# servicing Bontrager Race Lite TLR rear hub



## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

I'm trying to figure out how to remove the freehub and also get access to the bearings. So far I can't seem to figure out how to do this. Searching the webz yielded no result. Does anyone have any clue?

This hub has endcaps without the hex key. It's just smooth round. So I can't put in opposing hex keys and remove the endcaps. Very strange.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

All you need is an axle vice. They just pull off like a DT hub. Drive mechanism is different (3 pawls on the free hub) but they assemble and disassemble just like the DT 240 etc.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

I tried to use my hand to yank the freehub (without the cassette) out like a DT, but freehub won't budge. I did have a firm grip on the freehub body. Failing that, I then put the cassette back in and tried to yank on the cassette, again freehub gave no sign of budging out. I don't recall pulling out a DT freehub would take this much effort; usually a light yank and wiggle on the freehub was all it took, and sometimes the freehub would fall out by itself if you dangle the wheel by holding onto the freehub.

But I don't have an axle vice, is there any trick could I use to pull the freehub out? Hmm might have to go for the vise gripper to pull the cap off, but I'm afraid this metod will most likely leave some marks on the endcaps. What choices do I have?

BTW, I have the Bontrager Race Lite TLR, not the Race X Lite TLR. Bontrager states that the Race X Lite is the wheelset with DT internals, but the Race Lite doesn't have DT internals. But, this make a difference in what you wrote above?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

No threads. It just pulls apart. I guess some are tighter than others. Don't use vise grips.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Ok I finally gave up trying to yank that sucker out. So brought it to an LBS and the mech put in a vise and yanked it out in 3 seconds. (He also couldn't pull it out by hand). But once the freehub has been pulled out and put back in, it is now subsequently very easy to remove by hand. So I guess the first time removing the freehub is the most difficult, easy thereafter.

btw cx, where did you get that pdf drawing? Anyway I can download a copy?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

It's from the dealer only Trek tech site. I'm sure there are others out there, but this one is password protected. The first time removing the axle caps can be snug, they get easier over time as the o-rings wear a bit. If they could be removed by pulling w/ your fingers I'd want to replace the o-rings or the entire cap.


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## mjensen2k (Mar 12, 2015)

cxwrench said:


> It's from the dealer only Trek tech site. I'm sure there are others out there, but this one is password protected. The first time removing the axle caps can be snug, they get easier over time as the o-rings wear a bit. If they could be removed by pulling w/ your fingers I'd want to replace the o-rings or the entire cap.


Would you be willing to log into that site and let me know the spoke lengths for the Bontrager RXL TLR wheels? I believe the rears are 300mm and 292mm but don't know the front and I'm looking to pickup a couple spare spokes.

Thanks!


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

mjensen2k said:


> Would you be willing to log into that site and let me know the spoke lengths for the Bontrager RXL TLR wheels? I believe the rears are 300mm and 292mm but don't know the front and I'm looking to pickup a couple spare spokes.
> 
> Thanks!


It says the fronts are 290mm. Oddly enough for both '14 and '15 it says both DS and NDS are 298mm...that doesn't sound right to me, the DS flange is way bigger and both sides are 2x. Lemme know if you need any more help.


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## mjensen2k (Mar 12, 2015)

cxwrench said:


> It says the fronts are 290mm. Oddly enough for both '14 and '15 it says both DS and NDS are 298mm...that doesn't sound right to me, the DS flange is way bigger and both sides are 2x. Lemme know if you need any more help.


Well, 290mm is what my trigonometry came up with as well.  so that's good! Not sure about the rear lengths you found. Those are definitely odd. For the rear, I'm going to go with the lengths I mentioned.

I will post back when I get the spokes and rebuild them!


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

mjensen2k said:


> Well, 290mm is what my trigonometry came up with as well.  so that's good! Not sure about the rear lengths you found. Those are definitely odd. For the rear, I'm going to go with the lengths I mentioned.
> 
> I will post back when I get the spokes and rebuild them!


Just for the hell of it I checked the RXL and they show an 8mm difference between the DS and NDS...300 & 292. I think you're on the right track w/ your calculations.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

cxwrench said:


> Just for the hell of it I checked the RXL and they show an 8mm difference between the DS and NDS...300 & 292. I think you're on the right track w/ your calculations.


Now I'm not saying the Trek Tech Site is infallible but I would indeed expect the RXL to have shorter NDS spokes since the NDS is radial on that wheel. In a nicely tangential crossed lacing (as you have on both sides of the RL), the change to spoke length doesn't vary much with flange diameter. 

I'm not sure what "Versatz Speichenloch" really translates to but on the DT spoke length calc, it's basically how you define the geometry of a straightpull flange and it's easy to set it so that the left/right spokes are the same length on that hub (though I have no idea how to actually measure this value).

When I've used said DT spoke calc to do spoke lengths on Bontrager wheels being rebuilt with different rims, I've had to alter that "Versatz Speichenloch" value until the outputted spoke length matches the Trek Tech Site specs, and then go in and change the rim ERD to the new rim.


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## mjensen2k (Mar 12, 2015)

nhluhr said:


> Now I'm not saying the Trek Tech Site is infallible but I would indeed expect the RXL to have shorter NDS spokes since the NDS is radial on that wheel. In a nicely tangential crossed lacing (as you have on both sides of the RL), the change to spoke length doesn't vary much with flange diameter.
> 
> I'm not sure what "Versatz Speichenloch" really translates to but on the DT spoke length calc, it's basically how you define the geometry of a straightpull flange and it's easy to set it so that the left/right spokes are the same length on that hub (though I have no idea how to actually measure this value).
> 
> When I've used said DT spoke calc to do spoke lengths on Bontrager wheels being rebuilt with different rims, I've had to alter that "Versatz Speichenloch" value until the outputted spoke length matches the Trek Tech Site specs, and then go in and change the rim ERD to the new rim.


I tried taking the end-caps off last night... "It's just a DT Swiss hub, it should pop right off". Ugh - no joy. Yeah, I don't have an axle clamp or a vice but I do have vice grips. Yeah, I know. The rear caps came off fine, but the front ones not so much. I got them to pop out like 1/2 an inch, but refused to completely come free.

I'm really just sort of venting here. I'm sure that the right tools make the job better. I'd be happy to buy the axle clamp, but not really the vice as I'm all about trying to keep my living situation light and nimble.

So the real question... That 1/2 inches that it's presently out? are there basically two o-rings in there that are holding it in there? Perhaps I got it past the first one and it's hung up on the second?


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## mjensen2k (Mar 12, 2015)

mjensen2k said:


> ...
> So the real question... That 1/2 inches that it's presently out? are there basically two o-rings in there that are holding it in there? Perhaps I got it past the first one and it's hung up on the second?


The answer is yes. Basically two o rings. Very stubborn but eventually I got it. 

The front rebuilt fine and my girlfriend is using it. The rear however... 

I was tensioning it up and the spokes bottomed out. Big time. 

These are the same spokes in the same spots. Just different nipples. The stock ones were alpine hex locking. By switching to standard 12mm alloy would it need different length spokes? 

(I'm not saying the front spokes aren't long... I just didn't notice as they didn't bottom out.) 

Ideas?


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