Bike Forums - removing a freewheel

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removing a freewheel

Scrounged a singlespeed mtb wheel with the freewheel on it off of the street. It's an old Mongoose rim. Anyone know if I can get this off the hub, and if so, how? Figured it might save me 20 bucks. The inside of the freewheel has four square notches. And would I be able to thread it onto my Suzue flip-flop hub

Do I use a chain whip?

What does that go onto? A wrench or something? That's compatible with any threaded hub? Is that the ONLY kind of tool you need for all ss freewheels, or are they non-standardized?

it is the standardized format for BMX freewheels, however, the AC racing freewheels use the same tool as you use for splined bottom bracket cups (shimano sealed types). Other than that exception, however, all of the ss thread-on freewheels that i'm aware of use that 4 prong style tool. You cannot really see it in the picture of the tool, but it (made by Park - FR-6) has a hex head on the back that you can fit an adjustable wrench over for turning. assuming that it's a standard thread-on freewheel, you should be able to put it on the non-fixed side of your hub. hope that helps

Usually you put the remover in a vise and turn the wheel to get the freewheel off. Lacking a vise, you can use an adjustable wrench or the end of a park chain whip to grip the remover. To avoid slipping, put a skewer in or thread a nut down the axle to hold the remover in place. FR6 is a standard bmx freewheel remover.

where did you find this mtb wheel on the street?

Actually, I got it from some guy who was giving an old Raleigh frame away. It's a rusty, old converted three-speed that had these crusty wheels on them. HE found it on the street--said it sat in front of his house for months locked up, and he finally took a saw to the chain and brought it inside. He wanted to fix it up, but never got around to it, passed it onto me.

The thing is really thrashed--doesn't look to me like it's stolen or anything, and he wasn't selling the thing. I didn't pilfer it myself, also.

I originally planned on building this up and making a fg, but I got stuck removing one of the cottered cranks, and I realized from reading Sheldon Brown's website that the BB was going to be a PIA to convert, also. But the wheels have been sitting around my house while I learned more and more about this stuff, and this morning, I was looking at the rear wheel in bed and realized there was a pretty useable freewheel sitting there under my nose this whole time.

I'm happy to buy a tool instead of a part and tool anyday. Thanks for the info, all.

if push comes to shove, i've used a screwdriver and a hammer to unscrew a freewheel off a hub. not pretty, but it works. the freewheels i've yanked have all been made of strong steel, so it didn't damage the freewheel at all.