LOUD DT Swiss 190 freehub, help! ( I can't hear myself think)

[SoCalSteve]

Hi all,

I have a feeling there is a simple solution to this very loud ratchet sound coming from the free hub of my DT Swiss 190 rear hub. I know, I know...don't ever coast...

But, will someone ( in simple layman terms, as I'm not so bright ) explain how and where to lube the sucker, please. I'm sure this will quiet it down to a dull roar.

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

[Marcusaurelius]

I had some loud hubs once and the I had some heavy grease put inside with the pawls. I have read somewhere that doing this can void the warranty however it did make the hubs quieter.

[Louis]

Steve, is it a new or an older used hub?

I have no particular knowledge of DT hubs, so take the following the with requisite amount of salt:

If it's new and free-wheels with little drag I would leave it as is.

If it's seen lots of miles and this sort of thing is typical for DT hubs I would leave it as is.

If it's seen lots of miles and this is not typical I would overhaul the hub from the ground up.

Louis

[Kontact]

DTs are just loud. You might try Phil Wood Tenacious oil on the pawls, but there isn't a lot to do here.

I appreciate how tough these hubs are, but hate working on bikes equipped with them.

[Grant McLean]

DTs are just loud. You might try Phil Wood Tenacious oil on the pawls, but there isn't a lot to do here.

I appreciate how tough these hubs are, but hate working on bikes equipped with them.

I don't get these comments. DT sells the Star Ratchet Lube, and a little
bit in there on the ratchet made my set very quiet.
And it takes 3 minutes and no tools. What gives?

-g

[fourflys]

I don't get these comments. DT sells the Star Ratchet Lube, and a little
bit in there on the ratchet made my set very quiet.
And it takes 3 minutes and no tools. What gives?

-g

agree, my 240s are not loud at all... just needs some lube...

[fourflys]

Hi all,

I have a feeling there is a simple solution to this very loud ratchet sound coming from the free hub of my DT Swiss 190 rear hub. I know, I know...don't ever coast...

But, will someone ( in simple layman terms, as I'm not so bright ) explain how and where to lube the sucker, please. I'm sure this will quiet it down to a dull roar.

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

Steve,
The freehub pulls right off with no tools (can be a little stubbon at times)... just use some lube at Grant recommended above and you should be set...

Chris

[scoobydrew]

I don't get these comments. DT sells the Star Ratchet Lube, and a little
bit in there on the ratchet made my set very quiet.
And it takes 3 minutes and no tools. What gives?

-g

This is correct.

It's a small (I'm not kidding, SMALL) tub of grease that costs about $15-20 dollars. I've researched extensively on this and I know people have had trouble with applying too thick of a lube/grease and the pawls would actually stick together. Alternatively, if too thin of a grease is used, it would just run off. This stuff actually works.

I'm actually having the opposite problem you have. I want my DT 240s hubs to be LOUD. They're not quiet, but not loud at the same time. In fact, my friend's Mavic Ksyrium hubs are a lot louder than mine.

[soulspinner]

I don't get these comments. DT sells the Star Ratchet Lube, and a little
bit in there on the ratchet made my set very quiet.
And it takes 3 minutes and no tools. What gives?

-g


Yes! When done as Grant says, they are silent................

[93legendti]

Timely thread, the rear hub on my American Classic AC 420's has gotten noisy...

[Smiley]

DTs are just loud. You might try Phil Wood Tenacious oil on the pawls, but there isn't a lot to do here.

I appreciate how tough these hubs are, but hate working on bikes equipped with them.

+1


Easy to take apart and clean and re-install, The Phils worked great on my tandem rear hub which was sticking.

There is a U tube video showing how to take it aprat and re-insall, very simple.

[Kontact]

It's a shame they don't put this wonder lube in from the factory. I hadn't heard of it, but every time I have to do a repair on a DT hub equipped bike I can't start by tearing apart the freehub.

[oldpotatoe]

Hi all,

I have a feeling there is a simple solution to this very loud ratchet sound coming from the free hub of my DT Swiss 190 rear hub. I know, I know...don't ever coast...

But, will someone ( in simple layman terms, as I'm not so bright ) explain how and where to lube the sucker, please. I'm sure this will quiet it down to a dull roar.

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

Not really 'pawls' in the traditional sense but two discs, with notches, that 'rub' against each other when you coast. Take it apart, OIL the discs and reassemble. I use Mobil One.

Take off the RH axle end, just pull it off, no tools, slide FH body off, don't lose the springs, notice the orientation...oil, reassemble. They are really simple.

[Gummee]

Ummmm has anyone mentioned 'don't coast?!'

Surefire way to quiet loud hubs.

My bill is in the mail.

M

[SoCalSteve]

Thanks everyone!

I found a YouTube video done by a mechanic at Excel Sports. Now even a dummy like me can service this free hub.

As Oldpotato said, it is really quite simple. And I now have visual aids to make it even simpler for me!

Steve

[SoCalSteve]

Shhhhhhhhhhh...Do you hear that? I dont. All quiet now! Clean off the old grease, add a few drops of new and I can hear myself think again!

[TAW]

Another very good lube that has a variety of purposes is a product called "slick honey." Not as heavy as grease, but good for lubing cables as well as freehubs.

[SoCalSteve]

I used Phil's Tenacious Oil...Worked perfectly...and, I am SO proud of myself that I can now add another bike mechanics task that I can accomplish successfully!... :banana:

[mcteague]

Not really 'pawls' in the traditional sense but two discs, with notches, that 'rub' against each other when you coast. Take it apart, OIL the discs and reassemble. I use Mobil One.

Take off the RH axle end, just pull it off, no tools, slide FH body off, don't lose the springs, notice the orientation...oil, reassemble. They are really simple.
Is synthetic oil better than a thin layer of grease? I have some Castrol RS R4 4T that I use in my Triumph.

Tim

[PaulE]

I'm going to try some of that Mobil 1 in the rear hub of my Lightweight, which has DT internals. I had begun to refer to this wheel as my "Wheel of Fortune" wheel for the noise it makes while coasting.

[false_Aest]

Shhhhhhhhhhh...Do you hear that? I dont. All quiet now! Clean off the old grease, add a few drops of new and I can hear myself think again!


Steve I'm glad your hub is better but I don't think that's the reason you couldn't hear yourself think.


Hint: it has nothing to do with your ears

:banana:

[oldpotatoe]

Is synthetic oil better than a thin layer of grease? I have some Castrol RS R4 4T that I use in my Triumph.

Tim

I don't think any grease is a good idea for DT discs. Synthetic, Mobil One cuz it's cheap and doesn't get thick in the cold.

[mcteague]

I don't think any grease is a good idea for DT discs. Synthetic, Mobil One cuz it's cheap and doesn't get thick in the cold.
The Castrol I mentioned is their version of Mobil 1. It's just formulated for motorcycles.

Tim

[SoCalSteve]

Steve I'm glad your hub is better but I don't think that's the reason you couldn't hear yourself think.


Hint: it has nothing to do with your ears

:banana:

Your not talking about those darn voices in my head, are you? Not sure anything, including lube will help quiet them down... :rolleyes:

[Dan Le foot]

Thanks everyone!

I found a YouTube video done by a mechanic at Excel Sports. Now even a dummy like me can service this free hub.

As Oldpotato said, it is really quite simple. And I now have visual aids to make it even simpler for me!

Steve
Hey Steve.
If is wasn't for that utube video I'd still be trying to swap out my Shimano to Campy freehub.
Dan

[metrotuned]

Per discussion with Oakland based DT Swiss distributor, the second lubrication behind DT Swiss Rachet Lube is MOBIL 1 synthetic oil, the same stuff I used to put in my motor vehicle. Since I don't own a motor vehicle by choice, nor do I want to have a quart of oil sitting around and not interested in buying the "official" lube for $20-, I used the existing chain lube in the man cave, Pedro's Syn Lube, as recommended in the discussion at: http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/915776-preferred-freehub-lube.html

[metalheart]

I have 240 hubs and they have been reasonably quiet. Just because I recently changed the ratchet from 18 to 36 and now the hub sounds like a King hub..... pretty loud.

[Birddog]

Lube intervals are really pretty easy figure out. When you find yourself wanting to buy a vowel it's time to lube your DT hub.

[Dude]

As a psa, please don't use any grease when lubricating pawls. It probably won't hurt you, but it might. The reason you use oil is that grease can make the pawls stick in the "freewheeling" position so when you pedal, and they are supposed to engage, they don't.

If you don't know what pawls look like, or conceptually don't know what they are supposed to do, google it. When pawls fail, you Tyler Hamilton (chimeric twins and ·····) and hurt yourself.

[the bottle ride]

I love loud hubs.

[JLP]

"..this very loud ratchet sound coming from the free hub..."

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[YesNdeed]

Not really 'pawls' in the traditional sense but two discs, with notches, that 'rub' against each other when you coast. Take it apart, OIL the discs and reassemble. I use Mobil One.

Take off the RH axle end, just pull it off, no tools, slide FH body off, don't lose the springs, notice the orientation...oil, reassemble. They are really simple.

My search for an alternative to DT lube ends here, and I have Mobil 1 at home. It's those little posts that mean the most. Thanks Old Potatoe (again)!

[jtakeda]

My DT Swiss 190 hub is super loud. I love it though.

[YesNdeed]

I don't mind loud. Mine is sticking too much, bearings seem fine, so I wondered what else I could use besides chain lube and Phil Wood grease.

[unterhausen]

As a psa, please don't use any grease when lubricating pawls. It probably won't hurt you, but it might. The reason you use oil is that grease can make the pawls stick in the "freewheeling" position so when you pedal, and they are supposed to engage, they don't. .
DT doesn't use pawls, they use ramped rings that are pushed together with some fairly large springs. I'm sure a person could glop them up enough to cause them to freewheel all the time if that person was a moron. However, it's a lot less likely than with a traditional pawl.

I use Slick Honey on mine. I think it has a pretty good consistency for the application, some people think it's too stiff. I guess if Mobil 1 is the standard, then Slick Honey is too viscous. I need to take it apart and look at it, seems to be fine.

[YesNdeed]

DT doesn't use pawls, they use ramped rings that are pushed together with some fairly large springs. I'm sure a person could glop them up enough to cause them to freewheel all the time if that person was a moron. However, it's a lot less likely than with a traditional pawl.

I use Slick Honey on mine. I think it has a pretty good consistency for the application, some people think it's too stiff. I guess if Mobil 1 is the standard, then Slick Honey is too viscous. I need to take it apart and look at it, seems to be fine.

Huhrrrmmm well, guess I walked right into that one. I suppose I'm relieved that's not what I meant by "sticking" though. Thanks for the info, nonetheless.

[Mikej]

I have DT's w/ the 56t on my kids mtb. I also have the specific DT grease, which would seem to be the proper grease by the mechanics of the hub - oil, lube etc. seems like it would just fling out to the edges only or dry up. Who buys a 500$ hub and complains about a 20$ grease tube? Paceliners do...

[ColonelJLloyd]

Ummmm has anyone mentioned 'don't coast?!'


Same number of people that read the entire OP.

[kingpin75s]

I love loud hubs.

Love loud hubs for mountain biking because a person in front of you will have to listen to you coast if they do not have proper trail etiquette.

Like them quiet on the road. Pure tranquility.

As has been well stated, DT hubs are generally quiet when maintained with the proper lube.

[54ny77]

stop thinking, keep pedaling. no coasting, problem solved!

:p

[tumbler]

agree, my 240s are not loud at all... just needs some lube...

Moving a little further down the line, my 350s are almost silent. I wish they were louder.

[Mikej]

Moving a little further down the line, my 350s are almost silent. I wish they were louder.

Get the ring upgrade - I think 350's are 18t - not the same as 240's - no tools needed and you get the grease!