Classic & Vintage - Stuck Freewheel...

I have tried to put a lot of force (using the whole wheel [mechanical advantage]).

I could put more... but the wrench starts to bend a bit. so does the wheel!

I was thinking of soaking it in something, i read somewhere that might work. But im not sure what i should soak it in.

Also im looking for a specific tool that would attach to this 17mm square nut thing (the freewheel key thing).

In the pics, you will see that the key sticks out very little...

(paid 11eu for this frekin key. and 5 eu for the lbs guy to take apart my hyperglide cassette)

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image012.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image030.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image010.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image007.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image006.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image004.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image029.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/freewheelz/Image001.jpg

PB Blaster is the product most often suggested for such efforts. Spray it to where it will get into the threads and let it sit for several hours. The last really stuck freewheel I had to get off I ended up putting the tool in a vise, then me and one other guy both got on the wheel till it freed up.

PB Blaster is the product most often suggested for such efforts. Spray it to where it will get into the threads and let it sit for several hours. The last really stuck freewheel I had to get off I ended up putting the tool in a vise, then me and one other guy both got on the wheel till it freed up.

But the key barley sticks out, is that normal?

The lbs wouldn't touch this wheel, he knew it was stuck. He said they don't deal with old wheels. They broke one key and he said that was enough.

Is PB blaster like wd-40?

That's an odd looking freewheel remover (key) with just 4 sides and a round hole. Mine either have 6 sides to use a box-end wrench and/or a 3/8" square hole for a ratchet/breaker bar. Soak and use a better remover. Holding the remover in a vise and turning the wheel is a great method, or give a breaker bar raps with a hammer. You'll never get it with that adjustable wrench.

But the key barley sticks out, is that normal?

The lbs wouldn't touch this wheel, he knew it was stuck. He said they don't deal with old wheels. They broke one key and he said that was enough.

Is PB blaster like wd-40?

Yes, PB Blaster is *similar* to WD-40, but works much better in this type of application. I noted that your tool does barely stick out from the freewheel, and it appears to be caused by the design of the freewheel more than the tool. Most of the time I've dealt with freewheel tools I've had much more of the tool outside the freewheel. Not sure what to make of that. You want to make sure there's enough of the tool on the splines of the freewheel so not to strip it, but certainly looks like you need a better grip on the tool to get enough leverage to get it free.

Putting the remover in the vice and turning the wheel NEVER fails for me. Just make sure you turn it anti-clockwise of course. Give it a go!

not that i'm a huge fan of the 12-point socket, but have you tried one in the size needed? It might go over your 4 sided tool.

+1 on the PB Blaster...it is a better penetrating oil than WD40.
also, and this might sound like a silly question, are you turning everthing the correct way?
Park Tool's Site (http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=48)

I would try removing your freewheel by clamping the tool in a bench vise and then place the freewheel on top of the tool and turn the whole wheel to loosen it. You don't have a lot of room to work with but because it is a splined tool you might get lucky. Or you could clamp your adjustable wrench in your vise with the splined tool in it and again use the wheel for leverage.

Good Luck

vjp

I would try removing your freewheel by clamping the tool in a bench vise and then place the freewheel on top of the tool and turn the whole wheel to loosen it. You don't have a lot of room to work with but because it is a splined tool you might get lucky. Or you could clamp your adjustable wrench in your vise with the splined tool in it and again use the wheel for leverage.
I agree with this post. Place the key in the vice using as little depth as needed. The splines on the key should still engage enough of the freewheel to loosen it.
If that doesn't get it, use a couple of chain whips and unscrew the outer cogs. That should give you the room you need to use the key in a vice.

And yes, good luck with that!

The worst freewheel removal I ever did, was when I had to disassemble the whole freewheel. I mean I unscrewed the lock ring and let all those little bearings diperse themselves all over the shop. I then clamped the inner freewheel race in the vice. It still took 3 of us turning the wheel before it broke loose!
And of course when it did, we all ended up in a pile on the floor! :roflmao:

Hope you don't have to go THAT far! Reassembling a freewheel is a bear!

This may or may not be easy but have you tried calling around to find a classic friendy bike shop to do it? The shop around here only charges $1 to take a free wheel off, free if you buy something while your there.He always puts them in the table vise and uses pb blaster its way better than wd40 for this kind of work. A socket wrench will give you much more tork than what you are using now.

I would try removing your freewheel by clamping the tool in a bench vise and then place the freewheel on top of the tool and turn the whole wheel to loosen it.

If you have enough purchase to do it this should work. Also, use the skewer to hold the tool in place until you break it loose. That will keep the tool in place without too much fiddling around. You might try dropping an appropriate sized washer down in the hole to raise the tool up a little bit.....

I've learned a few things from trying to get off stuck freewheels: 1) Putting the tool in a vise and turning the wheel counterclockwise will give you the most leverage, but if things are really stuck, you'll risk taco-ing the rim; 2) using a skewer to hold the freewheel tool in place is a good idea, but don't use your best one as I've bent many a skewer on those particularly stubborn freewheels; 3) leverage is your friend; put a 12" crescent wrench on the tool (with the wheel in the vise) and then a long length of pipe around the wrench. I use a one that's L-shaped so that I can put the wrench right in the crook of the L and then push the pipe at its end. A length of pipe around the wrench has never failed me to get a freewheel off.

Neal

I don't have a vise (or a table to mount it to).

and i paid 5eu for the lbs to remove a hyperglide cassette. i was expecting it to be free... i couldn't tell him to put it back on, that would have been hilarious.

I bought a can of some stuff that claims it loosens tight threads or something... i think its the same stuff, hope it works. Sprayed some a few min ago, ill do the same tomorrow morn. and then tomorrow evening before trying to get it open again.

And i am anchoring the wrench to a blast door, very little slip, i watch to make sure there is so slippage. (i do all my work in a above ground bunker, which is a bike place now lol.)

I might have missed this but try taking the first cog or two off (you need two chainwhips to do this). Gives more "freewheel key" area for your wrench to grab. More secure. Hit said wrench with a hammer too. I don't know if the shock helps or what but that's what I did when I didn't have a vise.

and then note what nlerner said about taco'ing a wheel. Hammering on the wrench could dent the rim.

good luck
cdr

And now we know why the removal key slots on those old Regina freewheels look like they have been crushed from the side by an irresistable force!

Life is funny! I posted in this thread the other day and then later the same day bought a 1983 Bianchi...it has a 6 speed regina straight block that is taunting my old body and when I go to take it off...a mangled up 2 prong notch! There might be enough notch left, but hopefully it will come off without too much effort. Time to go give it a pre-soak!

vjp

removal by destruction always works. Cut into the freewheel with an angle grinder until a couple cogs and the bearings fall out by making two cuts one on either side of the freewheel.

Then take your big pliers (the blue handle ones) and grab the remains of the freewheel shell and twist it backways.

Then throw the pieces in the trash and put on your new freewheel/ cog / etc...

Guys, this wrench is falling apart lol. I think i need to invest in some sort of vise, and find a place to mount it... a large piece of wood, A TREE...?

Ill check it out soon. Also im going nuts with this vintage thing... I found a place where they take old bikes and fix em up... its GOV funded i think... its cool, it so every one has a chance to get a bike... they have some serious stuff there... but nothing HQ. i got 2 cheap single speed cranks for 10eu, so im happy. I was a frame there that could be come my first fixed, but its another 50eu for something not so 50eu...

*Searches for vise*

i am anchoring the wrench to a blast door

Do you live on the millenium falcon?

Do you live on the millenium falcon?

he already stated:
And i am anchoring the wrench to a blast door, very little slip, i watch to make sure there is so slippage. (i do all my work in a above ground bunker, which is a bike place now lol.)

The worst freewheel removal I ever did, was when I had to disassemble the whole freewheel. I mean I unscrewed the lock ring and let all those little bearings diperse themselves all over the shop. I then clamped the inner freewheel race in the vice. It still took 3 of us turning the wheel before it broke loose! And of course when it did, we all ended up in a pile on the floor!
I had to go this route on a '62 Atom FW on my Continental. I didn't use the vice for the final twist off. Instead I went with a 16 inch pipe wrench!

Good luck in Finland. For the life of me I can't figure out how your QR and skewer worked. Did you remove the axle before trying to take off the FW?

he already stated:
Maybe a "smiley" would have helped you see the "humor"!? ;)

Maybe a "smiley" would have helped you see the "humor"!? ;)

:)

Maybe a "smiley" would have helped you see the "humor"!? ;)

yea...i'm reading this stuff at work...between customers...

Its unstuck... went to another lbs, and they used a vise, it came off easily.. now, i could get a new 6speed freewheel for 16eu, or service this one.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/SSss/Image010.jpg

New freewheel, servicing them is a real pain.

Also, pics of the blast door/bike shop?

bike, storage?

and most of those pics were taken from inside... if i remember, ok.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:V%C3%A4est%C3%B6nsuojan_ovi.jpg

Heres one with the door open... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_door#Design_of_Blast_Shelters
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_door#Design_of_Blast_Shelters)
you can see one like it in wiki, its the civil one (duh)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/diff_lock_cr-v_awd/Tunturi1/IMGP5564.jpg

Diff, go with a new freewheel. It's worth the insurance of knowing it's in good shape. And I second the picture of the blast door bike shop.

What bike SHOP? you mean lbs? Did i miss lead you guys... its a shelter, where every one keeps there bike(s) (and i do my repairs and such). I went to a lbs to get the freewheel off. The mech used a vice, and it came of really smoothly.

Btw does that derailer(sp) look bent? Oh well.., it works fine.

Diff, we generally don't have "blast doors" in the U.S. Some areas do have storm shelters buried in backyards for tornados while other people have a safe room in the interior of their houses for the same purpose. Your RD does look bent, but both of my older long cage RDs look the same as yours and both work just fine. Thanks for the pictures.

I had a really stuck freewheel. The fact that it was an English-threaded FW on a Italian-threaded hub did not help at all (although in theory they are somewhat compatible). Mounting the removal tool on a bench vice did not help, as the FW was so stuck that I managed to break the vice twice. WD-40 also was useless. Two things helped: (a) A long length (1 m/3 ft.) of elliptical cross-section iron pipe to increase leverage on the wrench, and (b) heating the FW cluster over a camping stove for 1-2 minutes (make sure you do not touch it, it is hot).



I've learned a few things from trying to get off stuck freewheels: 1) Putting the tool in a vise and turning the wheel counterclockwise will give you the most leverage, but if things are really stuck, you'll risk taco-ing the rim; 2) using a skewer to hold the freewheel tool in place is a good idea, but don't use your best one as I've bent many a skewer on those particularly stubborn freewheels; 3) leverage is your friend; put a 12" crescent wrench on the tool (with the wheel in the vise) and then a long length of pipe around the wrench. I use a one that's L-shaped so that I can put the wrench right in the crook of the L and then push the pipe at its end. A length of pipe around the wrench has never failed me to get a freewheel off.

Neal

Do not forget to apply a thin coat of grease to the freewheel threads when you install it again. You do not want to go through another stuck freewheel situation - right?

I use the vice method but you need a huge lump-of-metal-vice bolted to a solid wooden bench, not one of these little clamp-on things. Most garage workshops have a vice and they generally they you spin off a freewheel.
I tried using a skewer as recomended in all the books, but only once. You need a skewer to hold the tool in place if you use a wrench. With a vice, gravity will hold everything together. If you spin wheel around a few times to remove the freewheel, it will suddenly lock up against the skewer and its really hard to free up.

When fitting the freewheel, grease as advised above, and reverse thread the freeweel, spinning by hand with the tool, till it click into position, then tighten by hand. You don't want to cross-thread a cheap steel freewheel with an expensive aluminium hub.

zombie thread

Do not forget to apply a thin coat of grease to the freewheel threads when you install it again. You do not want to go through another stuck freewheel situation - right?

I had greased the threads, unfortunately it did not help. I had applied a liberal coat of Phil's grease when I had installed it.

I use the vice method but you need a huge lump-of-metal-vice bolted to a solid wooden bench, not one of these little clamp-on things. Most garage workshops have a vice and they generally they you spin off a freewheel. [...] .

I see what you 're saying, however I managed to break two large vices bolted onto my wooden bench. And I am not that strong, really.


[...] When fitting the freewheel, grease as advised above, and reverse thread the freeweel, spinning by hand with the tool, till it click into position, then tighten by hand. You don't want to cross-thread a cheap steel freewheel with an expensive aluminium hub.

Good advice, and as I said, my stuck freewheel has had a liberal coat of Phil's grease upon installation, which did not help at all.

zombie thread

I find your comment completely unwarranted. Judging from the replies, this is an interesting thread. If anything, you replied, right?

Use Anti-Sieze, not grease or oil. It is a silver color. Snce the FW stopson a sholder of the hub, put some there too.

removal by destruction always works. Cut into the freewheel with an angle grinder until a couple cogs and the bearings fall out by making two cuts one on either side of the freewheel.

Then take your big pliers (the blue handle ones) and grab the remains of the freewheel shell and twist it backways.

Then throw the pieces in the trash and put on your new freewheel/ cog / etc...

I have found that if you _tighten_ it a little first, that can break things loose. Also, I do the destructo method of removal without power tools - I wedge the bigger cogs in a vise, then hammer off the smallest cog with a big screwdriver. Unthread it. Same with the next, and the next. Then disasemble it. Then grab it with a pipe wrench and take it off.

I find your comment completely unwarranted. Judging from the replies, this is an interesting thread. If anything, you replied, right?

You do know what a zombie is, don't you?

You do know what a zombie is, don't you?

Yes, although here used in a figurative sense. I don't see what the problem is with posting to an old thread that, judging from the replies, is still relevant and of concern to some.