I've got a freewheel that will not come off of my Shimano hub by the normal method. What's the success rate using a Park Tool SR-2.

Well, think about it. As you pedal, the freewheel tightens itself right. So to unthread it you need to turn it in the freewheel direction. Which means you can't turn the cogs, because they will freely spin in that direction.

You need a special tool/socket that has splines and fits inside the whole freewheel cassette mechanism like https://www.parktool.com/products/category.asp?cat=4. You could probably take the wheel to your LBS and they could pop it off for ya maybe even for free.

That is a shop grade chain-whip for removing lockrings or cogs on a freewheel, It will not help you get the freewheel off.

never tried a chain whip on a freewheel. What has worked best for me is putting the freewheel tool in a vice that is secured to a bench and then get a couple of guys on the wheel rim. That is usually enough leverage and force to get the freewheel off. If not, then I doubt a chain whip would be enough.

you can always disassemble the freewheel and take the body off with a big pair of channel locks after the grooves strip off. that's my typical regina fix...

A chainwhip will only tighten a freewheel.

If you're able to spin the chainwhip fast enough to generate the necessary friction to cause the components to expand and lock the little pawls inside the freewheel to jam, it might possibly lead to success. I simply can't sustain the 20,000 rpm for the 15-20 minutes necessary, and consequently, I lean towards using the proper tool for the job.

Besides, you can get 2-3 freewheel removers for the price of a chain whip.

+1, in fact I just did this a few hours ago. I learned this trick after watching the guy at my lbs do it. It's saved me a few pairs of bloody knuckles so far.

Without a vice, here's the old bike shop method:
Attach freewheel remover
Attach quick release skewer back on
Attach vice grip to freewheel remover
Put on a pair of good boots
Place vice grip handle in 9 o'clock position
Slam down hard on the vice grip with your boots.
Works every time

+1 I use a variation of triplebutted method. Be surre to attach skewer. Thats what holds the remover in place. The skewer should be snug, but not tight (needs to be loose enough that you can turn remover about a half turn).

Why use Visegrips instead of a large adjustable wrench?

vise grips dont slip as much.

A big honkin pipe wrench slips even less. Took off an old Mallard freewheel this way once by removing the cogs first. Saved a beautiful pair of early '60s Normandy hubs this way. Best of luck.

Screwdriver, you need two chainwhips to remove the cogs of a freewheel first. One to hold the FW, the other to spin the first cog.

The success rate is 100% that you'll have a 0% chance of getting a freewheel off with a chain whip.

Quoted for truth. Won't do you a damn bit of good for a freewheel stuck on a hub.

Pete

Fwiw: a day ahead off the removal attempt, I lay the wheel flat, freewheel side down, and spray a boatload of penetrating oil or other lubricant into the space where the hub and freewheel meet.

You could also slip a length of hollow pipe over the end of the wrench handle for more leverage.

I use a methodsimilar to triplebutted but use a 12" adjustable wrench and a rubber mallet. Haven't missed yet.