Freewheel removal woes

Hi Folks,

I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36
hole. The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get
the Suntour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a
prong on the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not
get it off either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring
that I have a few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon
this wheelset (second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in
28 years). Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my
metal vise was also unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of
experts here on r.b.t. for any suggestions. I have hand and
power tools and IIRC, I put anti-seize on the threads of every
freewheel I've installed for the last couple of decades. So,
any hope from you folks??
--
Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
~Albert Einstein
All wars come to an end, at least temporarily. But the authority
acquired by the state hangs on; political power never abdicates.
~Frank Chodorov

On Oct 14, 9:02*pm, JCrowe wrote:
Hi Folks,

* * I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36
hole. The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get
the Suntour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a
prong on the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not
get it off either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring
that I have a few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon
this wheelset (second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in
28 years). Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my
metal vise was also unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of
experts here on r.b.t. for any suggestions. I have hand and
power tools and IIRC, I put anti-seize on the threads of every
freewheel I've installed for the last couple of decades. So,
any hope from you folks??
--
Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
~Albert Einstein
All wars come to an end, at least temporarily. But the authority
acquired by the state hangs on; political power never abdicates.
~Frank Chodorov

JCrowe writes:

Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my metal vise was
also unsuccessful.

Try grinding two parallel flats at 3 & 9 o'clock on the freewheel body
(12 & 6 for southern hemisphere), and retry in the vise. It's worked
for me.

Best of Luck & Regards - Mike Baldwin

JCrowe wrote:
I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36
hole. The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get
the Suntour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a
prong on the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not
get it off either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring
that I have a few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon
this wheelset (second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in
28 years). Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my
metal vise was also unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of
experts here on r.b.t. for any suggestions. I have hand and
power tools and IIRC, I put anti-seize on the threads of every
freewheel I've installed for the last couple of decades. So,
any hope from you folks??

You're on the right path. Since you've already decided to sacrifice the
freewheel body, removal is just as you describe, possibly with a more
substantial vise and two people on that rim. Make a nice loud exhaled
'banzai' as you break the thread free and shake hands after it's off.

p.s. The source of your difficulty may be that BSC and Italian hub
threads are similar but not the same, this from Regina:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfr...t/FWTHREAD.JPG
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:02:42 -0500, JCrowe wrote:

Hi Folks,

I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36
hole. The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get
the Suntour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a
prong on the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not
get it off either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring
that I have a few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon
this wheelset (second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in
28 years). Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my
metal vise was also unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of
experts here on r.b.t. for any suggestions. I have hand and
power tools and IIRC, I put anti-seize on the threads of every
freewheel I've installed for the last couple of decades. So,
any hope from you folks??

If you've decided the freewheel is not worth saving, take it apart until
the only thing left is the body and weld a block to the outer face.

Let cool, grip the block is a stout vice, and remove.

On Oct 14, 8:02*pm, JCrowe wrote:
Hi Folks,

* * I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36
hole. The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get
the Suntour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a
prong on the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not
get it off either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring
that I have a few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon
this wheelset (second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in
28 years). Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my
metal vise was also unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of
experts here on r.b.t. for any suggestions. I have hand and
power tools and IIRC, I put anti-seize on the threads of every
freewheel I've installed for the last couple of decades. So,
any hope from you folks??

Sure you're turning the right direction? Last time I did "destructive
freewheel removal" I managed with a pair of channel locks! ;-) Like
Muzi said--find a circus strong man, curse!

Jim Crowe wrote:

I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36 hole.
The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get the
SunTour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a prong on
the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not get it off
either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring that I have a
few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon this wheelset
(second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in 28 years).

Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my metal vise was also
unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of experts here on r.b.t. for
any suggestions. I have hand and power tools and IIRC, I put
anti-seize on the threads of every freewheel I've installed for the
last couple of decades. So, any hope from you folks?

Use a pipe wrench and scrap the FW. You have come upon an age old
failed design in bicycles, the transmission of torque through a fine
pitch thread. The best you can do with that design is what you have
done with anti-seize compound. That stuff contains fine metal
particles that have a weaker shear strength than steel on steel. The
concept is that the metal particles will not be displaced from the
interface. I have had marginal luck with that but then I use a four
prong freewheel remover and rotate the wheel when the remover is held
in a vise. Any grease or oil in that interface will be displaced with
use, so that won't help.

As you see, Shimano uses a detente cover screw to retain its sprockets
on freehubs. No torque is transmitted through threads.

Jobst Brandt

On Oct 15, 4:49*am, _
wrote:
On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:02:42 -0500, JCrowe wrote:
Hi Folks,

* * I have a set of wheels built on 1980 Campy Record hubs..36
hole. The front wheel repack was smooth. When I attempted to get
the Suntour Winner Pro four prong freewheel off, it snapped a
prong on the freewheel and on my removal tool. The LBS could not
get it off either. So I removed the outer bearing cone, figuring
that I have a few spare freewheels but I don't want to abandon
this wheelset (second set of rims/wheels on the same hubs in
28 years). Unfortunately, clamping the freewheel body in my
metal vise was also unsuccessful. I now ask the flotilla of
experts here on r.b.t. for any suggestions. I have hand and
power tools and IIRC, I put anti-seize on the threads of every
freewheel I've installed for the last couple of decades. So,
any hope from you folks??

If you've decided the freewheel is not worth saving, take it apart until
the only thing left is the body and weld a block to the outer face.

Let cool, grip the block is a stout vice, and remove.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Or you can skip the welder (doesn't everyone own a welder?) and just
grip the thing like hell in a vice and try it again -- that is the SOP
for removing a terminal freewheel.