Thanks for this excellent and informative video. I now know how to service my 45 year old Raleigh bike freewheel. I recall taking it apart to clean it when I was 16, but dont remember it being that easy. Particularly the pawls / bearings replacement bit :-)
Thank you. Sounds like a fun project. You probably know the "skip tooth" freewheel cogs were designed for better shifting. I've never owned one so not sure how well it worked. Have fun!
Thank you so much for this informative video. I tore mine down, cleaned the heck out of it and re-packed the bearing as well as the ratchet assembly. My 50 year old freewheel works like new!
Hi man, thanks for this video. I'm working on a freewheel Maillard 5 speed from mine daughter to take off too. But mine likes a little different unfortunately . I don't manage to take it off from the wheel. I wonder if I can send you a picture of it and you can have some advice.
Hello. Glad you liked the video. I thought I mentioned the bearing size but just reviewed the video and it appears I forgot that! The bearings are 0.125 inches diameter (3.17mm). Thanks!
Thanks for the video! Very helpful. One question though, could I do this while the freewheel is mounted on the wheel? It seems that it is possible, I would like to avoid purchasing the tool for only this one time overhaul. Thanks!
Absolutely! This is an excellent question I didn’t address in the video. You’ll need a second chain whip tool to hold the freewheel while you loosen the two smaller cogs with the other one. You’ll be able to disassemble normally from there. Have fun!
@@operabike Thanks! I'm having a problem where the freewheel sometimes doesn't engage and my pedals spin freely. I'm guessing that the "nails" are full of old grease and grime that are preventing the teeth to engage. Only one way to find out I guess, open the damn thing! :D
I believe so, but it would be limited to 4 usable "speeds" because the two smallest cogs are machined together and the spacing cant be changed between them to be compatible with 7 speed indexed shifters. You'd have to find spacers that make the cog to cog spacing 5.0mm instead of the current 5.5mm and you'd also have to put a spacer on the inside of the largest cog since you are shrinking the overall width. The two smallest cogs screw onto the body and compress all the cogs and spacers to keep them tight. Hope this helps.
If you look at the video starting at 2:30, I mention needing a special freewheel tool to remove it from the rear wheel hub. It is Bicycle Research part number CT-3. You can leave it on the rear wheel hub if you want, but you need two chainwhip tools. One to hold the freewheel from spinning and one to unscrew the two small cogs from the freewheel body. Hope this helps.
