Sal Bandini

I have early 90s Trek 850 with 7-speed Suntour freewheel, derailleurs, and shifters. The rear hub needs overhauling (at a minimum), and I am wondering if I should buy the Suntour tool and overhaul it or just upgrade to Shimano. I am looking at lower end Tourney or TourneyTX since it will not be ridden much.

I am looking at Shimano literature and wondering why they have different RD for 3x7 versus 1x7. Also, the right shifters are different.

I assume I can keep my front same but someone correct me if I'm wrong, and is it worth it to step up to Altus? My son has Tourney on his Trek and it has held up fine.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Corrected the bike model.

Barabaika

You can overhaul the rear hub without removing the freewheel.
You just need cone wrenches.
The hub is probably made by SunShine.

Sal Bandini

Thank you.

I have cone wrenches. Would I just access the drive side bearings from the other side?

dedhed

Most shops will pull a freewheel for a nominal fee if you bring the wheel in. I'll often have them do it if I'd need to buy the tool for an odd ball I may never need again. They charge me $5

Barabaika

When you take out the axle from one side, you should be able to get to the balls on the drive side.

Falcon3

Just get a freewheel tool and chain whip. These are very inexpensive. Then you'll be set forever. The chain whip will be useful with any bike including a Shimano hub if you get one down the road. It does make it easier to service the hubs, but yes, you can do it well though these tools.

Sal Bandini

I have chain whip and hub tools for Shimano free hub and freewheel (FR-5 and FR-1.3). Was wondering if I should pay $12 for another one time use tool or just have shop remove for $5. But then since I had the wheel there already my lazy might set in and I would just have them overhaul it there..."since you have the wheel..."

On a tangent, I'm looking at Shimano Line-up Chart and Shimano US website and notice not all of the line is in US. It looks like the lower end is gone. Does that mean no freewheel models from Shimano in US anymore?

Bill Kapaun

Free Wheels don't need a chain whip.
No sense buying one until the OP has a cassette to remove.

Barabaika

You don't need a chain whip to remove a freewheel.
A 4-pin Suntour freewheel remover won't set you forever.

It's easier to service a rear hub without a freewheel. But even with a freewheel installed you still have space to access the balls (finger width). Just use a screwdriver with a rag to clean inside, and tweezers to insert balls.

Falcon3

You gentlemen are too quick. Apologies for my mistake. I like having tools, so I would still just spend the money on a Suntour prong tool and service the bearings on your existing hub.

nfmisso

You mean DOWNGRADE to Shimano.

sweeks

The rear derailleur has to be able to take up quite a bit more slack in the chain with a front triple, so it has a "long cage".
Steve

JohnDThompson 

If you have indexed shifting, you may find that "upgrading" to a Shimano cluster will require replacing the derailleurs and shifters as well. If you have friction shifting, no worries, and the Shimano tooth profile shifts very nicely.

Retro Grouch 

The "SunTour" disease. SunTour shifters don't communicate well with Shimano derailleurs. SunTour freewheels are spaced a little bit goofy too. If you replace the hub, you may find yourself changing a bunch of other parts to get your bike to index to your satisfaction.

That's kind of a long way of saying "Fix what you have."

70sSanO

You have been given a lot of good advice. If your shifters, derailleur, freewheel are all in good condition, working well, and you do not have to replace them, your choices are pretty simple if it is truly a freewheel and not a cassette.

A Suntour freewheel removal tool is dirt cheap so take the freewheel off. Overhaul the hub. If it is beyond repair by a new rear wheel that will take a freewheel and put your freewheel on the new wheel. You may want to clean and lube it while it is off. Also, the Suntour freewheel doesn't care if the new hub is Shimano, Suntour, Campagnolo, Miche, Formula, or whatever. You can buy a used one off eBay if you find a good one. As long as it has the right threads (probably British or ISO) you just screw the freewheel on. You will have to get the correct OLD to fit the frame... probably 126mm.

Seems like the cheapest and easiest way to fix a little used bike.

John

gomadtroll

Might depend on the version of Suntour. My custom touring bike from the same era, 1991, has Suntour, came with Winner 7 spd freewheel, XC Pro deraileurs, Barcon shifters...indexed..all worth maintaining instead of replacing.

The eventually freewheel got rplaced with an IRD 7 spd freewheel..much better shifting the the squarish teeth on the Suntour. Still running the XC Pro deraileurs with friction shift barend shifter.

bradtx

Sal Bandini, If the problem is a bent or broken axle I don't see the need for a new rear hub on a seldom used bicycle, unless a very heavy person is the primary rider. A FW tool will make servicing the hub and the FW worth the expense of the tool.

Brad

velocentrik

If it is a sealed bearing Suntour hub it's likely a Sansin. They are prized hubs that unlike Shimano cup/cone hubs will last forever. Specialized even branded the Suntour/Sansin hubs as their own house hubs for a bit. Suntour/Sansin sealed bearing hubs are prized by those BOBish cyclists in the know.

nfmisso

How about some pictures? Trek used Sansin hubs on some bikes in the early '90's with Suntour 7 speed CASSETTES. Neither Shimano compatible nor Campy compatible cassettes will fit those freehubs. The hubs alone go for $100-$200 used on eBay.

Jon T

Get the tool. If the gear cluster starts to cross-thread while putting it back on the hub, you'll need the tool or another trip to the bike shop to get it back off. Ask me why I know this and why I have the tool. Very cheap insurance.
Jon

Sal Bandini

Hub is a loose bearing Joytech. The drive side cone is pitted on about 1/4 the circumference so I am wondering if hub race is damaged as well. I am either going to get the tool or go to LBS and have them remove it.

I also need a new chain, but teeth look pretty good still.

Freewheel is 7 speed 13-30.

Edited my OP to correct for bike model. It is Trek 850, not 870.