Freewheel Maintenance

Morning all,

I have had a couple of strange freewheels problems lately and i am wondering about this -

If i clean a freewheel with degreaser some of it gets inside the freewheel possibly degreasing amd removing the grease/oil inside - what is the easiest way to replace whatever lubrication is within the freewheel?

Thanks,

Richard

Take it apart Richard. It's not that difficult. Leave the freewheel on the wheel. Remove the sprockets using a chain whip. Secure the wheel and using a large pointed object (nail punch or similar). There shoud be 2 indentations on the lockring. Tap the lockring around to release from the body. Just be careful with that lockring. It is usually a reverse thread. And when you lift the body away have the wheel sitting over a bucket to catch all the little tiny ball bearings that fall out....Clean everything and pack the bearings back in with grease and reassemble, it's as easy as wetting the ....

Thanks for that. Would i be right in saying that if i happen to have used a lot of degreaser and it has gotten inside the freewheel and perhaps removed all the grease, no amount of oil will protect the mechanism?

I should explain that i have 3 freewheels -

1. fell apart after some cleaning into two pieces ( the end 'cap' must have been lose before i started) - ball bearings all over the floor - and i am not sure if i have recovered them all. Upon checking the interior there seemed to be no grease or lubrication present - this is a 5sp Regina freewheel on an old wheel which may not have been used for years

2. very dirty Suntour freewheel which i (probably wrongly) bathed in degreaser and i suspect, effectively washed all the grease from

3. dirty Suntour freewheel which i was reasonably careful with when cleaning but once i had the sprockets spotless and i spun it on my finger all was very quiet. I have lubricated this one with a very light oil and it continues to be quiet but i thought that the actual oil may be deadening the clicking. My worry about this one is that when used i will lose the oil and damage may occur due to lack of lubrication.

The remainder of my freewheels with be subject to a more thoughtful approach in future, but No 3 above is needed for my Rapide so it is a priority to get get right.

Thanks, i hope everyone is enjoying their weekend - dry and nice here and, typically, i am on night shift!!!

Richard

First, these freewheels should not have grease inside, you do not want to drag the chain.
If the small cogs obscure the end bearing plate, you will need 2 chain whips. slacken the end plate then remove the freewheel, and drop it apart where you have control over it.
I used to reassemble with light oil inside, and light grease on the bearings with the hope that this might repel water.
I had some useful clips to hold the pawls in place from the back, but you can use a screwdriver, but it is so much easier to do this off the wheel.
Normally 1/8 inch bearings.

Only ever used 3-in-one oil for freewheels and found if I needed to take them apart then this was done off the bike over a washing up bowl.

I used to use thread to keep the pawls in place and then pull it out.

BITD by the time the freewheel wore out the chain needed replacing and I simply changed the "block and chain" Maybe if I had a penny for every work card that read "new block and chain" I would have more money in the bank LOL

Shaun

Good stuff, thanks all. I had a notion that heavier oil - like 3-in-1 may be the answer.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

Richard

Agree with Shaun, back in the 50/60's a block and chain was £1.11.6d (£1.57p), I used to reckon ten minutes, never any labour charge as I was getting abot 13 shillings (65p) out of it, at a time when £15 a week was good money.
We used a layer of grease on the outside of the block on our own bikes hopefully to keep water out, i suppose now it is better to see it clean with rusty bearings.

Bike repairs BITD 1970's did keep us ticking over in the background.

"profit" on bikes was 28% and on other things 50%, bikes sold with 10% discount (aside from the new credit cards and Club Cheques) so that's 18% profit on bike sales.

Not sure if it's the same today but a bike shop here in Carlisle has done nicely for years on the repair / wheels side of things, not competing with the shops who sell bikes.

Something I have mentioned to Tel.

Shaun

PS I have a sneaking suspicion that Sturmey Archer bought the rights for 3 in 1 oil and marketed it as their own for gears.

Far be it for me to have an opinion but was Sturmey Archer not owned by Raleigh?

Seem to remember that Ti (Tube Investments) owned Raleigh, Reynolds tubing, Sturmey Archer, Brooks Saddles and a shed load more..