New S!LVER hub questions: free hub removal, parts availability

[Teague Scott]

Hey y'all. Just received a New S!LVER hub after much debating about what to use in a rear wheel build for my Susie and have a couple questions.

In the past I've built up a couple wheelsets with good ol' Shimano cup 'n cone hubs -- M900 and M756. I used to be a regular at my local coop and would go parts bin digging all the time. Why not build up an old XTR hub in great condition, right? The M756 XT, while black, is pretty neat with its spoked high flanges. These cup 'n cone hubs are still going strong and roll smoothly, and I foresee them lasting as long as they're properly maintained. Biggest concern for me: replacement parts are hard-ish (always getting harder) to come by for the nice old silver versions such as the M900 or XT M750 (hanging out in one of my parts bins...). 

Fast forward to this build and I got the bug to try something different, new, not too noisy, and silver. I contemplated WI hubs (too spendy for me), Bitex, Velo Orange, and Riv's New S!LVER. Went with the latter for a few reasons: price, great reviews here, and noise level (post-pawl greasing). Now that I have it in hand, I think the S!LVER rear hub looks great, spins smoothly (although not as smoothly as a cup and cone arrangement), and I have no doubt it'll do the trick.

OK, on to the questions.

Rookie one first -- I haven't built up a sealed freehub hub before... how does one pull the freehub body from the S!LVER?

What's long-term parts availability/compatibility actually look like for a hub like the S!LVER which is neither "boutique" (King, White Industries, etc.) or mainstream (Shimano)? Sure, Riv will support the hub for as long as they can, but how long might that feasibly be in today's constantly evolving consume, consume, consume bike market?

Oh, and now to decide what to do for the other wheel -- matching S!LVER, or dynamo...

- Teague in Boise

[Bill Lindsay]

"how does one pull the freehub body from the S!LVER?"

It's gone through at least one design iteration but if it's similar in "architecture" to the one I had on an early Appaloosa complete, then it was really easy.  

1. look at the end caps.  You should recognize a 5mm allen key recess in the ends.  Using 2 5mm allen keys, unscrew an end cap.  They are not tight.  Just snugged.  Whichever one unscrews, I think you'll find a bigger allen recess in the exposed axle end, for if you want to remove the other end cap.  

2. with the drive side end cap removed, you can just pull the free hub body off, exposing the pawls on the free hub body and the drive ring on the hub shell.  You can lube up the drive ring with heavier oil or light grease to quiet things down.  

BL in EC

[Teague Scott]

Seems this most recent iteration did away with the recessed 5mm endcaps. No set screws holding the endcaps in place either. Do I just yank?

[Bill Lindsay]

Looks like it.  The disassembled photos on the product page and the words for the replacement 130mm end cap make it seem that you just pull em off.  If in doubt call Riv

BL in EC

[Teague Scott]

Yanking is the trick. Stuck some grease on the pawls & maybe it's quieter? Should have recorded hub noise with my decibel reading app before and after for science.

[Richard Lesnik]

The freehub-side end cap is likely tighter than the non-drive end cap, and when removing it, the small o-ring that creates a seal might be damaged. If that happens, contact Rivendell -- we have replacement o-rings.

[Teague Scott]

Thanks for the heads up. Can't say inspected the inside of the end cap too closely, but definitely didn't have a busted o-ring flopping around. End cap slipped back on and seated nicely, so seems I'm ok!