I've got an old trek 400 and the freewheel has gotten to the point where it needs to be replaced. The bike has a 7 speed suntour freewheel and its part of the 4050 edge group. I've been trying to do some research, but it seems that everyone has 6 speed suntour freewheels. What are my options for replacing? I really don't want to buy nos on ebay because the suntour winner 7 speed freewheels are going for $60. I am still somewhat of a novice when it comes to understanding how different brands of freewheels interact with the derailleur/shifters. If someone could recommend a low(er) cost alternative (around $20-$30) freewheel that will integrate smoothly with my current components, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

In my experience, a Shimano SIS 7-speed freewheel will work OK.

7-speed freewheels are interchangeable across manufacturers.

A Shimano freewheel will work fine - try to get similar sizes to your old sprockets to get the range of gears you are used to.

My Trek 820 came with a freewheel. I broke/bent 2 axels in the first year.

The solution: I took the bike to my LBS. He had a wheel with a freehub for about $60. He also had spacers, etc. That was the easiest solution. I didn't have to go through a bunch of mental gymnastics trying to make sure I was ordering all the correct stuff. I walked in, plunked down the dough and walked out with what I needed - and the advice on how to get it done. I'm happy and haven't had a problem with that part of the bike since.

Nashbar sells their house-branded (SunRace) freewheels for $20. They are Shimano index compatible and should work for your application. Look here:

https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...A%20Freewheels