flanso 

I am getting a bike rideable as a favor for a great neighbor. It is a Jamis Boss Cruiser, a very low end bike that is probably about 25 years old. Among its ailments is a broken spoke on the rear drive side. I need to remove the freewheel to replace the spoke. It has a 6 speed Suntour freewheel requiring a four prong remover. I bent the handle of my chain whip trying to remove the freewheel and then went after the thing using my half inch drive air impact wrench, which has capability of about 150 foot-pounds. All to no avail. I am beginning to think this may be a situation where 35 spokes are enough. But, then again, the challenge of getting the freewheel removed keeps beckoning me back out to the garage. Any ideas for removing a freewheel?

FBinNY 

I think you're going about it the wrong way. There's no use for a chain whip when removing a freewheel. Freewheels are simply threaded onto the hub, with a right hand thread. Riding tightens them, and you need a remover to grab the inner part of the body and turn it off to the left. (In case it isn't obvious, you can't use the chain whip to the left because it'll just freewheel).

Here's how to remove.

1- use the QR skewer(With conical springs removed) or the axle bolts to lock the freewheel remover to the f/w body. This is a must because unless you do the tool will jump and the prongs will shear off.

2- use a wrench about 15" long to turn the remover to the left while bracing the wheel in a corner. This method only works if you can bench press about 200#, so don't get discouraged.

3- (clamp the remover into a vise on a sturdy, rigid workbench. One bolted to the wall is best. (read step 4 next then come back here) Grab the rim. Channel the spirit of Ralph Cramden, and turn the rim to the left as if it were on a large bus without power steering. Expect the spokes to ping, and the workbench to pull off the wall (maybe I'm exaggerating, but it does require serious torque.

4- once the freewheel breaks loose, stop immediately and remove the QR, or axle nuts to give the freewheel room to move out. Failure to do this step will stretch the QR or axle by about 3/8" so don't forget.

5- spin the freewheel off all the way. Don't forget to grease the thread when you spin it back on, which you do by grabbing the sprockets and spinning on.

reptilezs

im thinking the OP has a park whip with the 1 inch hex in the end of the handle. im a fan of the big wrench and door jamb method or the vise. time to upgrade your impact or air compressor too

flanso 

Thank you, FB, your bus driver suggestion is a good one and I tried it. But I did not get far. This bike does not have a QR axle. And there is not enough of the axle sticking out beyond the freewheel to reach through my remover which is 40 mm deep overall. Loosening the locknut and cone on the opposite side doesn't allow me to move more of the axle to the freewheel side. Apparently the locknut and cone on the freewheel side are entrapped by the freewheel so I can't move more of the axle to the freewheel side. I can see the locknut on the freewheel side of the axle but there is not enough room to get at it even with a thinwall socket. What do you think?

FBinNY 

40mm deep Sun Tour freewheel remover???? What idiot (not you) came up with that. 4 prong Suntour removers are typically 20-25mm overall height. You can try without bolting in down, by pressing down on the rim as you turn, but I warn you that even experienced mechanics have them slip when they do it without bolting down. I suggest you buy a tool that'll work, should be $10-15. If you can't find a decent one locally Pm me and I'll sell you one for $10.90 including postage.

flanso 

A 20 to 25 mm remover would have worked much better than this one from IceToolz that I have. Anyway, I went back out there, pumped up the compressor to 120 psi; I usually have the shut off set to 100 psi, and tried again with the impact wrench. It came off this time! Thank you, FBinNY, for your advice and the kind offer to send a proper size remover.