Bladeputr13

I just bought a two pronged tool to remove this cassette. My question is, do I need to remove anything like the black outer ring around it before I can go ahead and take the cassette off. Thanks so much ahead of time!

Andrew R Stewart 

No added removal needs but there is an additional install need. Two prong tools really want an axle in place to help secure the tool VERY TIGHTLY against the freewheel during the initial effort to break loose the freewheel.

Repeat for those who don't read well. This tool will likely break off a prong (and maybe damage the freewheel too) if used without an axle and either the axle nut or the QR skewer securing the tool tightly against the freewheel.

Once the initial tightness is undone (about 1/8 of a wheel rotation and not much more) the axle nut or QR can be loosened. Failure to do this loosening of the tool's being held tightly against the freewheel can result in the hub shell threads becoming damaged.

There are many on line tutorials about this and I suggest reading some if my advise isn't well understood. Andy

JohnDThompson 

That's a "Winner" freewheel, not a cassette. The SunTour (or equivalent) two-prong remover will work. It helps to have the axle and quick release in place to secure the remover tool and reduce the likelihood of slippage and damage to the remover slots on the freewheel body.

Bladeputr13

Thanks guys! Your input is priceless.

cyccommute 

I’ll echo what others have said. But I’ll add that when you remove it, do yourself a favor and get a Shimano freewheel. Shimano’s are far easier to remove. The splined tool engages better.

Bladeputr13

That was so satisfying. Thanks again

JohnDThompson 

And the Shimano tooth profile shifts better than SunTour's.

The Winner freewheel is mechanically one of the best, but between the remover tool and shifting performance, I've come to prefer Shimano.

cyccommute 

I don’t know that I’d call them mechanically superior to most any freewheel. The prong design was a major failing. I’ve had to destructively remove far too many of them and had too many tools break to think otherwise. The only thing worse than the 2 prong design was the 4 prong design. There’s also something about the threading on the Winner that seems tighter than other free wheels. They tend to need a lot more torque to remove and the prongs just aren’t up to the task.

Mad Honk 

Yeah! Take that freewheel off and send it to me. And replace it with any Shimano freewheel. I have been riding the SunTour freewheels for close to 35 years with no problems. I can always use a spare. Just ask PB. Smiles, MH

Bladeputr13

As JohnDThompson so astutely pointed out it is a "winner" freewheel. For no terrific reason other than being a completionist and wanting to clean and lube it since I'm doing a whole bike teardown, I want to take the freewheel apart and I realized it has a unique prong design. I'm scratching my head on how I'd open it seeing as the tool to open it seem to be very rare. On second thought after more reading I've learned you supposedly rarely need to take these apart. I'm probably just going to degrease it to clean it out a bit and pour some oil into it. Mad Honk, I'd be interested in how you attack these freewheels. To remind the audience, it's not a typical freewheel that can be taken apart with a two prong spanner.

JohnDThompson 

Unless you have a compelling reason to take it apart, I'd just flush it out and lubricate. Earlier SunTour freewheels adjusted their bearings by adding or removing spacers inside the body. The Winner freewheel uses a cup-and-cone design similar to that on hubs. You need the SunTour NWN tool to open and adjust the freewheel (or a great deal more patience than I can muster).

cyccommute 

I wouldn’t even degrease it. There’s no need. Flushing oil through it while spinning is enough. I often do that with a sticky freewheel while it is on the bike. That’s enough to last for years.

If you really feel the need to grease it, you can see if you can find a Stein freewheel injector. They can be pricey, however. I’ve seen prices around $70 for them. But the freewheel, like any drivetrain component, is a consumable and just not worth that kind of investment.

If you really want to take one apart, you can use a pin spanner. The race ring is usually very, very, very tight and difficult to get loose. A punch on the edges of the slots (red arrows below) can be used to knock them loose but that can also damage the slots.



If you get that ring off, be aware that there are 10 million little bearings in the freewheel and half of them will jump off as soon as you start to take it apart. Half of them will roll to Outer Mongolia with the slightest disturbance. The other half will have you doing a Vaudeville routine when they spread across the floor.

Bladeputr13

You guys are awesome. Thanks to all that contributed!

Bill Kapaun

Keep in mind that the only time the bearings are "working" is when coasting.
So, no real load on the bearings.
A couple/few drops of oil in the right place.......

Rogerogeroge

Nevermind, I think I gave incorrect info.

jasoninohio

Responding to cyccommute, the system isn't letting me quote the original message for some reason (new member)

Here's a dumb question on an old thread, but when you say flush oil through it while spinning, where exactly should the oil be going? And what kind of oil are we talking?

I've come across an old road bike (Giant Allegre) with Suntour GPX in working/riding condition and I've decided to tear it down clean everything and keep the Suntour stuff (instead of making it a fixie which is what I was really looking for a frame for). I need to get surface rust off of everything, so re: the freewheel, if I WD-40 and wire brush it a bit, what else would I want to do to be sure it's nicely lubed after cleaning?

Thanks!

dedhed

Should you continue to entertain those thoughts.

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...oto-heavy.html
https://restoringvintagebicycles.com...ewheel-part-i/

Andrew R Stewart 

The most simple way to drio oil through a freewheel is to place it on a paper towel either face of back side down. Which side down? If one side has a lip or difference in height at the gap where the inner and outer bodies fit together then that side is up. The lip or slight height difference will act as a dam and allow the lube to collect and not flow away from the gap that you want the lube to enter. Why the paper towel? because as the fresh oil makes it's way through the innards it will pick up some of the grime from the old lube and carry that away. By having a clean paper under the freewheel you both can make sure the fresh lube has gotten all the way through as well as no longer is transporting old and dirty stuff.

Some SunTour freewheels have had an oil drip hole on the body, either where the hub threads are or under the cogs. Both require the FW to be removed or it's cogs removed. Andy

cyccommute 

The oil will flow through the freewheel. It’s a very open system. I’ve used 3-in-One oil or TriFlow. WD-40 would work but it has a lot of solvent in it so you won’t get all that much oil into the freewheel. Andrew’s advice is good and solid. I just flow oil into the freewheel until it has a drowned sound and the freewheel spins well.