Classic & Vintage - Removing a Maillard freewheel!

Hi,

I'm trying to remove an old Maillard freewheel from an equally old 197x Peugeot. It looks UO8-esque, but cant tell for sure due to a dodgy paint job, but cottered cranks, Sachs-Huret der. and bits of the frame would suggest so.

Does anyone have an idea which tool freewheel tool will enable me to remove it, and where I can get one in the UK?! I dont think Park make one to fit.

I have attached a pic to help

Thanks!!

Borrowed from another website

Park makes a freewheel tool that fits Maillard freewheels (FR-1), is this one not compatable with yours? Both Colorado Cyclist and Bike Nashbar sell this tool. If this one isn't compatable with your freewheel, I know a way to remove freewheels without a tool.

To remove a freewheel without a tool you need to dissasemble the freewheel and use a plumbing pipe wrench on the freewheel body. The cap on freewheels is reverse threaded, they usually have two indentations that you need a tool like the Park pin spanners to remove (they make several so you need to see which one will work). When you remove the cap there are many little bearings that might go flying (depending on how much grease is left in the freewheel). Remove the cap and dissasemble the freewheel with the wheel over a towel to catch the bearings if they do go flying. The exact count isn't absolutely criticle, but try to figure out how many of the bearings were on the inside and outside of the freewheel. Then dissasemble the pawl system. Most freewheels have two pawls on opposite sides held in place with a circular spring. After the pawls are removed you can use the pipe wrench to unscrew the freewheel body. It often helps to use a doorway, or wall area, for leverage. Put the wheel in the doorway so when you put reverse leverage on the freewheel body it wants to drive the wheel into the frame (wall). Place the pipe wrench on the freewheel's body in a way it won't damage the bearing races. You don't have to worry as much about the pawl seats as the races, but if you can avoid those too it can't hurt (although sometimes the pawl seats are needed to anchor the pipe wrench). You then apply the reverse pressure (as you probably know) and that will take it off. You might need to use a LOT OF PRESSURE, freewheels tend to get screwed on really tightly. Then after it's off put it back together before you forget how to do it.

Borrowed from another website


The remover needs to be quite large, much more so than the Park tool (around 30mm diameter at best estimate). Also note the very narrow splines needed to fit the groves (if you can make them out in the photo).

Thanks anyway.

The remover needs to be quite large, much more so than the Park tool (around 30mm diameter at best estimate). Also note the very narrow splines needed to fit the groves (if you can make them out in the photo).

Thanks anyway.

Removed lots of these when I worked in bike shops here in U.S. It is the large diameter Maillard freewheel freewheel tool you'll need. In the U.S. any number of bike shops have this tool kickin' around. Not sure what the situation is in the U.K. but if you have any shops around, you might check to see if they've got one. The charge for pulling the rascal off shouldn't be expensive. The freewheel threads on, so you don't need the tool to put it back on. Also, it's probably french thread, so if you destroy it in the process of removing it with a pipe wrench per one of the earlier posts, it may be more difficult to find a replacement than the tool to remove it properly.

http://www.bicycletool.com/wheelt.html#anchor270825

Did a little more research..this links to Bicycle Research tool catalog..proper remover, if you decide to buy it is the CT-3, Normandy type.

Borrowed from another website
Unless you plan to scrap the freewheel, I do not advocate removing a freewheel without the proper tool.

http://www.bicycletool.com/wheelt.html#anchor270825

Did a little more research..this links to Bicycle Research tool catalog..proper remover, if you decide to buy it is the CT-3, Normandy type.


Thanks Tom. The BRT site linked to a UK distributor (Townsends - Cambridge) which has the CT-3 in stock!