Metro50

What's up fellow bikers!

I'm at the last phase of trying to remove the next to last
smallest cog of my Suntour Perfect 6 speed freewheel.
I've replaced it before by adding a 34T, but forget the correct way lol.

Not sure if I need to turn the "back" of the freewheel lock or
try to unscrew the next cog. and to turn it clockwise or vice versa.
This cog seems frozen so inclined to think I need to unscrew from the back. not sure.

Trying to insert a 30T cog between a 34T and 26T cog and omitting the
last cog.

Anyone have this knowledge please hit me up or post up on this thread.

SEE PICS>>>>

repechage

repechage

steelbikeguy

hmmm..... job #1 is to put the freewheel body back together (remove the inside half from the hub, put a little grease on the bearing races, put the bearings in the races, carefully mate the two halves, reinstall the cone and the shim washers).

As noted, the freewheel is designed to use threads on the small cogs and splines on the large cogs. You'll need to use two chain whips to unthread the small cogs in order to get to the large cogs.

I've got a photos of one of my SunTour Pro Compe 6 speed freewheels with "ultra" spacing. The Pro Compe has the same arrangement of splined and threaded cogs as the Perfect. The "ultra" spacing is a bit narrower than the 5 speed versions. This is achieved with a complex arrangement of spacers between the cogs.



Steve in Peoria

edit: the large cog on your freewheel doesn't look like something designed for a Perfect body. Is it off of a much later SunTour freewheel, maybe?

steelbikeguy

regarding the stuck cog...
I've got the same issue on some SunTour Winner freewheels. I think it's a matter of corrosion and time. The standard fix is to use penetrating oil and let it soak in.

When that doesn't work.... I suppose the judicious application of heat might help, although some will advocate for the use of percussive maintenance. I haven't gotten desperate enough to try those yet.

Steve in Peoria

pastorbobnlnh 

As @repechage mentions, the second smallest sprocket threads off and you will need two chain whips, one to hold the largest sprockets and the other to thread off the second one. It threads off normally, i.e. "lefty loosey."

I've never seen that type of sprocket used as your 34T on a Perfect, ProCompe or even one of the Winner models. I'm guessing it is from of the last versions of Suntour freewheels.

I'm guessing you mean to not use the 14T? And instead use the second sprocket (guessing it is a 16T or 17T) as the first sprocket. Thus achieving something like 17-20-23-26-30-34 (don't forget I'm guessing here)? Where you will be challenged is that you still need a second threaded sprocket. In my example the 21T needs to be threaded. Suntour didn't make a 20T threaded for the Perfect/ProCompe models. However, the New Winner models used a 20T threaded which will fit on your Perfect body. You will need additional spacers underneath it in order to achieve the proper spacing.

Below is the 17-21-25-30-34-38 I built on a ProCompe body. So it can be done. Let me know if I can help further.

old's'cool

I see you've got balls at least.
Sometimes the threaded cogs get so stuck that only destructive methods will remove them. I would suggest heat to start with; if you're lucky it won't be destructive to the freewheel body or the cog. Next would be a thin cutoff wheel, cut the stuck cog while doing as little damage as possible to the freewheel body threads. The freewheel body will still be usable. Impact might work, but could crack the cog and/or brinnel the FW bearing races.

79pmooney

I'd get my hands on a freewheel vise and find a friend with a solid bench vise. Get a chain whip with a long handle or a cheat bar. Grunt away up to but not past the limits of the freewheel vise. Very good chance this will get that cog off. Doing it with two chainwhips is far, far harder. (I rarely use my FW vise, but when I do it is the right tool for the job. Now bench vises? I bought a house to install it in. To save on rent, I also live in it. )

Ben

John E

I second the vote for a freewheel vise and a chainwhip. I have both, and anyone near north coastal San Diego County would be welcome to borrow them.

qcpmsame 

This +1, if you must do the work yourself, and I understand that completely. Using @pastorbobnlnh is first rate advice, he had done several Regina Extra for me, better than new and workmanship that is excellent.(As an engineer in QC, for 32+ years, he passed every inspection I could dream up, or find, in an NDT manual)

Fahrenheit531 

My improvised, low-dollar, one size fits all, stuck cog removal rig:



1. Mark largest cog on 2x4s. Drill holes to accommodate screws.
2. Replace freewheel. Secure with screws.
3. Place chain whip appropriately. Slide circular end of 1" wrench over end of chain whip.
4. Stand on 2x4s straddling freewheel/chain whip assembly because you don't have anything to secure the 2x4s and hold them in place.
5. Hold wrench in left hand, thus holding chain whip in place for a quick application of force via rubber mallet (held in right hand).

I've sorted out some pretty wretched freewheels this way. None have yet defeated me. And in the absence of a bench vise (or a bench to house one) this will get you there. Ignore the laughter; focus on the end result.

Bad Lag

Two chain whips arranged into a scissor configuration, where you just squeeze the two end together usually works for me. Use both hands to squeeze them. It is a matter of hand strength. If you have one, you might be able to use a clamp to do th squeezing, if your hands aren't strong enough.

Be very careful not to get fingers or other body parts in between the halves of the 'scissors'. They usually break free suddenly and spin somewhat uncontrollably. You don't want to get hurt, otherwise someone might consider chain whips to be a 'defective design'.

cudak888 

Had to laugh at this. I've never seen so many C&V threads falsely pointing fingers at equipment for lack of knowledge or repair skills. So far, we have defective dropouts, defective quick releases, defective brifters, and the never-ending Defective Velo-Orange Fender Install Directions thread™.

Might as well add defective chain whips and defective rusty freewheels to the party, right?

-Kurt

P.S.: I almost want to make a gag post about defective Nuovo Record downshifting, but I'm 11 days late.

pastorbobnlnh 

Such a fun thread! Wonderful tongue-in-cheek humor! Great advice. Clever work-arounds. Spectacular do-it-yourself ingenuity and guidance!

Yet, not one response from our OP. Where are you @Metro50?

Question asked and answered, and elaborated upon, and expanded, and enjoyed by seasoned and knowledgeable C&Vers! We're certainly having fun. Why not join in?

Metro50

THANK YOU GUYS for all the inputs.

Me like the typical A blood type I kinda got the cob webs spinning lol
and managed to clamp down the freewheel onto a Vise Grip (top to bottom)
and used a large screw driver and smashed down on that second cog (one that
was seized) with a hammer (counter clock wise).
A dozen smashes later it came loose!!!! Yay...now I can custom add my 30T
or now considering 28T cog.

Happy Ridings for life guys and thanks for the inputs again!

jonwvara 

Brutal, but effective. But if you're going to keep working on old bikes, things usually go better without the hammer. Future generations will thank you.

pastorbobnlnh 

Just guessing--- but you won't be using that second sprocket any longer? Does it have a nice gouge in it where the screwdriver bit into it?

What tooth counts do you hope to achieve?

dmark 

brilliant!!!