# Freehub removal campagnolo vento



## starphoto (Jul 27, 2007)

I would like to service the freehub on my campagnolo vento wheels as they seem to be getting louder. Plus I'm sort of a fanatic on service and maintenace on my colnago. I have spoken to campy regarding removal but their response is that there is the 5mm allen wrench internal to hold the axle to unscrew the axle nut on the drive side. There is no 5mm hex internal. Any help or advise would be appreciated.


----------



## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*General advice*



starphoto said:


> I would like to service the freehub on my campagnolo vento wheels as they seem to be getting louder. Plus I'm sort of a fanatic on service and maintenace on my colnago. I have spoken to campy regarding removal but their response is that there is the 5mm allen wrench internal to hold the axle to unscrew the axle nut on the drive side. There is no 5mm hex internal. Any help or advise would be appreciated.


First of all, getting louder (while you coast, I presume) is NOT a sign that your freehub has a problem. It is most likely a sign that there is less lube in the pawl/ratchet system and this can be easily remedied by applying light grease or gear lube to the pawls.

I have not worked on Ventos, but assuming they are similar to other Campy hubs, the following procedure should work just fine.

1. remove the cassette cogs.
2. remove the axle. This may involve loosening the lock nut and cone on one or both sides and may require either 5mm allen wrenchs inserted into the ends of the axle or the use of cone wrenches.
3. if there is one, remove the allen screw that is visible in the splines of the freehub body
4.slide the freehub body off - the pawls and spring may pop out, so be prepared.
5. clean everything, grease the pawls and all other metal-metal contact surfaces and slide the freehub back on.
6. reassemble the hub, properly adjust the bearings, and off you go


----------



## starphoto (Jul 27, 2007)

Kerry Irons said:


> First of all, getting louder (while you coast, I presume) is NOT a sign that your freehub has a problem. It is most likely a sign that there is less lube in the pawl/ratchet system and this can be easily remedied by applying light grease or gear lube to the pawls.
> 
> I have not worked on Ventos, but assuming they are similar to other Campy hubs, the following procedure should work just fine.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the response;
This is what the procedure should be, However, there is no set screw in the freehub, when I remove the non-drive side axle nut and spacer I have the hollow axle with no internal hex tooling in neither the axle or the axle nut. After removing the dust cover it reveals the sealed bearings which I assume are pressed in the hub and the freehub, and they are fine. I am only trying to get to the pawls and ratchet mechanism to lube and clean. One thought I had was that campy set this up with a double nut setup on the non-drive side to break loose the drive side axle nut. Campy also added that it is a left hand thread.


----------



## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*instructions..*

Usually, you can download most instructions from the Campy website. I tried the Vento wheel instructions this morning, but got a message that the file was damaged. Here's the link to the hub spare parts. See page 20 of the PDF, it shows a Centaur level hub, which should be made like yours. Unlike the higher level loose ball bearing hubs, Centaur and below use cartridge bearings and a different axle setup. It appear as though the nut on the right end of the axle must be held and the left end of the axle unscrewed. Then the axle should just slip out to the right, but you may have to tap on it gently.

http://www.campagnolo.com/repository/documenti/en/Spares08_B_1007.pdf

The higher level hubs have an axle end with left hand threads on the right end (page 19).


----------



## starphoto (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks for the info. This is the breakdown for my hub and axle setup. But now that I see the way this is assembled it is really not intended to be serviced that much with a pressed in axle shaft. I can service it a few times without messing up the bearings so I'll service this first time and look at another wheelset with better hubs.


----------



## Rob Davenport (Jun 30, 2009)

*campag vento noisy freewheel*

Thanks for the info on this thread. I have just dissassembled my rear hub. I loosened and removed the LH nut and withdrew the axle carefully complete with spline, revealing the freewheel pawls. I repacked them with grease, both under the pawl and round the serated bit into which it inserts. I used my trusty 30yr can of whitish Duckhams Keenol stayput grease. I carefully reinserted the axle while pressing the pawls in for the final few mm. Everything went swimmingly and it now is as quiet as my other bike fitted with Shimano. I think the engineering is OK although I suspect once the hub is worn there will be no adjustment. I have always heard that Campag have a reputation for noisy freewheels, I just wonder if they don't pack grease under and over the pawls, as maybe its not an engineering necessity, maybe more an asthetic quietness thing. Or is it laziness at the assembly stage - its easier to wipe a bit of grease where the ratchet inserts? who knows? Anyway i will be able to talk to fellow cyclists while freewheeling now! - I'll see how long it lasts or whether i will regret going against the usual bike shop advice of - "leave it alone, all campag hubs are noisy, theres nothing wrong with it"


----------



## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

Grease does not belong on freehub pawls. Light machine oil, or Phil Wood's tenacious at heaviest.

The grease will slow down the pawl action and increase risk of slipping. This becomes increasingly more likely as the temperature goes down and the grease gets thicker and stickier.


----------



## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*No grease?*



Spunout said:


> Grease does not belong on freehub pawls. Light machine oil, or Phil Wood's tenacious at heaviest.
> 
> The grease will slow down the pawl action and increase risk of slipping. This becomes increasingly more likely as the temperature goes down and the grease gets thicker and stickier.


That's funny, because I have been using grease for 12 seasons and well over 100,000 miles. No problems here. I must live in a parallel universe.


----------



## Bill70J (Sep 23, 2004)

*Agree*



Kerry Irons said:


> That's funny, because I have been using grease for 12 seasons and well over 100,000 miles. No problems here. I must live in a parallel universe.


And you will find that Campagnolo replacement freehub bodies come pre-greased with their light, beige-colored grease.


----------

