Originally Posted by
RoadWearier
I have no doubt I need to repack hubs this winter, I plan to do so. But it seems like the tick tick tick of the ratcheting mechanism in older ten speeds (and they were actually "10 speeds") have a different sound. I'm wondering if it's the fact it's a freewheel (I'm assuming)?
like i said, the old grease has gotten hard and the sound changes... Free wheels are indeed greased, but it is a special Extra-Light weight grease... if you add some 3 in 1 or PB blaster to the grease, it will get a bit softer and become more mobile in nature..
Lay the bike on it's left side, a bit of incline should remain, then look for the tiny circular slit/opening between the central and outer part of the Freewheel ratchet.. this will be inside the smallest gear on the freewheel(No, NOT the gap between the Axle and freewheel center hub.)... i drip several drips onto the flat part around that tight gap, wait for it to seep into the ratchet, then i spin the freewheel ratchet to work the oil around... At some point, the oil will begin weeping out a similar tiny slit on the backside of the freewheel... add some more to the outside slit area, wait, spin, wipe up the excess, and expect some more to weep out.
this is much easier to do with the rear wheel removed,,, no chain/pedals or frame to mess with.
you'll have already noticed that the freewheel will be far quieter once the grease and oil worked some of the old hard gunk back into an actual Lubrication state.
LOUD means Metal on Metal, Quiet means lubed and working better.
i have a container of ACTUAL SHIMANO FREEWHEEL GREASE sitting a few feet from me as i type this.
Manufacturers install LIGHT GREASE, not oil, in their brand new freewheels, but just enough to do the job.. packing a freewheel with thick axle grease will completely prevent the pawls from quickly and easily.engaging the ratchet valleys and you will not like what that does to your bike.
Ratchet pawls Must work with high speed and precision. the grease used is very light weight, and has excellent Flow Back properties too.
and most oils will run out onto the floor and your rim, eventually rendering your freewheel UN-LUBED, but nicely lubing your Brake Tracks in a very bad way... !
the pentrating oil trick is a temporary thing.. It will not stay put, but SOME Will mix with the old grease, and make it mobile for a while....