thook

the freewheel came on my recently acquired ross mt hood. i can't seem to find my two notch remover, so i tried a hammer and punch to knock it loose against the prong tabs. it won't budge that way. there's methods of removing the FW without the tool, but it requires dismantling the freewheel and a chance of trashing it (a pipe wrench against the pawls). i plan to keep searching for the tool, but wondered...is it worth it? i can't find any real identifying markings on the FW body that would indicate if it's anything special....like a perfect, a perfect XC, etc. all i see are the letters AI in one spot and VIA in another. mean anything? fwiw, it does seem to be made of "lighter" materials than other suntour FW's i have

oh, btw....if it's worth saving, i wonder if i can mate some cogs from a pro compe 5spd i have. this 6spd has a broken tooth on the 13 tooth sprocket. thought i could maybe build a 14-32 6spd if things would mate up

edit: also it's 13 15 27 19 22 26....if that helps ID'ing

ThermionicScott 

I'm betting "AI" was the date code for September 1984.

Got any pics?

thook

i've got a cheap blackberry (i think? i don't use it much except for emergencies or necessary calls) that takes pics. i tried the other day, but i don't get signal where i live so i couldn't share it. not sure how else to get pics from it to here. iow's, no pics. i'm trying to find a web image right now that might work/help. i'm wondering if what i think is "AI" or if it's an A1. anyway, searching the web....

thook

it looks like this except is doesn't say pro compe on it. and, of course, the gearing is different. but, i did find a perfect that had the same gearing as mine, but mine doesn't say perfect on it, either

noobinsf 

Unless its rusted and frozen with broken teeth and broken removal notches, it’s worth finding the tool to rescue it. 13-26 is a nice gear spread, not super easy to find.

thook

only lightly rusted on the sprockets, spinning a little sticky..not rough, and just the one broken tooth. meh...if i can get it off in one piece, i'll probably pass it along, i'm thinking. i've got other gears. maybe get a hyperglide FW down the road

3alarmer 

.
...if you already went at those two notches with a hammer and a punch, your chances of getting it off with a Suntour two prong freewheel tool are now significantly reduced. My opinion is that you are already committed to destructive removal. There were all sorts of configurations for Suntour cogs over the years, so they are not universally interchangeable.

What in the world gave you the idea you could remove a freewheel in that manner ? I have trouble sometimes getting those two prong Suntour freewheels off with the proper tool, locked in place with a QR skewer, and clamped in a bench vise. The idea that I might be able to hammer it loose with a punch is not something that would ever occur to me. That will help you to remove the little lock ring that holds the thing together , though, facilitating destructive removal.

pastorbobnlnh 

Suntour made a variation of the Perfect/ProCompe which has a 13T threaded small sprocket, followed by two threaded sprockets and three splined sprockets for the largest ones. The 2nd through 6th sprockets and spacers are all interchangeable on a Perfect or ProCompe body. So, at the least, remove and save the sprockets and spacers.

Have you tried soaking the hub/freewheel threads with penetrating oil, i.e. WD40, etc? Time to buy a new tool. They are not that expensive.

tkamd73 

Proper tool is 12 bucks on Amazon, same day delivery, in my area at least. I don’t know about you, but at my stage of life, when I lose something it stays lost!
12 dollars vs old Suntour freewheel, kind of a toss-up, they are well built, but don’t really shift all that well compared to newer ones.
Tim

thook

it works in automotive applications, sometimes. like knocking a wheel bearing nut loose, for example, when perhaps you don't have the right size socket. it's a big one
anyway, i wasn't terribly committed to trying it with hammer and punch. tried it for a bit until could see it wasn't going to work. didn't go beyond that ..ie. enough to damage anything. so, why are the chances of the tool getting it off now reduced, then?
and, no...i'm not committed to destroying it. i'm not committed to keeping it, however, if i do get it i off. if i can get if off properly, then i'm betting someone around here could use it despite the broken tooth

thook

i haven't tried a penetrant, yet. honestly, this attempt i made was on a whim. stopping to tinker in the middle of other things. i just thought to try it right quick since i haven't located my tool. but, it did make me stop to consider if the FW was worth much trouble

thook

yes, thank you. i know the tools are cheap. and, i am considering a hyperglide freewheel down the road. i know they shift better. but, for the moment, i'm in the "working with what i got" mode just so i can simply ride it. i've had the bike it's on less than a week.

thook

last time i checked at the nearest local bike shops (for a different FW project months ago), no one has the old tools for freewheels. there is one shop i haven't checked. i just can never seem to get by there when it's open since it closes earlier than the others. and, there's no longer a bike co-op in my area.

Velo Mule

I don't think that will come out with a hammer and punch unless you are really dedicated and do one hit on one side, then the next on the other, alternating back and forth for a long time.

I don't know what you have for old sockets, however, you could take an appropriate sized socket and make marks where the notches are and then grind the socket down leaving the two prongs remaining. Then stick a breaker bar with your new tool on it into a vice and turn the wheel.

If you lived closer, I'd visit you.

I like SunTour freewheels, especially six speeds, but you can't save them all.

Edit: When I see SunTour and destroy in the same sentence I get worried, so had to click on this thread to try to save your freewheel.

scarlson 

I'll mail you my freewheel remover if you send me the freewheel & remover after you're done, since you say you're not too interested in keeping it. Or maybe Pastor Bob is interested in adding to his collection?

Either way, Other option is take it apart and use a pipe wrench. I think it won't damage much, especially if you ease into it to minimize slippage. Those freewheel bodies are harder than a coffin nail!

thook

i've got bunches of old sockets. and, i have thought of that. i just bought a vice from a flea market, so now i have a good way to set something like that up for mod'ing

thanks for the visit offer

i like the suntours, also. mostly, though, because it's just some of what i have (besides freehub/cassettes) and the only thing to work on the older wheels. i mean, if hyperglide freewheels were what i had, then i'd like them....if that makes sense...lol

yeah, i really prefer not to destroy anything worthy of usage. if this were a "cheap" suntour freewheel, i'd just get it off with the pipe wrench no hesitation. but, i don't know if suntour made "cheap" freewheels

thook

i'm not really. but, it occurred to me i need to make sure i can fit a 7spd on the wheel/in the frame before making a decision. i'll be figuring that today when i try another place or two to find my tool

thook

scarlson the 7 speed suntour FW is going to fit just fine. sending a PM your way....

seedsbelize 

I frequently go after stuff with hamner and punch, no matter the venue. It works often enough to keep me doing it for the last fifty years. I almost always use WD40 in conjunction, however.