Originally Posted by
Tequila Joe
I banged that freewheel like a screen door on a windy day but the pawls wouldn't release.
Anmyone have suggestions on how to get moisture out of a free wheel? Heating with a torch?
A torch could cook the grease and ruin things even more if it gets too hot. Bring it inside.
Moisture itself won't freeze the pawls. Over time it can create rust that will bind the pawls. Mositure can turn to ice and freeze them. Grease can get so thick it binds them too. Bring it inside to warm up.
If you have an older bike with a freewheel and not a freehub like new bikes take the freewheel off and drip a little wd 40 into the gap in the back of the freewheel. Let it sit overnight. That will help get out water, soften up old grease and wash some of it out, and loosen rust too.
Don't spray much wd-40 on the cogs when they are on the bike you might get some in the wheel bearings and wash the grease out, then you could damage the bearings.. If you have a new bike with a freehub it won't work anyway.