Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Need advice on freewheel

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Need advice on freewheel

Old 07-26-07, 12:06 PM
  #1  
Dirt Bomb
Thread Starter
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,857
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5401 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times in 233 Posts
Need advice on freewheel

The bike is a Trek 820 mtb. I noticed the rear wheel had some play in it. You could "rock" it when it was on the stand. There was some looseness in the bearings. It felt the same as a loose wheel bearing on a car. If you grasped the top and bottom of the wheel you could rock it back and forth and almost feel a clicking.
I have the freewheel removal tool, so I removed the freewheel. There is a hex nut on each end of the axel. I removed the one on the side of the gears. Underneath there was a cylindrical nut with flats on it. It was loose. By loosening and thightening this nut it seems that you can adjust the load on the bearings (am I correct so far?).
It seems like the nuts that hold the load on the bearings have come loose. If that is true, how do I fix it?

Do I tighten the cylindrical nut, then lock it in place with the hex nut? If so, how much do I thghten the cylindrical nut. How much pre-load do you give it?

Thanks in advance. I have included a picture. The cylindrical nut goes on the threaded shaft.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
freewheel.jpg (19.9 KB, 21 views)
__________________
sknhgy is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 12:29 PM
  #2  
cab horn
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 18 Posts
https://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=105
operator is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 12:35 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,735
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 1 Post
You are exactly correct in what to do.

While you have it open this far you might as well repack the hub. It is not very hard to do. You can follow the instructions on the Park Tool website for hubs.

To get the adjustment correct, it would be very helpful if you purchased some cone wrenches. They are thin wrenches that can fit on the flats of the cone while you use a second wrench to tighten down the locknut.

The front hub is pretty much the same.

Good Luck.
masiman is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 02:01 PM
  #4  
Dirt Bomb
Thread Starter
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,857
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5401 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times in 233 Posts
I repacked the hubs while I was waiting for a reply.
The cups, cones, and bearings looked bad. Dullness, pitting, etc.
From what I've read, if I want new cups, I will probably need to get a new hub.
Since I would be getting a new hub, how difficult and costly would it be to change over to a freehub?
If I go that route (which I would prefer), what else do I need to know, and where could I get the parts?
Thanks.
__________________
sknhgy is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 02:20 PM
  #5  
cycles per second
 
Gonzo Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,930

Bikes: Early 1980's Ishiwata 022 steel sport/touring, 1986 Vitus 979, 1988 DiamondBack Apex, 1997 Softride PowerWing 700, 2001 Trek OCLV 110

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Liked 71 Times in 48 Posts
Originally Posted by sknhgy
Since I would be getting a new hub, how difficult and costly would it be to change over to a freehub?
Lessee, Trek 820 with a freewheel... I'm guessing 6-speed with 130mm spacing. But it's a steel frame so you can put a 135mm rear hub in it without problems. So that part of changing to a freehub wheel is easy.

The more difficult part (i.e. more costly part) will be if you have indexed shifters that don't have friction mode. But if memory serves me right, the 820 had bar-top thumb shifters with friction mode (at least my friend's old 820 did). If so, all you'd need once you get the new wheel built (or bought) is an 8- or 9-speed cassette, a new chain to match and flip those shifters to friction and go.
Gonzo Bob is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 02:53 PM
  #6  
Dirt Bomb
Thread Starter
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,857
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5401 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times in 233 Posts
What is the 130mm and 135mm spacing you talk about?

It's got Shimano shifters - 7 gears on the back hub.

What's friction mode?

I would rather do this than pay the LBS.

If I understand correctly, I would have to take out all the spokes to remove the hub, which is the casing around the axel. I would put in a new (freehub) hub, by hooking up all the spokes again.
Then I would assemble the axel, bearings, gears, etc.
Right?

P.S. If I stay with a freewheel, the procedure remains the same if I change out my cups, correct?
__________________
sknhgy is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 03:09 PM
  #7  
Mechanic/Tourist
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 7,522

Bikes: 2008 Novara Randonee - love it. Previous bikes:Motobecane Mirage, 1972 Moto Grand Jubilee (my fave), Jackson Rake 16, 1983 C'dale ST500.

Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 486 Post(s)
Liked 11 Times in 11 Posts
That's true with a few cautions. The hub flanges (where the spoke holes are) on the new hub must be the same diameter as your old one. "Hooking up" the spokes must be done in a particular pattern and then tensioned and trued properly. The freehub and axle set must be arranged so that your drivetrain is properly aligned. Seven gears mean you must have SIS (indexed) shifting and also means you need to get a 7 speed cassette/freehub. You need a lot of detailed advice or you need the LBS to do the work.
cny-bikeman is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 03:12 PM
  #8  
cycles per second
 
Gonzo Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,930

Bikes: Early 1980's Ishiwata 022 steel sport/touring, 1986 Vitus 979, 1988 DiamondBack Apex, 1997 Softride PowerWing 700, 2001 Trek OCLV 110

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Liked 71 Times in 48 Posts
130mm and 135mm is the spacing between the rear dropouts. 6-speed MTBs were 130mm, early 7-speed were 130mm but then later ones went to 135mm, and 8- and 9-speed MTBs are 135mm.

Friction mode is where the shift lever does not click all they way to the next gear when moved. You can move it as little or as much as you want and can even put it "between" gears. The lever is held in place with friction thus the name (oK so indexed levers are technically held in place with friction too so don't ask me why the name "friction" is used - it seems to me that analog and digital is a better choice of terms ). To get good indexing with indexed shifters, you must match your cassette or freewheel with your shifters - 6 with 6, 7 with 7, etc. Friction shifters, however can shift any speed cassette/freewheel.

Many will say you shouldn't reuse old spokes but I've done it a couple of times with success. You may need to get some new nipples, though, as those get corroded and some may be deformed.

A new hub will come with bearings, axle, cones, spacers, etc. so you won't need to swap those parts over from the old hub.

I recommend a new freehub hub. They are superior to freewheel hubs. You can put a 7-speed cassette onto a 8/9-speed freehub by first putting on a 4.5mm cassette spacer.

Last edited by Gonzo Bob; 07-26-07 at 03:18 PM.
Gonzo Bob is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 04:51 PM
  #9  
cab horn
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 25 Times in 18 Posts
What kind of wheel is that? Is it a good rim?

If it's already been used and the rim has had wear on it, I really wouldn't bother with swapping out the hub.

Either get a brand new wheel or get the parts for a brand new wheel.
operator is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 05:38 PM
  #10  
Dirt Bomb
Thread Starter
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,857
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5401 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times in 233 Posts
Originally Posted by operator
What kind of wheel is that? Is it a good rim?

If it's already been used and the rim has had wear on it, I really wouldn't bother with swapping out the hub.

Either get a brand new wheel or get the parts for a brand new wheel.
The decal on the rim says Matrix 550. It has a stock Bontragger 2.0 x 26 knobby on it.

I like the idea of just getting a new wheel with a freehub, which would included the axel, bearings, seals, etc. I'm probably due for a chain, too.

Who sells this kind of stuff?
__________________

Last edited by sknhgy; 07-26-07 at 05:45 PM.
sknhgy is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 05:49 PM
  #11  
Really Old Senior Member
 
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Posts: 13,824

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds.

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1774 Post(s)
Liked 1,231 Times in 852 Posts
You might check your LBS. Maybe they have a new "take off" from somebody that upgraded their wheels on a new bike??

You might measure the spacing first-
https://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_sp-ss.html#spacing
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Old 07-26-07, 08:47 PM
  #12  
Dirt Bomb
Thread Starter
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,857
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5401 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times in 233 Posts
One other option: Can cups be replaced? My problem is that the bearings are bad. Bearings and cones would be simple to change, but do people routinely change cups? Something I read said it isn't often done. Can the old ones be tapped out then the new ones cooled and pressed in?

Dang, those new wheels are expensive! This is only a $275 bike.
__________________
sknhgy is offline  
Old 07-28-07, 11:53 AM
  #13  
Dirt Bomb
Thread Starter
 
sknhgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,857
Mentioned: 64 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5401 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times in 233 Posts
I called the lbs today, the one I bought it from. He is going to send me an axel assembly, I believe he called it. It has everything but the cups and the quick release assembly. I'm also getting a multi-tool. I think the cups are OK.
Hope this fixes it.
__________________
sknhgy is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.