Campagnolo 8-speed hub to 10-speed conversion possible?

[saab2000]

I have a set of Campagnolo 8-speed wheels. The hubs are in perfect condition and are laced to a set of Ambrosio Nemesis rims. Fine wheels but not in use so much at the moment.

Can I convert the hub to accept a 10-speed freehub body? I use Campagnolo 10-speed for all my regular rides and would like to use these wheels if I can.

Thanks!

[Mark McM]

Technically, yes(*). Campagnolo made 9/10spd freehub bodies that would fit right onto the axle of most 8spd hubs - I've converted several of my own 8spd Campagnolo hubs. However, they have not made these freehubs for several years, so it may be difficult to locate one.

(*) There were a few 8spd hubs which had tight clearances between the derailleur and spokes, and 9 & 10spd cassettes move the derailleur closer still to the spokes, so these hubs may have some clearance issues. However, this can usually be solved by using a cassette with a larger bottom sprocket, which moves the derailleur cage down to a spot with more spoke clearance.

[bfd]

Technically, yes(*). Campagnolo made 9/10spd freehub bodies that would fit right onto the axle of most 8spd hubs - I've converted several of my own 8spd Campagnolo hubs. However, they have not made these freehubs for several years, so it may be difficult to locate one.

(*) There were a few 8spd hubs which had tight clearances between the derailleur and spokes, and 9 & 10spd cassettes move the derailleur closer still to the spokes, so these hubs may have some clearance issues. However, this can usually be solved by using a cassette with a larger bottom sprocket, which moves the derailleur cage down to a spot with more spoke clearance.

At least for now, Campagnolo freehubs are still available. QBP list 3 types -

1. standard axle:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-campagnolo-9-10-11-cassettes-standard-axle-sku-fw9722-qc30.htm

2. oversized axle:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-campagnolo-9-10-11-cassettes-os-axle-sku-fw9850-qc30.htm

3. oversized axle to convert to Shimano/Sram 8/9/10:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-shimano-sram-8-9-10-cassettes-os-axle-sku-fw9853-qc30.htm

Good Luck!

[Pegoready]

I don't think any of the parts you listed will work on an 8-speed hub.

At least for now, Campagnolo freehubs are still available. QBP list 3 types -

1. standard axle:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-campagnolo-9-10-11-cassettes-standard-axle-sku-fw9722-qc30.htm

2. oversized axle:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-campagnolo-9-10-11-cassettes-os-axle-sku-fw9850-qc30.htm

3. oversized axle to convert to Shimano/Sram 8/9/10:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-shimano-sram-8-9-10-cassettes-os-axle-sku-fw9853-qc30.htm

Good Luck!

[Mark McM]

Careful there -

The 2nd and 3rd freehubs you list are for oversized axle hubs - no Campagnolo 8spd hub used an oversized axle.

I'm pretty sure the 1st freehub won't work either, as it uses a different design for the pawl and seal than was used on the 8spd hubs.

[maunahaole]

I'll defer to the oldspud on this one, but IIRC there is a Mirage hub from one year that has a 9/10/11 style FHB that will mate to an 8spd hub. The key is finding one. If I am wrong on this, someone please steer me correctly.

[bfd]

Careful there -

The 2nd and 3rd freehubs you list are for oversized axle hubs - no Campagnolo 8spd hub used an oversized axle.

I'm pretty sure the 1st freehub won't work either, as it uses a different design for the pawl and seal than was used on the 8spd hubs.

Agree, the oversized axle hubs definitely won't work on a Campy 8 spd hub. And looking at the description for the first one, it supposedly only fit the following:

"•Fits: Campagnolo Bullet, Scirocco, Vento and Khamsin wheels including CX variants, Fulcrum Red Wind and Racing 4, 5, 6 and 7 wheels, Campagnolo Mirage, Veloce and 2007/8 Centaur hubs"

Therefore, ebay may be your best and only bet. Good Luck!

[saab2000]

I guess we'll have to wait for the expertise of the Old Potato on this one.... It would appear he is one of the Zen masters on Campagnolo minutiae.

[zap]

You might want to contact Branford (sp?) Bikes as well. The shop used to have plenty of Campy small bits.

[oliver1850]

You need the freehub body off the next to last design Mirage hub (2004ish to 2006). It's the one with the same bell shaped shell as your 8 speed hub. The last generation Mirage hub (2007-2008) has a straight tapered shell, that FH body won't work.

Most Chorus/Record 8 hubs will require a custom spacer to make the Mirage FH body work. Several folks here are running 8 speed hubs with the Mirage FH body.

See this thread for a pic of the Mirage FH body that won't work, it's in wallyman's post.:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=106535

[cnighbor1]

buy new
You will have to redish them anyways

[Jaq]

You might want to contact Branford (sp?) Bikes as well. The shop used to have plenty of Campy small bits.

"Used to." They're great, great guys and recommend them highly for all kinds of info, but their collection of older parts (8-speed era) is pretty much non-existent. The only thing they've been able to supply parts for are the G-springs and carriers for 8-speed Ergopower shifters. Even the conversion part for turning 8-speed shifters into 9-speed shifters they no longer carry - and they were famous back in the day for quickly doing conversions.

As for converting the hub... my understanding (after an identical quest) was that it is possible, but that pretty much the only way to do it was to find a '90s era Athena hub (with the '90s-era bell shape) that carries a freehub with a modern 9/10/11 spline pattern.

The reason is that Campy really only made 1 year of Record and Chorus hubs with the modern 9/10/11 freehub pattern; 1998. In 1999, they went to the next generation of bigger hubs with bigger axles (and also changed the pawls & springs) . But they continued to make Athena 9/10/11 hubs with a modern-style spline pattern but bored for a narrower axle, and one that carried the 8-speed era pawls & springs.

So: find an Athena 9/10/11 hub (bell-shaped) on Ebay, pull off the freehub and it should be able to slip onto your Record, Chorus, or Athena 8-speed hub axle.

I'll defer to Mark's post above, as well as anyone who has more info; at the end of the day, I decided that it was just too much hassle to convert 8-speed hubs, especially as cups & cones are increasingly hard to find and - without the right tools - very difficult to remove & replace.

[saab2000]

buy new
You will have to redish them anyways

The wheels are probably not worth more than $150 at max. A new set of hubs (the hubs I want at least) are $600. Alchemy. I may as well try to use what I have and save a few hundred clams.

[ultraman6970]

Will be faster probably get a new hub (hubset), because it will be faster and cheaper than locate parts that are like 20 years old and if you find them will be used stuff, second reason is because those 8 speed hubs arent oversize, are good but are weak specially in the axles... and last reason is because i said so! :p

Good luck with your plan.

[saab2000]

Branford bike just got back to me and told me there's not really much possibility, at least not from their stock.

If anyone has any bright ideas, speak now or forever hold your piece!

[handsomerob]

Branford bike just got back to me and told me there's not really much possibility, at least not from their stock.

If anyone has any bright ideas, speak now or forever hold your piece!

I asked the same question and was able to do the conversion. What level hubs do you have?

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=101849

[saab2000]

I asked the same question and was able to do the conversion. What level hubs do you have?

Record 8-speed. With the bulbous shape on the cassette side. They were the version right before everything started to go 9 and 10 speed. They're 'relatively' low mileage hubs and would be used on a bike that doesn't get used all that much. So I think it is a worthy conversion, if possible.

[zmudshark]

I did this with a 9s Mirage freehub. I haven't seen one for sale for awhile, at least a year. I got mine at Crosslake Sales, but they don't have any in stock. I think it was about $30 for the complete hub.

Good luck.

[Kontact]

Can't find anything that says for sure, but I believe the Miche "M" series 8 and 9 speed cassettes fit on the old Campy 8 freehub body. (CA is current Campy and SH is Shimano/SRAM) So you could at least go to 9 by simply buying that cassette.

[David Benson]

You need a Mirage/Veloce freewheel which has a coil spring for each pawl.
Either FH-MI115 & FH-MI215 will do, the difference being the size of the lockring thread, 26mm or 27mm respectively.

FH-SC015, the more recent freewheel with the single wraparound pawl spring, will not fit into your hub.

There is also the possibility that you will need to find a different axle:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7687981108_55a03bbcd8_b.jpg

[oliver1850]

I did this with a 9s Mirage freehub. I haven't seen one for sale for awhile, at least a year. I got mine at Crosslake Sales, but they don't have any in stock. I think it was about $30 for the complete hub.

Good luck.

Add zmud to the list: bulldogge, junkfood, handsomerob, thwart, wallyman, and I have all done this conversion.

If you can't find the Mirage hub, I have one.

[buldogge]

Yep...3 or 4 running. Just need to find a 9s Mirage bell shaped hub (2004-2006 as Mark said). Zero issues, you may need to machine/cut a different length spacer between the freehub bearing and hub bearing.

-Mark in St. Louis

Add zmud to the list: bulldogge, junkfood, handsomerob, thwart, wallyman, and I have all done this conversion.

If you can't find the Mirage hub, I have one.

[Erik_A]

Keep the front wheel; sell the rear wheel on ebay. Take those proceeds plus what you would spend on a new hub and buy a new rear wheel. You will be fine going ghetto with 2 different rims - it will give you street cred!

http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com/road/build-your-own-custom-wheels/cat_57.html

[thwart]

Add zmud to the list: bulldogge, junkfood, handsomerob, thwart, wallyman, and I have all done this conversion.

If you can't find the Mirage hub, I have one.

Yep, my (well, my wife's) beautiful 8-spd Chorus hub lives on thanks to a donor 9-10 spd Mirage hub, and a custom spacer, fabricated by Mark. For some time you could buy them on the 'Bay for $30... there's only one available now... and the price is $88!

[oldpotatoe]

At least for now, Campagnolo freehubs are still available. QBP list 3 types -

1. standard axle:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-campagnolo-9-10-11-cassettes-standard-axle-sku-fw9722-qc30.htm

2. oversized axle:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-campagnolo-9-10-11-cassettes-os-axle-sku-fw9850-qc30.htm

3. oversized axle to convert to Shimano/Sram 8/9/10:
http://classic.aebike.com/product/campagnolo-fulcrum-freehub-body-for-shimano-sram-8-9-10-cassettes-os-axle-sku-fw9853-qc30.htm

Good Luck!

First is for the non stepped, cart bearing wheels and hubs. Not the Record/Chorus stepped, ball bearing type.

2 and 3 are for oversized aluminum axles.

The only one that worked was made in 1997/8 right after Campagnolo went to 9s and still had steel and titanium, 12mm axles.

[oldpotatoe]

"Used to." They're great, great guys and recommend them highly for all kinds of info, but their collection of older parts (8-speed era) is pretty much non-existent. The only thing they've been able to supply parts for are the G-springs and carriers for 8-speed Ergopower shifters. Even the conversion part for turning 8-speed shifters into 9-speed shifters they no longer carry - and they were famous back in the day for quickly doing conversions.

As for converting the hub... my understanding (after an identical quest) was that it is possible, but that pretty much the only way to do it was to find a '90s era Athena hub (with the '90s-era bell shape) that carries a freehub with a modern 9/10/11 spline pattern.

The reason is that Campy really only made 1 year of Record and Chorus hubs with the modern 9/10/11 freehub pattern; 1998. In 1999, they went to the next generation of bigger hubs with bigger axles (and also changed the pawls & springs) . But they continued to make Athena 9/10/11 hubs with a modern-style spline pattern but bored for a narrower axle, and one that carried the 8-speed era pawls & springs.

So: find an Athena 9/10/11 hub (bell-shaped) on Ebay, pull off the freehub and it should be able to slip onto your Record, Chorus, or Athena 8-speed hub axle.

I'll defer to Mark's post above, as well as anyone who has more info; at the end of the day, I decided that it was just too much hassle to convert 8-speed hubs, especially as cups & cones are increasingly hard to find and - without the right tools - very difficult to remove & replace.

NOT Athena, different freehub and axle. Need a REcord or Chorus of the day.

BTW-I have older 9s shift discs, spring carriers, springs, etc.

[saab2000]

Thanks for all the info!

It's probably not worth it in the end.... 9-speed doesn't help because I'm trying to use the wheels on 10-speed bikes. No biggie. Someone is going to get a bunch of killer 8-speed stuff when I get rid of the frame in question. It's a nice bike but I don't ride it much anymore.

The wheels will likely survive the end of the world. They are Record laced to Nemesis 32/32. Can't kill 'em.

[oldpotatoe]

You need a Mirage/Veloce freewheel which has a coil spring for each pawl.
Either FH-MI115 & FH-MI215 will do, the difference being the size of the lockring thread, 26mm or 27mm respectively.

FH-SC015, the more recent freewheel with the single wraparound pawl spring, will not fit into your hub.

There is also the possibility that you will need to find a different axle:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7687981108_55a03bbcd8_b.jpg

Yep, the axle for Athena/Mirage was different than Record and Chorus. SO, if the OP finds a Athena/Veloce FH body, he will need the axle as well.

[fuzzalow]

They are Record laced to Nemesis 32/32. Can't kill 'em.

I also went down this path years ago, when the rare parts needed to do the conversion were even less rare than they are now. And still, it was much too much bother to do. I re-laced the wheels by swapping out the hubs.

The Nemesis rims are worth saving if the brake tracks are still good.

[saab2000]

I also went down this path years ago, when the rare parts needed to do the conversion were even less rare than they are now. And still, it was much too much bother to do. I re-laced the wheels by swapping out the hubs.

The Nemesis rims are worth saving if the brake tracks are still good.

I have a bunch of Nemesis rims. Almost a lifetime supply of them. It's almost sick. I like them but they're not made of pixie dust or anything like that like some people think. But they are strong and durable if built properly.

[fuzzalow]

I have a bunch of Nemesis rims. Almost a lifetime supply of them. It's almost sick.

LOL, 'round here that isn't viewed with pity and shame as a sickness but with admiration and envy as divinatory.

[saab2000]

LOL, 'round here that isn't viewed with pity and shame as a sickness but with admiration and envy as divinatory.

Hoarding is a disease! :D