is an outer lock nut and a 17mm hex
nut underneath it. Put a wrench on each of these nuts and tighten them
against each other. This countertightening essentially locks them in place.
If you dont do this, you hub will come out of adjustment in minutes.
Using a bench mounted vice, clamp
the vice down onto the non drive side cone
lock nut. This will allow the wheel to stay in one place and make adjustment
easier.
This is the step where you will be
doing all of your adjusting. The
adjustment are done on the drive side of the hub. On this side of the hub you
will find a cone nut sitting close
to the cog/driver and an outer locknut.
1) Using the 24mm Nankai cone wrench hold it in place while loosening the
outer lock nut with the adjustable wrench.
2) Move the cone with the wrench so any play in the hub disappears but still
rolls smooth.
3) Hold the cone in place with the cone wrench while tightening the other
lock nut against it. As a final adjustment tighten the cone and lock nut
against each other to lock them in place just as you did on the non drive
side.
4) Remove the wheel from the vice and spin the wheel while holding the outer
lock nuts to check adjustment. It usually takes several tries to get it
perfect so put the hub back in the vice and repeat the adjustment until you
get it correct. The hub should roll smoothly with no side to side play.
