# Removing Freehand NextGen side caps **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [March 21, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414 "2019-03-21T20:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/1 "2019-03-21T20:10:14Z")
Does anyone have any tips on removing the side caps of a Duncan Freehand NextGen? Are they even removable? ---
**Author:** ![Exmime](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/exmime/32/40143_2.png) [@Exmime](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Exmime)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/2 "2019-03-21T20:38:17Z")
There is an official Duncan video on this [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/b/9/c/b9cca36339df573bfdb40b4151ea5d23cd86463d.jpeg "How to Remove Big Fun and Freehand NextGen Caps") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TCbXuOGmhc) ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/3 "2019-03-21T20:40:29Z")
Hmm. I tried that and the caps wouldn’t budge. Maybe I didn’t have the axle in tight enough. 🤷‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/4 "2019-03-21T20:45:35Z")
If it’s at all like the original FHZ caps it takes a good, hard push. ---
**Author:** ![YoYoExpertGarrett](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoexpertgarrett/32/1543_2.png) [@YoYoExpertGarrett](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoExpertGarrett)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/5 "2019-03-21T20:56:08Z")
You have to push pretty hard. And make sure it’s a solid surface, I just put a axle sized hole in my cheap Ikea desk lol. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/6 "2019-03-21T20:59:24Z")
I’m not sure I understand how this even works. The axle is threaded into an axle slot, right? How can it be pushed at all? On a Freehand Pro, the axle is “loose” in that it doesn’t thread into the slot, but into a small nut on the other half, which allows it to move freely and push out the side cap. ---
**Author:** ![YoYoExpertGarrett](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoexpertgarrett/32/1543_2.png) [@YoYoExpertGarrett](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoExpertGarrett)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/7 "2019-03-21T21:14:58Z")
Duncan’s new axle system doesn’t use a nut/bolt like the old version or like the Replay Pro. There’s a metal hub that the axle threads into, but the hub isn’t fixed to the yo-yo. It’s almost like side effects, but they don’t fit so tight and they’re held in place by the cap. ![IMG_7976](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/9/3/d/93de7911d6b366124dd2ac405d3583d249276067.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/8 "2019-03-21T21:16:13Z")
Ah, I see. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/codinghorror/32/8052_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/9 "2019-03-22T00:44:31Z")
Ohhhh I smell a patent dispute a’brewin ---
**Author:** ![\_Z1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/_z1/32/230318_2.png) [@\_Z1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/_Z1)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2019, 7:52am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/10 "2019-03-22T07:52:28Z")
Not unless those specific metal axle holders were made by Onedrop FOR Duncan, which is entirely possible. ---
**Author:** ![YoYoExpertGarrett](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoexpertgarrett/32/1543_2.png) [@YoYoExpertGarrett](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoExpertGarrett)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/11 "2019-03-22T12:02:11Z")
There’s no patent on Side Effects. But if there was, the Duncan axle system is only really functional when held in place by side caps so I’d say it’s different enough. ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/12 "2019-03-22T17:35:46Z")
I was able to remove the caps, but I had to bring down a mallet pretty hard on them to make them pop out. Thanks for all the tips! ---
**Author:** ![HAAC](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/haac/32/96039_2.png) [@HAAC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/HAAC)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/13 "2020-07-08T17:30:37Z")
I got mine today, I’m putting practically all my weight on it and I still can’t pop it out ---
**Author:** ![HAAC](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/haac/32/96039_2.png) [@HAAC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/HAAC)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/14 "2021-02-01T02:36:10Z")
I finally got mine to pop off I placed the yoyo in the freezer for about 15 minutes A little bit of force and pop they go ---
**Author:** ![yoyodoc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyodoc/32/48820_2.png) [@yoyodoc](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyodoc)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/15 "2021-02-01T03:00:55Z")
Yes, you are correct. Once you turn the axle hard enough to crack the caps, they will almost fall out on their own😉 ---
**Author:** ![HAAC](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/haac/32/96039_2.png) [@HAAC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/HAAC)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 3:02am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/16 "2021-02-01T03:02:36Z")
The axle does not go past the threads. It has a little lip that stops the axle from being over screwed ---
**Author:** ![yoyodoc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyodoc/32/48820_2.png) [@yoyodoc](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyodoc)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 3:10am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/removing-freehand-nextgen-side-caps/300414/17 "2021-02-01T03:10:43Z")
Thanks a lot for the info. I’m just a slow learner, sorry. But now I know that for sure :+1: