Campy rear hub pawls mystery.

[Mitford]

When I slid off the freehub the pawls fell off. How on earth do you get them to stay in position when reassembling the freehub?

 

[HLaB]

Sounds like your pawl spring is bust, it holds them in place.

 

[Mitford]

I didn't see any pawl spring!

 

[HLaB]

I didn't see any pawl spring!

Its probably fell apart, it varies by hub type but with mine its a single wire loop that goes round the hub and through the center of the pawl spring to make them engage on drive, I'll see if I can find a picture.

 

[HLaB]

Thats what mine look like. I'll see if i can find an example of the assembly.

 

[HLaB]

 

[Mitford]

Thanks very much HLab. My pawls don't have anything like that groove for the spring to sit in, so I'm wondering if it is some different arrangement.

 

[accountantpete]

Some pawls have individual springs under each one - there is a little hollow in the pawl and the hub that the spring fits into.

The springs will look like a shorter version of this

 

[Mitford]

Thanks Pete, that is what I have. It seems very difficult to keep the pawls and springs in place while sliding the freehub into position. I wonder if I'm missing something.

 

[accountantpete]

Thanks Pete, that is what I have. It seems very difficult to keep the pawls and springs in place while sliding the freehub into position. I wonder if I'm missing something.

With a bit of experience you can position the freehub outside the hub and then gently tease each pawl into the hub in turn.

However the best bet is to get a very small rubber band and put it around the pawls so that it holds them down and in place.

Then thread some dental floss through the rubber band.

Insert the pawls three quarters of the way into the hub and pull the band away with the floss.

Finally insert the freehub all the way - job done.

 

[Mitford]

Ah Pete, you're a hero. I tried my own version of this yesterday using thread to hold the pawls, but that wasn't very successful, I'll have a go later with the lacky band.

 

[Mitford]

Brilliant Pete, thanks again, it worked like a dream, I used a thin elastic band, knotted to shorten it, and that meant I didn't need the floss.