How to remove Ircos freewheel?
 

I have a 7 speed freewheel I'd like to remove but not sure what tool to use - it looks like it might take a splined one but the Shimano one I have won't fit. The freewheel says IRCOS on it, as well as MAIL ARD, which suggests it could be a Maillard one - see pictures. Any suggestions?

that *should* take the standard Atom/Mailliard remover, like the ParkFR-4. (Shimano is the FR-1) it doesn't look like the extra-big Mailliard that needs a 30mm diameter job, like the BR-CT3

The tool costs from $9 to $19, whereas the local bike shop may only charge you a few bucks to yank it off. If you don't take it off frequently, you might just want to let them do it. Plus, it'd get done sooner than ordering and waiting for the tool to arrive.

It's really worth buying freewheel tool if you work on bikes a lot. Bike shops around here charge $6 cdn to remove a freewheel.

Park FR-4 will not work on this since that has 20 splines, whereas this freewheel will need 12 - but the 12 splined shimano tool it too big to fit. I can't find info on any other removers which seem to fit the bill. Any ideas anyone?

OK so it's not a standard European splined FW, you say the FW-1 is too BIG? then you might need one of the "early" style Shimano removers, which had a smaller (20mm) hole: Bicycle Research number BR-CT4 or Shimano FW20, and you'll have to remove the axle to use the tool(s). Only other possibility is it's a "Falcon" type splined FW, but that would run slightly *bigger* than the regular Shimano (22.7mm), and they take a Park FR-7 or BR-CT8...good luck :thumb:

A Campagnolo lockring remover - Park Tool BBT-5 - has a 12-splined body. And the old Park FR-5 looks a likely candidate with it's 12-splines.

Let us know what works, please!

The dimensions of the cassette lockring tool (PA-FR5) and the Shimano Standard freewheel tool (PA-FR1) are exactly the same (22.4mm), EXCEPT that the tool intended for a freewheel has much *longer* splines, so you get more surface area in contact and better "purchase"; the Campy lockring tool has fatter splines and does not interchange with Shimano, it also has very short splines...I still bet you need the earlier 20mm diameter FW tool. It's odd tho cause that 13t sprocket looks so much like the Sachs/Speidel freewheels, I'm surprised it uses anything else, always a new adventure with an unknown brand, however.

So leave it to me to do the research after the fact: seems that IRCOS is the French division of multi-national SRAM Corp. So it really does have the same roots as Sachs freewheels. Making it all the more strange that SRAM would have used a FW body that employs any kind of Campy or Shimano remover.

I have an older Shimano freewheel-remover that says on the plastic tube it came in: MULTI FREEWHEEL Removing Tool. It has 12 splines. It's 20mm across and the splines are 14mm tall.

I found it for sale in Norway - and I collect 'em.

I knew I had a campag remover around somewhere but couldn't find it - need to be more organised. I hunted it down today, and ..... it fits! never would have expected it. Thanks Unworthy1 and Panthers007.

Bought it online or went there in person? I need one.

the 20mm tools by Shimano and Bicycle Research can be had from biketoolsetc.com, and they are close by in Oregon. They have nearly all the other FW and cassette tools as well.

Thank you. I think I remember some time back visiting a webpage that had a "packet" of a number of tools for old freewheels for sale, but I forgot to bookmark it. Got several I need to remowe. All different of course.