Remove freewheel with out having the wheel laced
 

Hi

Anybody knows a trick to take a freewheel out the hub w/o having to re lace the wheel?? Don't ask ok? hehehe the wheel was un laced before taking the freewheel out the wheel so now it is stuck in there....One solution is to put the hub in a vice but i dont think it is a good idea after all. Suggestions?

Thanks :)

You can partially lace the wheel just using the non-drive side hub flange.

Lace in ~ 12 or 16 or 18 spokes (all the same length but it doesn't matter what length as long as they all reach the rim) then remove the freewheel by placing FW remover in vise, placing the freewheel onto the remover so all notches are engaged, then turn the rim like a bus driver turning left.

Mount the freewheel remover in a vise and turn the hub with a rented/borrowed strap wrench. The strap shouldn't mar the hub finish; just make sure it is degreased so the strap doesn't slip.

Awesome, ideas, I thought in relacing half of the wheel, the strap wrench is an awesome idea.... I'm trying to rebuilt my old steel and a friend have moving around a set of old hubs, the read has that problem.

Still more parts to go :D

Thanks again :D

How long has the freewheel been attached? If it's been very long it can take a LOT of torque to break it loose even in ideal circumstances.

My bet is it's going to take destructive methods to remove. Disassemble the freewheel and try to remove it with a pipe wrench. If that doesn't work, break out the dremel.

+1 I have done the partial relace myself.

Try some electrical tape around the spool of the hub if the strap wrench doesn't grab well enough.

I wanted to do some hub rebuilds and to polish the spool before lacing them. To let me get the freehub off the spool I made a set of clamping blocks where I drilled a slightly undersize hole thru the split line. The blocks and spool were then clamped uber tight in my big bench vise to allow me to put enough torque into the spool to loosen the freehub bolt. Something similar may work OK for removing a freewheel. But frankly I doubt it. I sort of doubt that the strap wrench will get enough bite on the small spool diameter as well. I strongly suspect you'll have to lace it to a rim to get enough purchase to snap the freewheel loose.

Don't try turning it by the spool or opposite flange. The hubs aren't strong enough for the amount of torque involved. Use the strap wrench on the right flange only.

+1

I twisted an old shimano hub straight off in the middle that way once.

Use a pneumatic impact wrench. Just hold the hub in your hand.

Yea , you need leverage, were you the one to cut the spokes out before removing the freewheel?

partially build the wheel, again.. you can make a headless S bend the spoke ends
to get them in behind the freewheel .