Freewheel service hack
 

Well I did not get pilloried for yesterday's hack so here is one more that may be helpful to someone (tis for me). I was sorting some junk into the recycling pile including a FUBAR mtn bike wheel - a POS Dept Store bike. While spinning away on the trainer recently, listening to Baltimore box player Billy McComiskey, I realized that the hub on that wheel could be useful for servicing freewheels. So I pulled that wheel out and cut all the spokes and salvaged the hub. I pulled the axle, nuts and cones cuz those are useful for supporting bare frames during transit and removed the FW. I glued up a block of pine and sized it to fit the empty hub but small enough to clamp in my vice. Before I glued it all together I drilled a hole (1 inch in this case) thru the center to hold the hub. After the glue dried I wacked a few nails thru the spoke holes to ensure the hub would not spin and now I have a ISO threaded steel hub that I can put freewheels on - much more compact than keeping a spare wheel around and much better than using a good wheel's aluminum threads for FW service.

I used it today to take a FW apart: unscrewing the cogs, tapping out the lock ring and holding it while I put it all back together. FW service is really simple, just tedious. I also found it easier to carefully screw the FW on this small hub than screwing it on a fully assembled wheel.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=366346 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=366347

Very well done! Are you using two chain whips to remove the threaded cogs, one to hold the large cog steady and the other to remove the threaded?

Something to consider, but you might need hardwood instead of pine, is to carefully drill peg holes which could fit the teeth on the large cogs, to old it in place. Does this make sense?

Yes, I used two chain whips. I could fit pegs or screw in bolts for form a FW clamp but they would not be adjustable and who knows what FWs the future brings along. Sheldon's FW article shows on of those clamps. I'll just use two whips for now. I'm not planning to make a habit of taking cogs apart.

Besides I rather like the way a whip distributes the force across most of the teeth vs only the 4 points the bolts engage.

I like it. Well done. And if you get tired of it - little investment - out it goes.