AKHIker

Hello!

Again trying to help out a kid in need with a bike. Have a wallyworld bike that's seen little use. It shifts and pedals forward fine but the freewheel seems to lock when you pedal in reverse.

Anything reasonable to try short of replacing the entire freewheel? Our only LBS is crazy expensive and ordering and waiting for parts isn't fun either.

Thanks for the help!

AKHIker

so basically it will pedal forward fine but won't freewheel

techsensei

Yeah, don't pedal it backwards.

Does it have a spoke protector on it? Sometimes if those are broken, it will interfere with the freewheeling. Another thing is sometimes the lube inside the freewheel turns to sludge; a shot of WD40 or whatever will break down the goopy oil enough to allow it to freewheel again. Being a Walmart bike, it could just be defective.

willie52

I've seen those really cheap freewheels fail with no miles. BITD, we rebuilt freewheels fairly often, after a trip to the beach, or if unusual or valuable, but not the crummy ones. Wasn't worth it, often still didn't work. Poor tolerances,etc. If the above advice doesn't work, replace it.

SkyDog75

I hate to say it, but I think "reasonable" in this case means replacing the freewheel. Decent quality replacement freewheels can commonly be found in the $15-20 range. You can spend a lot more than $20 worth of your time trying (and often failing) to resurrect a malfunctioning low-end freewheel.

Before resorting to that, though, techsensei has some good suggestions above. Check to make sure nothing's interfering with the ability to freewheel, like a broken spoke or spoke protector. Try removing the freewheel and see if it seems to function off the bike. Try giving it a good solvent/degreser flush, then re-lube. Maybe you can breathe some life into the thing.

<EDIT> I hadn't thought of CliffordK's suggestion below, just assuming you'd already narrowed the problem down to the freewheel, but he's got a really good point. If you can coast, the freewheel's ratcheting just like it would when you pedal backward. If you can coast, but can't pedal backward, the problem almost certainly isn't the freewheel itself.

CliffordK

If the bike coasts fine, but will not pedal backwards, then it means the derailleur is just out of adjustment a little bit.

It is probably indexed shifting, so make sure the chain not rubbing on the front derailleur, and on the rear, peals off of the middle of the derailleur pulleys to the middle of the freewheel pulley.

AKHIker

The freewheel looks really clean (as you can see) but even if I grab the freewheel itself I can't move it in reverse. Goes forward fine. If I try to coast the chain goes slack. It doesn't come off the cogs but I have to pedal to catch up the slack and get going again.

AKHIker

anything else to try at this point?

prathmann

As already mentioned, the grease inside a freewheel sometimes hardens and keeps it from rotating freely. A light lubricant like WD40 can free it up and restore normal operation. Spray some inside while forcing the freewheel to rotate (the fact that the wheel can turn without totally throwing off the chain indicates that the freewheel can turn - just with more resistance than normal).

Miele Man

Check and make sure the freewheel isn't rubbing on that spoke protector. Also, check between the freewheel and the spoke protector for wrapped foreign mater like hair or string.

Good luck and cheers

AKHIker

Ordered the freewheel from amazon. Thanks for your help.

Our LBS is extremely expensive. A basic tune up without a single part or cable being replaced is $150. The comprehensive tune up is $250 + parts. Not a place to go when you're doing some charity work.

djb

I used to take off freewheels and place them on an old rag or newspaper and dribble thin oil like 3in 1 or whatever down into it while turning it, repeat, let sit, repeat, turn a bunch of times, and have often been amazed by how much grit and dirt comes out with the oil, let sit overnight to get most oil out and they always back pedal properly again.
I used thin oil just because I've had a bottle of it for ages and it works.

fietsbob

Walking and taking the Bus .. you tried taking the wheel off and putting fresh Oil in the freewheel bearings,

do you even know how to take the wheel off your Bike ?

I understand You are really Cheap and want stuff for Free..



Try checking Out a Circulating Book on Bicycle repair from the Public Library?

trailangel

pic looks all rusty to me.

alcjphil

Do you have a freewheel remover to take the old one off?

AKHIker

Yes, thank you. Needed the remover for the last give away bike I worked on.

djb

next time, try to drip oil into it trick. Worked everytime for me for what you described.
In fact, if you still have the freewheel, give it a try. The last time I replaced a 6 speed freewheel, I got a $15 one as the chain was so stretched I knew the cogs would be too worn, so I realize they are cheap, but do try the oil thing at some point. Its pretty evident as soon as you put oil in it liberally and turn the innards, you hear the grittiness, and the more you flush it with oil, the smoother and quieter it gets. You'll know by feel in 3 mins if it helped.

AKHIker

Tried the oil liberally 2 or 3 times. It moved a little bit then bam-like a brick wall. Didn't hear or feel grittiness It was just like it locked.

rmfnla

I suspect you don't...

AKHIker

There's no reason to be a need to be a rude jerk when someone is trying to help out kids in
need fietsbob.





Try checking Out a Circulating Book on Bicycle repair from the Public Library? [/QUOTE]

fietsbob

Public Libraries are wonderful places , use It or Lose It. !

djb

well then that pretty much takes care of that, certainly wasn't just gummed up a bit!
The one I bought to refit the drivetrain on an old hybrid we have in the household was $13.50 , so with taxes was basically 15 bucks, 6-7 speed chain was inexpensive also. Good that parts can be found easily to keep unattractive to thieves, yet functional, bikes being used.

dedhed

After you replace the freewheel clean and oil the old one and try to free it up for the next time you need to replace one.

Miele Man

Sounds like a pawl or something broke and jammed inside the body.

Cheers.