Originally Posted by
Z R I D E R
I've got one last question, I'm cleaning the rusted chain that went with this freewheel and I'm wondering how impossible it will be to get the two functioning together smoothly when finished.
You'll have to try it. Sometimes they're OK. However, a chain with rust on the outside probably has rust on the inside, and that's going to cause it to wear quickly once you get it lubed. Then you'll want a new chain, and the new chain probably won't play well with the old freewheel. But then again, it might be OK.
All of the above tells you why we usually recommend replacing the freewheel and chain together. Unless the parts are extremely rare and of great sentimental value, it's far easier and sometimes cheaper to replace them both.