Indy452

Can anyone help me find a tutorial or guide for servicing an old SIW made in Japan rear hub on an old Panasonic sport deluxe road bike I'm fixing up?

I need to know if all the small ball bearings behind the cassette need oil or grease (not the cone bearings). This takes tools that I don't have but I managed to get the cassette off but getting it back on with all those ball bearings looks daunting....

I'm new to this so I hope this is the correct forum..

Thanks.

dabac

Sounds like you have a freewheel, not a freehub. F/Ws can be serviced, but is usually not seen worth the bother. Flush if they're gritty, dribble in some oil.
The bearing that allows the sprocket(s) to coast is one of the least stressed bearings of the whole bike, only having to carry the weight of the chain. Doesn't take much to keep it happy.

Indy452

Right...I have foolishly taken it off and now I want to know if there is a way to get all those little ball bearings back in place? I suppose with a light smear of philwood grease to hold them but don't know if grease is ok to use or not? This is the race btwn the freewheel and the hub that I'm having trouble with.

FBinNY 

Yes, go ahead and use grease to reassemble the freewheel. The actual lubrication needs are slight, since the freewheel never has parts moving under load. (freewheeling=no load, loaded pedaling = no internal moving parts). As a general rule the ratchet area shouldn't be greased since the pawl springs may not be strong enough to overcome greases viscosity. But a thin film won't present any issues.

The only drawback of using on the freewheel's bearings is it might add a tiny bit of drag when coasting. This is tiny and inconsequential, but if it bothers you you can add oil afterward to thin or wash out the greabut

Indy452

Thanks...thats what I need to know.

bikemeister

I redo freewheels all the time. They're time-consuming and a bit messy, but easy enough to do. You can PM me if you need help.

cny-bikeman

Next time be aware that the freewheel comes off as a unit with an inexpensive tool and long wrench or vise. See Sheldon or Park sites next time you take on something you have not done before. Otherwise you may learn something else as useless as how to overhaul a freewheel.

bikeman715

I agree with bikemeister , I too do them all the time ,they can be messy ,time consuming but easy to do once you know how .

Indy452

I finally got it back together....wheeew! After about six tries. Its hard to get together with the long ass row of little ball bearings around the outer race and install the outer section with the gears when the dog cogs actually prevent it from going on easily...I learned a valuable lesson today.

At least its clean and lubed in there now.

FBinNY 

Curious. Was the lesson how to put one together. Or not to bother taking it apart, and servicing it by soaking in a tub of solvent, then drying and oiling it?