cassette driver overhaul information

The bearings in Profile Racing drivers are pretty long-lasting- certainly in the case of our one-piece single speed drivers, the teeth will in most cases have worn out by the time the bearings are worn out, particularly in the case of the 8 and 9 tooth drivers. The teeth on the drivers with the fewest teeth (8 and 9 tooth) are going to wear out much faster than the teeth on a 10 or 11 driver. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to replace the bearings in many cases. If yours have worn out before the teeth, and you want to replace them, the best way to do it is to send it in to us and have us replace them for you, using our bearing presses that were designed for installing bearings in our drivers. Please call us for details. If you'd rather install the bearings yourself, then keep reading.

One way you can make the teeth on your driver last longer is by changing your chain frequently, as often as 3 or 4 times a year if you ride every day. A chain stretches as it's used, if you change it before it stretches too much, it won't cause the driver to wear out as fast. A normal chain costs 10-20 dollars, and CrMo driver costs 60, so you do the math.

pawls and springs

The pawls and springs will last nearly forever, if you keep the internals of the hubs clean. The pawls are made from extremely hard steel, and they require very little lubrication- anything heavier than tri-flow or 3 in One Oil is too heavy and can clog the pawls. Replacing pawls and springs is quite easy. Even to clean the driver, you shouldn't need to remove the pawls. I advise against needlessly removing them, because they are small and if you drop one, it will disappear, and they aren't cheap to replace. We sell far more replacement pawls and springs to people who have lost them than we do to people who have actually managed to damage one.

There is no need whatsoever to bend the springs to make them stronger to make your hub louder or engage better or whatever reason someone might come up with for bending the springs. This is a very good way to break the springs, and it will have minimal effect on the performance of your hub in any case. If you feel your hub isn't engaging well enough, then it most likely needs to be cleaned. It's also possible in some cases that the ratchet ring might be worn out, but you have to have a lot of hours on your hub to do that. If your driver is skipping, and you clean it and its still skipping, then give us a call and we'll work with you to fix it. Just don't try bending the springs.

To remove the Pawls and Springs, you don't need any special tools, or indeed any tools. Slide your thumbnail under the bottom edge of the pawl and lift straight up.

To install the pawls and springs, slide the spring into the appropriate pocket. Use the pawl to push the spring towards the center of the cassette and slide straight down into place.

bearing removal

Removing the bearings from a Profile driver is not easy, and requires a hammer, punch, and a bench vise. You'll want to be careful. Safety glasses aren't a bad idea anytime you use a hammer and punch. The basic process is is to use the punch to slide the spacer between both pairs of bearings aside so you can hammer on the bearings on the bottom. If you are overhauling a cassette driver (for 12t and higher cogs) then it's easiest to remove the cog, open the jaws of the vice wide enough to set the front side (where you slide the cog on) between the jaws, and remove the bearings that way. If it's a one piece driver, set the cog side up.

Step 1. The tools for the job: A hammer, your driver, and a blunt-ended punch. You'll also need a bench voice.
Step 2. Clamp the bottom side of the driver between the jaws of the vice. There's no need to make it super tight, just so tight enough so it's not going to slip out of position.
Step 3. The driver has two bearings, and thick flat washer, and two more washers. Push the flat washer with nose of the punch so that it's resting on the bottom two bearings. Then hit the back of the punch with the hammer.
Step 4. You'll probably have to hit the bearings in a couple of places around it's circumference, but it shouldn't take too many shots before the bearings are shooting across the floor of your work area.
Step 5. Flip the driver over, and use the back of the punch or any cylindrical object to punch out the remaining two bearings.

bearing installation - cassette drivers

Pressing in driver bearings is probably the easiest out of all of these tutorials. Of course, the best way to press bearings is with an Arbor Press. A rollerblade/skateboard wheel bearing press might work, but I haven't tried one myself. However, you can do a pretty good job using just your center axle, a few washers, your axle nuts or bolts, and a bench vice.

The 3/8" (10mm) aluminum center axle works quite well if you don't have access to a bearing press. You can use the 14mm axle setup if need be. For all 9, 10, and 11 tooth drivers, there are two bearings (mfg# 6802rs,) a spacer, and two more bearings. Please be careful and take your time installing the bearings, it's pretty easy to damage them.

Clamp the center of your aluminum center axle in the vice. Don't tighten down to a million foot/pounds, just get it tight enough to hold the axle firmly. It's best to leave the drive side hub bearing and driver spacer in place. Then slide two driver bearings over the axle, followed by the driver body. Put a large flat washer on the end of the driver, followed by the normal washers you use when you tighten you wheel into your frame. Then put your axle bolt in the axle, and tighten it down, making sure that you keep the driver body as square to the bearings as possible. If you feel a lot of resistance, you're doing it wrong. Take it apart and start over. The bolt should tighten easily and smoothly. You will feel a definite stop when the bearings are fully pressed in.
Remove the axle bolt and washers. Locate the thick flat washer, and slide it on top of the bearings you've already installed. Don't skip this step, the thick flat washer is important.
Place the remaining two bearings on top of the driver, followed by the drive side cone spacer and your normal wheel washers, and your axle bolt. Start to tighten the bolt down. Again, make sure the bearings are as square to the driver as possible, and they should press in smoothly. You will feel a definite stop when they are completely inserted. Loosen the bolt and spin the driver- it should feel smooth.
If it's smooth, then you've done it. If it's not, one or more of the bearings may have been damaged. The easiest way to fix it is to set the driver down on a flat surface, such as the flat part of your bench vice, and strike the bearing squarely with your hammer about as hard as you would knock on a door. Check the bearings again, this should have removed the roughness. If the first strike doesn't remove the roughness, flip the driver over and strike the bearings on the opposite side. If there is still a bit of roughness that the hammer won't remove after 2 or three strikes with the hammer, put the driver on the bike and ride it for an hour or so, and the pressure the chain applies to it ought to align everything properly. After all this, if it still isn't smooth, then you've probably damaged the bearings, and about all you can do is start over with new bearings. Give us a call and discuss it. 727.391.7370

bearing installation - 9, 10, 11 tooth one piece drivers

Installing the bearings on a 9, 10, or 11 tooth once piece driver can be done on both the 3/8" aluminum axle, or the 14mm axle. To start out with on a 14mm axle, clamp the center of the axle in your vice, and slide one of your wheel washers in place on the drive side of the axle.
Step 2. Slide two bearings onto the axle, and place the driver atop the. Add a wheel washer atop the driver, and then your axle nut. While checking to make sure the driver is square to the bearings, tighten the axle nut down. You'll feel a definite stop when the bearings are pressed in all the way.
Step 3. Insert the thick flat washer on top of the bearings that you just pressed in.
Step 4. Place the two remaining bearings atop the driver, followed by the wheel washer and then your axle nut. Tighten the axle nut down. When it stops turning, the bearings should be in place. Loosen the nut, and spin the driver. It should feel smooth.
Completed. Rebuild your hub, go ride. If it's not smooth, see the trouble shooting instructions above.

bushing/bearing installation - profile 8 tooth drivers

Removing the old bushing and bearings from a Profile 8 tooth driver might be a bit of a project. You're probably going to need a hammer, a punch, a chisel, some luck, and possibly a blowtorch, if it comes right down to it. Please wear eye protection and be careful, and if you are a kid, please get a more or less responsible adult to help you with the blowtorch. It will be easiest to work on pushing the bearings out of the bottom of the driver before you worry about removing the bushing.

You're going to need your Profile 14mm cassette axle, washer, and axle nut, an old hub bearing, a bench vice, a hammer, and a wrench that fits the axle nut.

Step 1: There are three components (four pieces total) that you'll be dealing with. A = the bushing. The side of it with the angle cut on the outside should face the bottom of the driver when we get to it in the 5th step. B= the metal sleeve. This is the first piece inserted into the driver, and the lip goes on the bottom. C = 2 bearings. These will go on the bottom and hold the sleeve in position.
Step 2: Slip the (B) metal sleeve into the driver, with the lip on the bottom.
Step 3: Clamp the center of the axle in your vice with the drive side facing up. Slide an old hub bearing on the axle where it would normally sit. Then slide the 2 driver bearings on, and the the driver with the sleeve in it. Next, add your washer and axle nut. Tighten the axle nut. The bearings will begin to press into the driver. Then the wrench will stop turning.
Step 4: Loosen the vice far enough that the jaws support the hub bearing. Take your hammer, and gently tap the end of the axle. You shouldn't need to hit it hard.
Step 5: Once the bearings are fully pressed in, remove the axle nut and washer, and slide the bushing into place with the angle cut on the outside. Replace the washer and axle nut. You can begin to press the bushing into place with the wrench on the axle nut. If it proves hard to turn, go to step 6.
Step 6: Open the jaws of the vice far enough that the edge of the driver is sitting on it, but isn't being clamped.
Step 7: Again use a few gentle strikes with your hammer on the end of the axle to press the bushing in the remaining distance.
Completed.

bushing installation - profile 8 tooth drivers for odyssey hubs

As with the Profile 8 tooth driver, when you're removing your old bushing, do what you have to do to get it done. Hammers, chisels, punches, fire, whatever it takes. Wear eye protection if you go the chisel/punch route. Don't hurt yourself.

You're going to need a bench vise, your Odyssey 14mm axle, washer, and axle nut, a wrench to turn the axle nut, and a hammer.

The Profile 8 tooth driver for Odyssey hub is quite simple, as it only has bushings- there's no room for bearings anywhere. There are 3 components that must go to gether in the proper order for the driver to work properly. A = the top bushing, with a lip at the top. B = the metal guide. The wider of the two halves should go towards the bottom. C = the wider of the two bushings. There is a angle cut on the outside on one end of it, this end should face towards the bottom. There is also an angle cut on one end on the inside- this should face towards the top.
Here's the complete bushing system assembled.
So, take your Odyssey 14mm axle and clamp it in the vice as shown. The thicker section should be resting on the jaws of the vice.
Slip the driver onto the axle. place the bushing stack atop the driver, with a 14mm washer and an axle nut on top of that. Begin to tighten down the axle nut, and the bushing will slide into the driver. You will probably feel a stop, as if the bushing doesn't want to go any further, well before the stack is inserted completely. Stop trying to turn the nut.
Loosen the vice enough that the axle can slide freely between the jaws, but not enough that the driver won't fit atop the jaws. Maybe a half turn or so.
Take a hammer and hit the end of the axle. You do not need to hit it hard. The bushing should slide all the way in after 2 or 3 hits.
Loosen the axle nut. Spin the driver, feel the buttery goodness. Reassemble your hub.

If you are unable to resolve an issue with your hub, we do perform repairs here for a nominal fee. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you run into difficulties. Riding a poorly performing hub is never a good idea.

DISCLAIMER: These instructions are provided as a service. The best way to install sealed bearings is always a bearing or arbor press. The methods discussed here are alternatives for the home bike mechanics with home bicycle tools. If you are not careful, you will damage your hubs and bearings. Profile cannot be held responsible for any damage caused by attempts at repair attempted by anyone other than employees of Profile racing.

If you are unsure of your abilities, take your bike to a local bike shop, or contact us at Profile. We are happy to overhaul your hubs for you here. Contact Shane at Profile at 727.391.7370 for details.