# How often do you lube the hub ratchet & pawl?



## bvber (Apr 23, 2011)

My Mavic Aksium rear wheel gets louder when coasting around 6 months after putting lube between pawl and ratchet. When it happened for the first time (new wheels), I took it apart and noticed somewhat dry surface of ratchet teeth. So I put some Park Tool Polylube grease and it quieted down a lot. Fast forward 6 months of moderate riding, it's gotten louder again. The wheels of other brand I have don't go through this change. 

Is this brand specific or do you lube your ratchet teeth on regular bases?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Definitely brand specific. Many hubs don't even have pawls/springs. If it took 6 months for yours to get noisy then I'd recommend cleaning and lubing (NOT with grease) sooner than that. Use oil...Mobil1 works great and a quart will last you for decades.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Mostly brand specific. Shimano are the quietest. DT Swiss are one of the noisiest. Mavic falls somewhere in between.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

You need to live with some noise. I'm sure grease would quite them down a lot but you really shouldn't use grease. The pawls might not work especially it if gets really cold.

I think I recall hearing Mavic recommends mineral oil. Which if pretty thin and wouldn't quiet them down as much as grease......but if you want to insure the pawls work I'd accept the bit of extra noise.


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## bvber (Apr 23, 2011)

But do all of them need to be lubed on regular basis? My 1.5 year old Vuelta wheel's pawls haven't been lubed since buying them new and didn't notice any change in the loudness of pawls. I'm wondering if something is making the lube in my Mavic pawls to dry out. :confused5:


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

bvber said:


> But do all of them need to be lubed on regular basis? My 1.5 year old Vuelta wheel's pawls haven't been lubed since buying them new and didn't notice any change in the loudness of pawls. *I'm wondering if something is making the lube in my Mavic pawls to dry out.* :confused5:


Absolutely, something does and it is the passage of time. Lubing is a reoccurring event.

Mavics need more frequent cleaning and lubing than others. Not so much for the pawls but more for the bushing and the rubber seal they use to keep water and impurities out. If these are allowed to deteriorate the entire hub will be wasted. 
So, if the pawls are screaming at you, listen to them.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

dcgriz said:


> Absolutely, something does and it is the passage of time.


Time? Or miles?


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

Lombard said:


> Time? Or miles?


Both. Oil tends to dry out when exposed to ambient conditions. The only sealing available on Mavic is the rubber seal pressing against the bushing. Not a robust seal at any rate.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Jay Strongbow said:


> You need to live with some noise. I'm sure grease would quite them down a lot but you really shouldn't use grease. The pawls might not work especially it if gets really cold.
> 
> I think I recall hearing Mavic recommends mineral oil. Which if pretty thin and wouldn't quiet them down as much as grease......but if you want to insure the pawls work I'd accept the bit of extra noise.


The "mineral oil" is just a translation from French for "petroleum based" rather than vegetable based. Any oil works, and the higher the viscosity the quieter the hub. I use a mix of light grease (for durability) and oil. I relube the cassette pawls roughly every 10K miles and with Campy hubs this keeps things quiet. The hubs are a little louder in very warm weather.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

dcgriz said:


> Both. Oil tends to dry out when exposed to ambient conditions.


Not really. You can put a puddle of oil in a metal pan and leave it outside (out of the sun) for years. It may very slowly oxidize but won't "dry out."


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

cxwrench said:


> Definitely brand specific. Many hubs don't even have pawls/springs. If it took 6 months for yours to get noisy then I'd recommend cleaning and lubing (NOT with grease) sooner than that. Use oil...Mobil1 works great and a quart will last you for decades.


+1 for Mobil1. I bought a quart about 3 years ago and it's still almost full.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

Kerry Irons said:


> Not really. You can put a puddle of oil in a metal pan and leave it outside (out of the sun) for years. It may very slowly oxidize but won't "dry out."


I will let the Mavic hub know of this next time I find its oil to be sticky.

Jokes aside, what you are saying about the puddle of oil is true in a benign environment. However the innards of a hub is not a benign environment as water and dirt find their way inside and coat its surfaces. Additionally, you start with a light film of oil rather than a puddle, making the oiled surfaces less tolerant to impurity concentrations. 

My previous statement about "both time and miles" assumes that the wheel has seen some use prior to being intermittently stored. Although admittedly I could have been more clear, you are taking my message out of context by selectively addressing only part of it.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

Been using SAE 80-90W automotive gear oil on Campy & Zipp freehubs. I coat the pawls, ensure the oil penetrates, and also coat the ratchet in the hub.
I typically check it about every 5K miles and it looks fine, but as long as it's disassembled, I wipe clean & relube again.
I prefer some freehub ratchet sound, and heavy gear oil preserves that sound, whereas even a light grease makes the hub _too _quiet.
Last week the pawl tension spring in my Campy freehub broke, only 1 of 3 pawls was engaging, and I mainly noticed it because the hub became very quiet!


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## bvber (Apr 23, 2011)

tom_h said:


> I typically check it about every 5K miles and it looks fine


Mine changed sound within 1000 miles. :confused5:

I cleaned the pawl and ratchet yesterday and put some Mobile 1 motor oil and it sounds little different (smoother). I'll see how it goes.


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