rseeker

Is there any reason not to use an impact wrench for freewheel removal? The freewheel's on there pretty good, and I don't have a long pipe "cheater bar" for leverage like RJ uses.

You'd want to make damn sure to turn in the right direction.

Maybe the freewheel-to-hub threads are too delicate for concentrated force like that?

I have no idea.

TIA.

_ForceD_

I wouldn't use an impact wrench. The better idea is to clamp the freewheel tool in the vise (with the business end up of course), put the freewheel onto it and use the whole wheel as your leverage. It'll come off relatively easy.

Dan

Bill Kapaun

I wouldn't.
On a tight FW, you need to use the axle nut/skewer to secure the tool.
Once the FW starts to turn, it increases tension against the skewer and will rapidly bind up.
Doing it by hand, you can feel it start to loosen , back off the skewer slightly & continue.
The air tool would put things in a horrible bind, since you'd have minimal control.

trainman999

Bad Idea, tried it once as a last resort on a realy bad stuck freewheel, messed up the remover, and broke the slots on the freewheel body

rseeker

Thanks all. I'll give the bench vise a try.

andrewclaus

I make my own impact tool with a 12" wrench and a mallet. Sometimes the mallet works when muscle torque just won't.

With the tool in the vise method, you can get two people on the rim, working together on a countdown. Be ready to break spokes though.

nomadmax 

I wouldn't use a rattle gun on any part of a bicycle.

ThermionicScott 

Yep, just pretend that you're turning the bus left.

AKHIker

bench vise or find a breaker bar. Put up a free ad asking of length of scrap pipe if you have to

rseeker

ROY SCHEIDER VOICE: We're gonna need a bigger vise.

Mine has a rotating base which couldn't hold.

However, a 14-inch box-end wrench plus a big-ass rubber mallet did the job. Leverage FTW.

Thanks for keeping me on the right path.

fietsbob

I borrowed a big adjustable wrench 12 " + on my bicycle tour when I had to replace a spoke..

Iride01 

That's what I've done back in the days of freewheels........ which for me were not too long ago. <grin>

squirtdad

my breaker bar is just a chunk of pipe I had around, leverage does not need to be fancy

Mad Honk 

rseeker,
I quit trying to hurt my shoulders with a vise and turning the wheel, or using a big pipe section on a freewheel tool. All I ever use is a 1/2 impact gun and it take more time to get the impact wrench out of the toolbox than it does to remove the freewheel. I have finally learned to work smarter not harder. Smiles, MH

JoeTBM 

25" Breaker Bar at Harbor Freight only about $13 with coupon.... a must have

fietsbob

In the shop you just call a colleague over, and turn the rim with 4 hands..

KLiNCK

LOL! ^+1 THIS!!!
(Sometimes it can feel like the bus has manual steering and no air in the tires!)

wesmamyke

I've only seen this used as a last resort, and not even because the FW was super tight. It was because the spokes were in bad shape and clearly going to break, the impact gun didn't put any load on the spokes and it came right off.

3alarmer 

...+1. I'm more of a gradual escalation of appropriate response sort of person.

3alarmer 

...FWIW, I think I invented this method when I had no access to a decent bench vise.

1. always drip some acetone mixed with ATF 50/50 into the freewheel/hub thread interface from the back. It only requires four or five drops.

2. leave the tyres on both wheels, and strap them together using old toe straps at around 7 and 11 on a clock face.

3. lock the freewheel remover in the freewheel using a QR skewer . Back it off about half a turn from tight.

4. with both wheels tied together, and upright on the pavement, put a wrench on the remover with a decent length lever arm, It can be an adjustable, but a box end of the right size works better.

5. strike the end of the wrench sharply with either a mallet or a deadblow hammer. You can use a regular hammer, but it might mar the wrench handle. Make certain you are striking it to turn the freewheel in the proper direction for removal. This has taken off some pretty stubborn freewheels over the years, and I've never had to escalate farther up the chain than this.

Honestly, I prefer the vise. When it works it's way faster.

Mad Honk 

And so I keep thinking that technology is not that bad.... Smiles, MH

WizardOfBoz

If this is a QR wheel, unscrew the QR, put the tool on the freewheel, then replace the QR nut. Screw it down so that there's a little slop. THEN put the tool in the vise. Use the wheel as your cheater bar. When you get the theaded joint to move at all, loosen or take off the QR. The QR keeps the tool from slipping out of the splines on the freewheel. Make sure you leave a little slop initially, and that you remove the QR before fully removing the freewheel. Easy to snap the QR if you don't.

tkamd73 

Sounds like a good way to hurt yourself. Ever seen an impact wrench in use, in any bike shop?
Tim

praivo

I agree with Mad Honk, using an impact is safe and shouldn't damage anything IF DONE CORRECTLY. So:

1. Remove anything that could get in the way or impede the movement of the freewheel and/or the remover.
   
2. Use an impact-rated, SHALLOW socket. You want the socket to bottom out on the remover because touching anything else. That way you can apply pressure to the impact wrench to keep the remover in place.
   
3. Use a good-quality remover and make sure it's FULLY inserted in the freewheel. I've managed to get away with only 3-4 mm once but the risk of damage to either the remover or the freewheel increases very rapidly.
   
4. Use a low-speed wrench. Anything electric (corded or cordless) should be fine, if you have an air gun select a lower speed setting or reduce the pressure. 7000+ rpm could be a bit too much for this.
   

You can apply the same method to regular cassettes, too. You will still need to hold the cassette, but you'll be fine with a glove on your other hand, no chain whip needed.