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Desperate weekend demounting freewheel inner body

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Desperate weekend demounting freewheel inner body

Old 08-22-22, 02:52 AM
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Desperate weekend demounting freewheel inner body

Tried my ass off to demount this ESJOT 6 speed freewheel inner-body from a Gipiemme Azzurro hub. eventually, broke the freewheel body, yet IT STILL WON'T COME OFF!!!!!!!!

Firstly tried to demount the whole freewheel, it didn't work. Then managed to demount the cogs and the outer body. I SHOULD HAVE stopped there but I was so determined to demount everything and give them a thorough bath.......I believe anti-clockwise is the correct direction to demount the damn thing. What would you do??? I don't want to change the rear hub. It causes so many troubles.

Pic in the gallery. BTW, does anybody happen to have a spare inner body that suits my ESJOT 6 speed?
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Old 08-22-22, 03:25 AM
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pic assist (there are four pics, only one of the fw, and none of the described state):



To help, we need to know more of what you did - what freewheel tool, how you mounted the tool and wheel, how you exerted force...
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Old 08-22-22, 05:23 AM
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The other pictures are the naked inner-body that is still attached to the rear hub, cogs have been removed from it.
I added the freewheel adapter which I used, it's the 2 notches adapter fit for this type of freewheel.
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Old 08-22-22, 06:32 AM
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https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/aluminu...ht-pipe-wrench
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Old 08-22-22, 06:51 AM
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In all the freewheels that I've serviced, I've never had this brand in my hands or seen one posted on BF. So finding a replacement body might prove exceedingly difficult.

Assuming you only used the removal tool for your attempts at removal, let me now suggest:
1) Mount a tire and inflate to about 15 psi. This will protect the rim and help you secure the wheel.
2) Apply liberal amounts of penetrating oil, i.e. WD40, Liquid Wrench, etc., to the hub threads and let soak (at least 24 hours).
3) Using a propane blow torch, heat the freewheel body (keep direct heat away from the hub) until the oil is bubbling from the thread junction.
4) Use a large pipe wrench or very large vise grip pliers to grab the body at the pawl and spring cutouts (while body is hot).
5) With the freewheel body on your right, the pipe wrench handle pointing at 9:00 o'clock, place your weight on the top of the wheel and wedge between you and the floor.
6) Push down on the pipe wrench while keeping the wheel from spinning.
7) Repeat as needed.

Let us know about your outcome. Best of luck!
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Old 08-22-22, 08:27 AM
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Much appreciated, Bob.
I am thinking of heating the body as well, just wasn't sure if it's safe. Now I know it is worth a try.

Need to find a workshop that has big tools to help me do this
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Old 08-22-22, 08:35 AM
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Any chance you can find a band clanp/oil filter wrench smaller enough to work? That's an option. A dremel to cut a crack in the body is also an option.
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Old 08-22-22, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by ljr
Much appreciated, Bob.
I am thinking of heating the body as well, just wasn't sure if it's safe. Now I know it is worth a try.

Need to find a workshop that has big tools to help me do this
or a neighbor with a pipe wrench
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Old 08-22-22, 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by branko_76
or a neighbor with a pipe wrench
Or a Brother
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Old 08-22-22, 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by seypat
Any chance you can find a band clanp/oil filter wrench smaller enough to work? That's an option.
These are generally not robust enough or long enough handle to get the required torque
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Old 08-22-22, 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by ljr
Need to find a workshop that has big tools to help me do this
Think plumber or pipe fitter. Or drag your wheel into Home Depot and use one off the shelf quick
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Old 08-22-22, 09:03 AM
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Heckle and Jeckle, lol, hey how about those brothers that did cartalk. Dang I miss listening to that show.
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Old 08-22-22, 09:38 AM
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I've had two or more make me nervous, and I don't have the strength of youth anymore. A two foot breaker bar helped, I haven't bought the $50 Park bar, yet.
A bathmat helped grip the tire to the floor, and something like cement bags help grip and keep from rolling.
And I let the wheel bake in the sun once, maybe it helped. I've not broken notches like this yet, but the freewheel probably wasn't that tight, and I managed to keep the remover steady on the notches.

Last edited by Peroni; 08-22-22 at 09:48 AM.
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Old 08-22-22, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by pastorbobnlnh
In all the freewheels that I've serviced, I've never had this brand in my hands or seen one posted on BF. So finding a replacement body might prove exceedingly difficult.

Assuming you only used the removal tool for your attempts at removal, let me now suggest:
1) ...
Simpler, safer, and likely quicker to just cut the body with a dremel-type tool.
Cut twice, at something like 90 degrees; when the cutting disk gets close to the hub body you stop and break that chunk out with a wedge or lever or something.
If you're lucky the body will now be loose enough to spin; otherwise cut another chunk out to take you past 180 degrees.

Wear eye protection and get extra disks, you'll likely break several.
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Old 08-22-22, 09:52 AM
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Clamp the flat inner portion of the FW in a fixed bench vise and then apply counter-clockwise force at two opposite sides of the rim (like a big bus steering wheel). The coupled force (at the rim) that can be applied is stronger and easier to keep centered than using a wrench at the hub while holding the rim. Even with a properly fitting FW removal tool, I do most of my FW removal with a bench vice rather than a wrench, it just works better.
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Old 08-22-22, 10:13 AM
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Originally Posted by GrayJay
Clamp the flat inner portion of the FW in a fixed bench vise and then apply counter-clockwise force at two opposite sides of the rim (like a big bus steering wheel). The coupled force (at the rim) that can be applied is stronger and easier to keep centered than using a wrench at the hub while holding the rim. Even with a properly fitting FW removal tool, I do most of my FW removal with a bench vice rather than a wrench, it just works better.
I've got a freewheel to remove with the thin walled Atom type remover, I'll remember to use this method, if it's very tight at all.
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Old 08-22-22, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by seypat
Any chance you can find a band clanp/oil filter wrench smaller enough to work? That's an option. A dremel to cut a crack in the body is also an option.
band clamp/filter wrench won't work as considering how badly seized on this FW body is to the hub, the OP will need full mechanical engagement on to the FW body to have any chance of breaking it loose. = break out the adjustable or pipe wrench or bench vise!
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Old 08-22-22, 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by GrayJay
Clamp the flat inner portion of the FW in a fixed bench vise and then apply counter-clockwise force at two opposite sides of the rim (like a big bus steering wheel). The coupled force (at the rim) that can be applied is stronger and easier to keep centered than using a wrench at the hub while holding the rim. Even with a properly fitting FW removal tool, I do most of my FW removal with a bench vice rather than a wrench, it just works better.
...that's how I do a destructive freewheel removal. Even then, it doesn't work 100% of the time. The other solution is an impact wrench, which sometimes works because all the repeat impacts loosen the freewheel body/ hub threading interface. But it's something you want to be careful with. start with a relatively loose clutch, and then increase the torque when you're sure the wheel is under your control.
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Old 08-22-22, 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by oneclick
Simpler, safer, and likely quicker to just cut the body with a dremel-type tool.
Cut twice, at something like 90 degrees; when the cutting disk gets close to the hub body you stop and break that chunk out with a wedge or lever or something.
If you're lucky the body will now be loose enough to spin; otherwise cut another chunk out to take you past 180 degrees.

Wear eye protection and get extra disks, you'll likely break several.
"Simpler, safer, and likely quicker...." That's debatable (with the exception of the overnight penetrating oil soak).

I'd personally worry about cutting into the threads on the hub using your method. YMMV.
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Last edited by pastorbobnlnh; 08-23-22 at 07:27 AM.
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Old 08-22-22, 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by GrayJay
Clamp the flat inner portion of the FW in a fixed bench vise and then apply counter-clockwise force at two opposite sides of the rim (like a big bus steering wheel).
Turn the big bus to the left!

​​​​​​
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Old 08-22-22, 02:44 PM
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I wonder if the hub and freewheel threads were incompatible? If that were the case, it may be a total loss.
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Old 08-22-22, 09:52 PM
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does a 18 inch pipe wrench long enough? am thinking about buy one of these
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Old 08-22-22, 10:06 PM
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that will be my last chance if a pipe wrench didnot help...lol
now am soaking it with WD40, spray a few times a day till I get my hands on a pipe wrench
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Old 08-22-22, 10:13 PM
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Originally Posted by ljr
does a 18 inch pipe wrench long enough? am thinking about buy one of these
The Park freewheel wrench is about 15" long so a 18" pipe wrench should do it
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Old 08-23-22, 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by ljr
that will be my last chance if a pipe wrench didnot help...lol
now am soaking it with WD40, spray a few times a day till I get my hands on a pipe wrench
IIRC, my pipe wrench is a 12-inch model, and the soak in WD40 and heat with a blow torch has never failed.

I predict you will be successful. I can probably assist with an appropriate replacement freewheel. What was the gearing of the original and what derailleurs are you running?
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