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New Loaner Tool Available: Shimano TL-FH30, “Removal Tool for Multiple Freehub Body”

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New Loaner Tool Available: Shimano TL-FH30, “Removal Tool for Multiple Freehub Body”

Old 01-29-23, 11:03 AM
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Hondo6
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New Loaner Tool Available: Shimano TL-FH30, “Removal Tool for Multiple Freehub Body”

OK, I’ll play too. Looks like I now have a tool to make available to the Bike Forums C&V "tool loaner service".

Background: I recently ran across a source for the tool needed to remove and replace Shimano’s first Uniglide freehub design. This is the original type of Shimano freehub not held to the hub body by a fixing bolt, but which is instead installed by a slip/press fit onto a boss that protrudes from the hub body and which is held in place by a combination of that boss and the hub’s axles/wheel bearings/cones/locknuts.

The price was quite low - and the tool was NOS to boot. Since I have one of those hubs and a spare NOS freehub, I bought two of them.

One of the tools goes - and will stay – with my bike tools. The other is now available for use by Bike Forums members.

Specifics:

The tool in question is the TL-FH30. Here’s a photo out of the Shimano documentation for the tool; a PDF copy of documentation regarding using the tool is linked at the end of this post.



Photo from Shimano product documentation.

The tool is designed to work on many – but not necessarily all (see below) – of both the original Dura Ace (32mm sprocket threads) and Shimano 600 and later (34.6mm sprocket threads) Uniglide freehubs and hub bodies using this very early design. It is not intended for freehubs which are attached to the hub body by use of a fixing bolt or which screw into the hub body.

IMPORTANT - READ THIS BEFORE REQUESTING THE TOOL:

Please note that this is NOT - repeat, is NOT – the rare Shimano special tool needed to remove/replace the freehub for the Dura Ace 7400-series rear hubs. I'm fairly sure that tool is the TL-FH10. If that's the hub you have, I wish you the best of luck in finding one of those tools for anything resembling a reasonable price. Last time I checked, the few available on eBay were all used and going for $175 and up. The tool I’m making available is the TL-FH30. Using it to attempt removal of a DA 7400-series freehub might well screw up that 7400-series freehub or hub body so badly as to render either or both unusable and/or unremovable or unrepairable; I can’t say. I would NOT recommend that anyone try to use the TL-FH30 on a Dura Ace 7400 series hub. If you elect to do that, any damages are your own responsibility.

Also, as noted in the TL-FH30 use instructions there are a few other early Shimano freehub designs on which Shimano instructions for the tool explicitly recommend against using the TL-FH30 for freehub removal. These are the Dura Ace EX 7250 and 7260, as well as well as those having "a light alloy freehub, which has a steel protector in between the hubshell and freewheel part" (direct quote from Shimano’s documentation for the tool). Unfortunately, Shimano doesn't seem to further identify these others. Please check your hub closely against the diagrams in the tool’s instructions for suitability before attempting to use this tool for freehub removal and replacement.

Rules for Requesting and Using the TL-FH30

Rules for use of the tool follow. These rules were largely shamelessly based on (AKA largely plagiarized from) Bike Forums @albrt ’s rules for use of the Stronglight 23.35mm crank puller he donated for community use - which were in turn based on @cudak888 's rules for use of his now-traveling cotter pin press. (hat tip to both).

1. The tool will be shipped in a USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate box to the first requester. At that point, I relinquish ownership.

2. As nominal payment for using the tool, each requester will cover the cost for shipping the tool to the next requester using a USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate box (currently $10.20). Don't ship it back to the previous user - that's inefficient, plus the previous user will get stuck a second time for the cost of shipping. Please use a box and sufficient additional packing material to ensure that the tool arrives intact to the next requester. Using a box with additional packing material should provide sufficient protection against damage in shipment.

3. If the existing box is in such bad shape that it precludes re-use, please replace it. The Post Office generally makes these flat rate boxes available to postal customers at no cost.

4. For now, please keep the tool within the US. This will keep shipping cost reasonable (about $10.20 for a small USPS Priority Mail flat rate box cost as of today) for each user.

5. Anyone requesting the tool must announce that they have received it in this thread as soon as practicable after they receive it. This will make it clear who has the tool at any given time.

6. Post photos of its use, please.

7. You can retain the tool until someone else requests it. To request the tool, please send a PM to the current holder of the tool requesting it and including your shipping address. (PM requests will keep the thread cleaner. Post request here if no answer after a reasonable amount of time.) Barring extenuating circumstances - e.g., injury, illness, out of town for several days at time of request - the current holder of the tool is expected to ship it to someone requesting it within four (4) days, and provide them the USPS tracking number via PM. If prompt shipment is impossible, please let the requester know if you can. (If you have the tool and know of an extended upcoming absence, please either announce that fact here or make arrangements for someone to ship it on your behalf if necessary.)

8. Be reasonable about requesting the tool. That is, please don’t request it to have it on hand “just in case”.

9. As shown in the photo above, the tool has four (4) parts: a main body, a threaded rod, and two “tool washers” that look much like axle spacers. All are necessary for proper use of the tool. Please make sure all 4 parts – including the two small “tool washers” – stay together and make it to the next requester. Ditto for the use instructions. If the original instructions become too degraded for future use due to age/stains/etc . . . , please print a new copy and include the new copy when the tool is sent to the next user.

10. Requester accepts all risks incurred when using the tool. Instructions will be included initially with the tool and are expected to accompany the tool to the next user; a PDF file containing those instructions is also attached to this post. Please review these instructions thoroughly before attempting to use the tool. If you wreck your hub body or freehub using this tool, that's on you.

11. Please do not attempt to modify the tool to make it “work better”. Shimano generally designs excellent special tools.

12. The tool is steel, so please keep it dry and store it appropriately.

13. Do not request the tool if:

a. You have less than 10 posts.

b. You cannot use the PM system.

c. You know a priori that you will not be able to ship the tool to another user within four days of a request – e.g., don't request it immediately before you depart on a two-week vacation.

d. You intend to use it for profit. This is intended for the uses of enthusiasts, not for businesses. Supplies and tools are in general deductible business expenses.

e. You intend to sell the tool or keep it permanently.

Known egregious violations of the above rules will be made public.

If the tool breaks/gets lost/is stolen/otherwise disappears: well, I guess that means “game over”. I don’t plan to police this after sending the tool to the first requester. The tool cost about $20, but IMO I got a helluva deal for an obsolete, out-of-production tool. A replacement may not be available if/when that happens. The tool is simple and appears robust, but you never know. And while reliable, the USPS does on occasion lose things.

-----

Final Points:

Please remember that this tool is only useable on certain very early Shimano freehubs. If you’re unsure about whether this tool is the correct one to use to change out the freehub on your current Shimano hub, I strongly recommend you (1) first use Shimano’s document repository to find the exploded view for your specific hub, then (2) consult that EV to see if this tool might be suitable for freehub replacement on that hub. If your freehub is attached to the hub body using a fixing bolt – or if the freehub itself threads into the hub body – then this tool is not the tool Shimano recommends you use.

If you think you might want your own copy of the tool, PM me and I’ll send you vendor info. (If several people ask, I’ll post the info here.) They’re still available from a reliable source on eBay at a very reasonable price, especially if shipped to a US address (they also ship internationally; costs for international shipping and customs charges will obviously vary). The vendor still has a decent number (10+) of these tools on hand. I have no idea how much longer that will remain the case.

Instructions for use of the TL-FH30, in PDF format, can be found at:

https://si.shimano.com/en/manual/search?model=TL-FH30

Last edited by Hondo6; 01-29-23 at 12:17 PM. Reason: add link for tool instructions; correct typo; clarification; add credit for rules input to include both responsible parties
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Old 01-29-23, 11:39 AM
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Please note that my crank puller concept and rules were largely plagiarized from @cudak88 's concept and rules for the cotter press (hat tip).
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Old 01-29-23, 12:14 PM
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Hondo6
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Originally Posted by albrt
Please note that my crank puller concept and rules were largely plagiarized from @cudak88 's concept and rules for the cotter press (hat tip).
Noted. Meant to mention that above, but forgot to add it. Will fix the original.

Thanks for bringing the omission to my attention.
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Old 01-29-23, 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by albrt
Please note that my crank puller concept and rules were largely plagiarized from @cudak88 's concept and rules for the cotter press (hat tip).
Oh, but I insist Mr. Lobachevsky and Hondo6, please plagiarize


-Kurt
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