New wheels or new frame?

[Aerate]

My poor old On One Inbred has been through the wars of late, but has been pretty reliable despite having to tote children around on bike seats, in trailers and most recently on a Tagalong.

However it has developed an issue that has me stumped - the freewheel is not working properly but seems to jam for a revolution of the wheeler so and then free itself, sometimes I have to take a lot of 'slack' up which is fairly unpleasant when there is a three-year-old on the back and the going is icy!

I changed all the hub bearings and the cassette (possibly the freewheel itself too) in the past couple of years, so I would usually blame the freewheel and my own incompetence as a mechanic. However the 'sticking' freewheel is worse on the middle ring up front, which seems to indicate some sort of alignment issue. I did have to straighten the gear hanger a couple of years ago too.

Both of my mechanical fumblings were over a year ago and this issue has only occurred in the last fortnight. I can't really be bothered to strip the hubs again, so a new wheel set would be one option, equally I don't think the gear hanger has much 'flex' left in it so a new frame would seem better than another fix.

But which to do? I don't have the cash for both, but I need to get it sorted as it is a daily issue...

[gazza285]

What wheels are they?

[Aerate]

Mavic 317s on a Shimano Deore hub of some description.

[gazza285]

A new freehub is £15 to £20, and not that difficult to replace. A new Deore hub is about the same price, so I tend to buy a hub and replace the freehub, axle, cones and bearings at the same time.

[lukeyman]

I'm pretty sure I've got a deore rear hub gathering dust in the shed! I don't usually throw stuff away. One of the disc bolt holes cracked so I took it out of the wheel.

Should be 8 or 9spd vintage. If I can find it and its any use you're welcome to it for bits.

[Aerate]

Thanks lukeyman. Your email managed to jog my memory, I did replace the free hub and cones and bearings - the lot. It was quite a faff getting the tension on the cones right I recall... I don't really fancy going through all that again - also I recall that the hub 'cups' were pretty badly scored. So if it is the verdict of Pedal Powered that it is definitely the free hub that is gone and not the frame alignment, I shall save up for a new wheel set.

[gazza285]

Aerate said:

It was quite a faff getting the tension on the cones right I recall...

Tighten the drive side cone to the locknut tight first, then adjust the non drive cone so there is a little play. Lock the non drive locknut onto the cone, then using a spanner on each side of the hub, tighten until there is no play. If you go too far, then unlock the non drive side nut, loosen the cone and try again.