Removing old Maeda (Suntour) freewheel
07-07-07, 12:19 AM
#1
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Removing old Maeda (Suntour) freewheel
I have a bike which requires a new spoke - next to the freewheel. I can replace the spoke without taking the freewheel off by using my own patented method of bending the spoke until it goes through, and then bending it back into shape..
As you can imagine, this is a very bad method..... Is there any way to remove a Maeda freewheel without using a tool? I have a Shimano freewheel remover, but not an old Suntour one. I don't want to purchase a tool as I am selling the bike - and don't usually deal with these sorts of very old parts.
As you can imagine, this is a very bad method..... Is there any way to remove a Maeda freewheel without using a tool? I have a Shimano freewheel remover, but not an old Suntour one. I don't want to purchase a tool as I am selling the bike - and don't usually deal with these sorts of very old parts.
07-07-07, 01:27 AM
#3
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by DannoXYZ
Bring it to a shop, although they'll probably charge you more to remove it than the $6 it would cost you to buy the tool...
07-07-07, 06:12 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Likes: 0
Liked 1,102 Times
in
747 Posts
Originally Posted by C_LOGAN
I have the option of going to a shop - they will most likely do it for nothing as all it takes is a twist and a bit of elbow grease.. I just can't be bothered carrying a wheel. Just wondering if there is a simple tool method.
07-07-07, 06:21 AM
#6
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Maybe I can put the freewheel and cranks on the LHS of the bike - and pedal really hard. It may just pop off...
Thanks for the input.. I suspected there may not be a way to do this without the tool - I just wanted to check before I went out to buy a tool that I will most likely never use again. I may just go to the LBS and request that they remove it for me.
Thanks for the input.. I suspected there may not be a way to do this without the tool - I just wanted to check before I went out to buy a tool that I will most likely never use again. I may just go to the LBS and request that they remove it for me.
07-07-07, 07:58 AM
#8
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by tellyho
You need the tool. And it may still be a b*tch with the proper tool.
Likes For tellyho:
07-07-07, 08:06 AM
#10
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by tellyho
Just make sure the death stomp doesn't wind up the stomp of nutsack death as well.
07-07-07, 08:39 AM
#11
Death fork? Naaaah!!
Plan 'B':
Unscrew the front ring of the freewheel (it's reverse threaded) with a punch and hammer. Flip the wheel over a coffee can to catch the approx 100 small ball bearings that will fall out. Remove the cogset, and the pawls and springs from the freewheel body. Clamp the freewheel body in a vise across the flats machined for the pawls and springs. A large pipe wrench will work as well. Unscrew the wheel from the freewheel body. If needed, touch up any burs on the freewheel body caused by clamping with a file. Then re-assemble the freewheel.
While I've been forced to do this now and again, plan 'A' (buy the tool or go to the LBS) is far more attractive.
Top
Unscrew the front ring of the freewheel (it's reverse threaded) with a punch and hammer. Flip the wheel over a coffee can to catch the approx 100 small ball bearings that will fall out. Remove the cogset, and the pawls and springs from the freewheel body. Clamp the freewheel body in a vise across the flats machined for the pawls and springs. A large pipe wrench will work as well. Unscrew the wheel from the freewheel body. If needed, touch up any burs on the freewheel body caused by clamping with a file. Then re-assemble the freewheel.
While I've been forced to do this now and again, plan 'A' (buy the tool or go to the LBS) is far more attractive.
Top
__________________
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
07-07-07, 09:30 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Likes: 0
Liked 1,102 Times
in
747 Posts
Originally Posted by top506
Plan 'B':
Unscrew the front ring of the freewheel (it's reverse threaded) with a punch and hammer. Flip the wheel over a coffee can to catch the approx 100 small ball bearings that will fall out. Remove the cogset, and the pawls and springs from the freewheel body. Clamp the freewheel body in a vise across the flats machined for the pawls and springs. A large pipe wrench will work as well. Unscrew the wheel from the freewheel body. If needed, touch up any burs on the freewheel body caused by clamping with a file. Then re-assemble the freewheel.
While I've been forced to do this now and again, plan 'A' (buy the tool or go to the LBS) is far more attractive.
Top
Unscrew the front ring of the freewheel (it's reverse threaded) with a punch and hammer. Flip the wheel over a coffee can to catch the approx 100 small ball bearings that will fall out. Remove the cogset, and the pawls and springs from the freewheel body. Clamp the freewheel body in a vise across the flats machined for the pawls and springs. A large pipe wrench will work as well. Unscrew the wheel from the freewheel body. If needed, touch up any burs on the freewheel body caused by clamping with a file. Then re-assemble the freewheel.
While I've been forced to do this now and again, plan 'A' (buy the tool or go to the LBS) is far more attractive.
Top
07-07-07, 02:46 PM
#13
Death fork? Naaaah!!
Originally Posted by HillRider
I know this works but the usual final instruction of Plan B is: "discard all the damaged pieces and fit a new freewheel." Given the force needed to remove a well-tightened freewheel, I'm surprised the body ever survives the wrench application in usable form.
However, I do not recommend this execpt as an absolute last resort.
Top
__________________
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
07-07-07, 03:56 PM
#14
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,602
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Liked 4,537 Times
in
2,142 Posts
Get your behind in gear and take that wheel to the LBS. Far less effort then wrecking the thing with a hammer and punch. Either that, or buy the correct two-prong remover tool - if nothing else, you will find reason to use it again, and it'll work on the 4-prong variants as well. $6-7 isn't going to kill you or the sale of the bike.
-Kurt
-Kurt
__________________
Last edited by cudak888; 04-21-20 at 07:41 AM.
07-07-07, 09:20 PM
#15
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by top506
Plan 'B':
Unscrew the front ring of the freewheel (it's reverse threaded) with a punch and hammer. Flip the wheel over a coffee can to catch the approx 100 small ball bearings that will fall out. Remove the cogset, and the pawls and springs from the freewheel body. Clamp the freewheel body in a vise across the flats machined for the pawls and springs. A large pipe wrench will work as well. Unscrew the wheel from the freewheel body. If needed, touch up any burs on the freewheel body caused by clamping with a file. Then re-assemble the freewheel.
While I've been forced to do this now and again, plan 'A' (buy the tool or go to the LBS) is far more attractive.
Top
Unscrew the front ring of the freewheel (it's reverse threaded) with a punch and hammer. Flip the wheel over a coffee can to catch the approx 100 small ball bearings that will fall out. Remove the cogset, and the pawls and springs from the freewheel body. Clamp the freewheel body in a vise across the flats machined for the pawls and springs. A large pipe wrench will work as well. Unscrew the wheel from the freewheel body. If needed, touch up any burs on the freewheel body caused by clamping with a file. Then re-assemble the freewheel.
While I've been forced to do this now and again, plan 'A' (buy the tool or go to the LBS) is far more attractive.
Top
07-07-07, 10:55 PM
#17
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by Noam Zane
In the 21 plus hours between your first and last post you might have been able to squeeze a trip or six to the bike shop into your tight schedule. Throw that fuggan wheel into the nearest lake.
07-08-07, 11:25 AM
#18
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,602
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Liked 4,537 Times
in
2,142 Posts
Originally Posted by C_LOGAN
I live in Australia - the time is all messed up here. You might think I have the time - but most of the 21 hours has been night. And I don't feel like going outside at the moment - it has been raining and I don't want to get the soles of my shoes wet.
Put boots on.
Excuses, excuses...
-Kurt
__________________
07-08-07, 09:00 PM
#21
Hammer Time
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 258
Bikes: Paconi, Hillman, Sun Tourer + Mongoose Tetra SX
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
OK. I will put this thread to bed. I am going to the bike shop to buy some spokes, and whilst there will request that they loosen the freewheel for me.
Thanks for the input and motivation to leave the house.
Urgent update: It is now a few hours after the initial posting of this message - I took it to the bike shop and they loosened it for me - I bought a few spokes, bought a star nut and a set of metal tyre levers. I had the star nut installed and freewheel loosened for free. All up $14.00 which is about how much a tool would have cost.
Urgent update: Spokes have been replaced and bike reassembled.
Thanks for the input and motivation to leave the house.
Urgent update: It is now a few hours after the initial posting of this message - I took it to the bike shop and they loosened it for me - I bought a few spokes, bought a star nut and a set of metal tyre levers. I had the star nut installed and freewheel loosened for free. All up $14.00 which is about how much a tool would have cost.
Urgent update: Spokes have been replaced and bike reassembled.
Last edited by C_LOGAN; 07-09-07 at 02:13 AM.
Likes For C_LOGAN:
07-09-07, 11:56 AM
#23
Dave the tourer
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12
Bikes: Iron Horse Hollowpoint Mark III Expert, Trek VRX 300, Trek 520
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
holy crap. did I just spend 10 minutes of my life reading this thread? (and another minute typing a reply?)
01-25-12, 04:52 PM
#25
Newbie
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I had the same problem, googled it, found this thread - here's what I did. Oh and it might not be a Maeda, perhaps a 'perfect', sounds like a similar construction though.
anyway
1. remove the axle
2. I used a 12mm crescent wrench and stuck the open end into the centre of the freewheel - the ends of the wrench were the right width and had the right spread that they grabbed the two slots. Then I used an adjustable wrench to grab the cheeks of the 12mm wrench as close to the freewheel as I could. I kept one hand on the wrench to steady it and the other to torque the adjustable - worked like a charm. Maybe less chance of damage than the punch and hammer method? (but if it works it works).
good luck - I now need to disassemble the thing....
anyway
1. remove the axle
2. I used a 12mm crescent wrench and stuck the open end into the centre of the freewheel - the ends of the wrench were the right width and had the right spread that they grabbed the two slots. Then I used an adjustable wrench to grab the cheeks of the 12mm wrench as close to the freewheel as I could. I kept one hand on the wrench to steady it and the other to torque the adjustable - worked like a charm. Maybe less chance of damage than the punch and hammer method? (but if it works it works).
good luck - I now need to disassemble the thing....
