stubborn freewheel removal techniques?

[foz]

I've spent half the morning trying to remove a very stubborn freewheel. I have the correct tool, but even with two of us trying to turn the wheel with the tool clamped in a large bench vise, it hasn't shifted.

does anyone have any suggestions as to how to remove a freewheel that won't move even with the bench vise trick?

thanks, Andy

 

[ugo.santalucia]

Big spanner and heavy mallet on the spanner... then try the vise again...

 

[danson67]

It's a real faff, but you could undo the bearing cone on the freewheel (LH thread) with a pointed punch.
Pull the sprocket section off above a tray, as there are 70+ tiny bearings in there, that are particularly affected by fridgesuck.
Remove the pawls and springs, then use the pawl cutouts as holding flats in a vice, turn the wheel for max leverage.

Have a look at page 4 of the Atomic Zombie tutorial.

Reassemble the freewheel if required.

All the best.

 

[Midlife]

That would be my suggestion but just ditch the freewheel body afterwards..

Shaun

 

[notsofast]

I had this problem too

Leverage is the key (well it was for me)

I used a socket set ratchect on the freewheel remover then found the longest metal tube I could and used that as the lever over the ratchet handle

I actually used the pole from the ariel washing line...it's about 5ft..worked a treat!

Cheers

Mike

 

[billso]

If the splined remover is not slipping i can't see how taking the freewheel apart is going to help?
The best way on really stubburn ones is to get a friend to hold the wheel upright,find a nice big bar to put on your spanner/ratchet or whatever.then pushdown as hard as you can with one hand and whack the bar as hard as you can with the biggest hammer you can find with your other hand.
Every mechanic should have a few differnt lenghs of scaffold bar in the tool kit.
Good luck

 

[Tel]

Dremel.

Seriously.

Take cogs off and saw through the freewheel body stopping short of the threads. Then try big spanner/ hammer/ vice. :twisted:

 

[foz]

I'm not sure I'm that desperate Tel, at least not yet.... I've got a few ideas now though - the next plan is to find a long metal bar and get some more leverage.

Thanks!

 

[danson67]

Billso

If the splined remover is not slipping i can't see how taking the freewheel apart is going to help?

Quite right, the freewheel disassembly thing's really just for singlespeeds and those rubbish old Maillard and Suntour 2/4 dog removers that used to shatter, or gouge chunks out of the freewheel...the splined Shimano and Sachs ones are a huge improvement.

Plan B if the splined tool breaks...

All the best,

 

[billso]

Yep i have shattered a few splinned extractors over the years.
But if the tool hasn't slipped or broken yet you have still not used enough force to even start to think about taking it apart.
Unless the freewheel is heading for the bin anyway that is.