Originally Posted by squirtdad

my understanding is this is a redesign from the previous ones that had problems

here is recentish thread https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...t-again-2.html

and there is always the bit ugly, not as nicely finished as they used to be (made in china difference) shimano for $14 https://www.rivbike.com/products/fre...hg37-7sp-13-28

Originally Posted by thook

Sharts....I just noticed they aren't ramped like hyperglides. That....sucks

Originally Posted by davester

I don't know what the heck they are thinking. The earlier generation had the nice ramps to aid shifting but the innards had weak pawl springs that broke (and left me nearly stranded halfway up Mount Hamilton). They then went off the market and came back with a "new improved" version that eliminated the shift ramps. What happened? I suspect that they just shifted from one crummy Chinese vendor to another Chinese vendor that had stronger springs but said "we don't do ramps". The springs haven't broken on my newer IRD freewheel, but the locknut did come unscrewed on a ride, vomiting ball bearings all over the road. Count me as no longer swayed by IRD's marketing ad copy. Here's what they say on their website, with my comments in parentheses:

• Special teeth profiles (Don't look special to me. What does this even mean. Also, what happened to the ramps that were one of the best reasons for getting your earlier version?)
  
• Fully chrome-plated cogs (That's nice, but Suntour Perfect and Winner cogs didn't need chrome plating...is this actually necessary)
  
• Heat-treated for durability (Not sure I believe this...got any proof that your cogs are more durable? Is the chrome plating heat-treated? If not, how does heat treating the cogs help anything?)
  
• Alloy and polycarbonate glass fiber spacers (Aluminum and plastic...so what!)
  
• Double row precision bearings (Is double row better? Do other freewheels have only a single row? How precise is "precision"?...aren't all bearings precision?)
  
• Labyrinth seals (Draw us a diagram. I didn't see any labyrinth seals when mine disassembled itself on the road. Does this keep out dust? dirt? water?...or keep it in?)
  

Originally Posted by pastorbobnlnh

I was reading robertj298 's response on my phone in a moving car (no I was not driving, Mrs. PB was), and I missed the "in and out" play in the freewheel body halves.

It could be as sd5782 mentions above, that the bearing race/retaining ring is loose. However, I doubt this is the case and I would suggest that it has the wrong or too many spacers between the bearing race and the top "ledge" of the inner body.



There are at least two spacers and sometimes as many as four on a Perfect. Try removing the thinnest one and retighten. If this is two tight, remove the race, apply some blue Loctite to the threads, and adjust the race for optimum bearing performance.

Personally, and this is just my 2 cents worth of advice, a Suntour Perfect is a superior freewheel to an Atom or Maillard 6 speed. This is especially true since the OP reports the bike has been barely ridden. Unless the internals are loaded with corrosion, it should continue to function well for many years to go.

Originally Posted by robertj298

Is the lockring on this derailleur reverse threaded?

Originally Posted by JohnDThompson

Freewheel lockrings are left-hand thread; clockwise to loosen.

Originally Posted by pastorbobnlnh

Every freewheel brand I've serviced has reversed threads on the outer bearing race, including most Suntour models, with one exception:

Suntour New Winner. That specific model and only that model utilizes an adjustable bearing race and is clearly marked.

Originally Posted by robertj298

You are correct and also correct about servicing these isn’t for the faint of heart. I got the ring off and the bearings out but I don’t think I’ll even try to put all those tiny bearings back in all the while trying to keep them in place while screwing everything back together.

Originally Posted by SurferRosa

If RJ can do it, so can any other junk hack.

Originally Posted by robertj298

You are correct and also correct about servicing these isn’t for the faint of heart. I got the ring off and the bearings out but I don’t think I’ll even try to put all those tiny bearings back in all the while trying to keep them in place while screwing everything back together.

Originally Posted by pastorbobnlnh

Every freewheel brand I've serviced has reversed threads on the outer bearing race, including most Suntour models, with one exception:

Suntour New Winner. That specific model and only that model utilizes an adjustable bearing race and is clearly marked.