Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

If you remove the coaster brake arm, will it just be a freewheel?

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

If you remove the coaster brake arm, will it just be a freewheel?

Old 01-08-07, 08:46 PM
  #1  
thenathanator
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
thenathanator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 127
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
If you remove the coaster brake arm, will it just be a freewheel?

The reason I ask, is that I'm interested in buying a 3 speed hub. Probably a Shimano Inter 3 speed hub (Shimano SG-3C41). I looked into S/A hubs but they're pretty expensive, and most are old. The shimano hub has a coaster brake. I don't want a coaster brake. If I simply remove the coaster brake arm, will that leave me with a free wheel? will I be able to pedal backwards, for instance, like on a normal geared-bike?
thenathanator is offline  
Old 01-09-07, 12:29 AM
  #2  
grolby
Senior Member
 
grolby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BOSTON BABY
Posts: 9,787
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 287 Post(s)
Liked 85 Times in 59 Posts
No, you won't. The brake arm is actually a reaction arm, which prevents the hub from rotating in your dropouts (this is bad and prevents the brake from working). I would look for a 3-speed hub without a coaster brake, either another Shimano Inter-3 or a SRAM 3-speed hub.
grolby is offline  
Old 01-09-07, 04:23 AM
  #3  
wroomwroomoops
Sir Fallalot
 
wroomwroomoops's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,286
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times in 11 Posts
Originally Posted by grolby
No, you won't. The brake arm is actually a reaction arm, which prevents the hub from rotating in your dropouts (this is bad and prevents the brake from working).
Isn't that exactly what the OP wants?
wroomwroomoops is offline  
Old 01-09-07, 06:07 AM
  #4  
AnthonyG
Senior Member
 
AnthonyG's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Queanbeyan, Australia.
Posts: 4,135
Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3450 Post(s)
Liked 420 Times in 289 Posts
Originally Posted by wroomwroomoops
Isn't that exactly what the OP wants?
Not realy. Removing the coaster brake arm will provide the WORST of both worlds. You won't be able to back pedal without activating the brake but when this happens the braking won't be good and it will likely damage the dropouts. I'm thinking that it could be difficult to de-activate the brake in such a situation. Not worth trying as damage will result.

Regards, Anthony
AnthonyG is offline  
Old 01-09-07, 07:39 AM
  #5  
BikeWise1
30 YR Wrench
 
BikeWise1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oxford, OH
Posts: 2,006

Bikes: Waterford R-33, Madone 6.5, Trek 520

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by AnthonyG
Not realy. Removing the coaster brake arm will provide the WORST of both worlds. You won't be able to back pedal without activating the brake but when this happens the braking won't be good and it will likely damage the dropouts. I'm thinking that it could be difficult to de-activate the brake in such a situation. Not worth trying as damage will result.

Regards, Anthony
He's right. Backpedalling will still activate the brake, and since there is no longer a lever arm to prevent it, the hub will still transmit the braking force to the axle, which will now try to spin in the dropout. It could pull forward, lock up the wheel and down you go.
BikeWise1 is offline  
Old 01-09-07, 10:41 AM
  #6  
dobber
Perineal Pressurized
 
dobber's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: In Ebritated
Posts: 6,555
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Disassemble the left hand side of the hub and remove the brake pad assembly. Fairly straight forward process, just lifts out.
__________________
This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
dobber is offline  
Old 01-09-07, 11:18 AM
  #7  
Dr.Deltron
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
Originally Posted by dobber
Disassemble the left hand side of the hub and remove the brake pad assembly. Fairly straight forward process, just lifts out.
Thanks Dobber, I was just going to post that idea, but then got to your post.
We used to do that to friends bikes back in the BMX days, just to mess with them!
 
Old 10-19-19, 07:37 PM
  #8  
SPGremlin
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by dobber
Disassemble the left hand side of the hub and remove the brake pad assembly. Fairly straight forward process, just lifts out.
This is the right direction - but this is not enough to get a properly working freewheel hub! One more step is needed. Otherwise, the hub will freewheel but there will be a very late gear engagement (on all 3 gears - especially on the low gear), with a very noticeable pedal "slack" - nearly half a turn of a chainring will be required to engage the gear after even a small a period of freewheeling (or when starting movement).

After removing the brake pads, one needs to put something elastic around the 6 rollers to push them in and hold them together (like the original brake pad assembly did), such as:
  • A keyring of a proper size
    or
  • A rubber plumbing o-ring like they sell in Home Depot
    or
  • Perhaps a zip tie (if it is small enough that its head will fit in and won't touch the hub shell
I have an image of how it looks like (in my case, it was a keyring) - but being a new member I can't post it here (URLs and Images are prohibited). It is attached to my reply on similar question on the MTBR forum - you can find it by searching.

That piece (whatever you chose it to be) does not need to be very strong. Its function is to exert sufficient pressure on the rollers so that it was "easier" for the hub to ratchet (carrier unit against the hub shell) while freewheeling or backpedaling rather than to drag and attempt engage the brake roller clutch. Without this piece, any freewheeling will rotate the roller clutch inside the carrier unit as if the brakes were engaged (though there are no brake pads so no braking will actually occur). By default (without anything pushing on the rollers) it is "easier" for the hub internals then proper ratcheting. Then subsequent pedaling will need to undo all that rotation before the gear is engaged, and it results in a very noticeable pedals slack.
SPGremlin is offline  
Old 10-19-19, 10:13 PM
  #9  
JanMM
rebmeM roineS
 
JanMM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,216

Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 225 Posts
12 year old Zombie Thread!
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
JanMM is offline  
Likes For JanMM:
Old 10-19-19, 10:25 PM
  #10  
CliffordK
Senior Member
 
CliffordK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,600
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18319 Post(s)
Liked 4,487 Times in 3,337 Posts
Originally Posted by JanMM
12 year old Zombie Thread!
What do you expect will happen when one messes with the brakes and dropouts on a bike? Zombies!!!

There are so many internal gear hubs available that I'd just get what one wishes to have for the application.
  • Coaster Brakes
  • 3 speed fixed
  • freewheeling rim brakes
  • freewheeling disc brakes
  • CVT
  • 3 to 14 gears
  • Dual Drive
CliffordK is offline  
Old 10-20-19, 10:16 AM
  #11  
SPGremlin
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by JanMM
12 year old Zombie Thread!
The thread is old but the hub is still on the market (not to mention millions of bikes already out there) and when question comes up, this thread pops up in Google search. It contained incomplete advice, so I decided to contribute.

Originally Posted by CliffordK
There are so many internal gear hubs available that I'd just get what one wishes to have for the application.
  • Coaster Brakes
  • 3 speed fixed
  • freewheeling rim brakes
  • freewheeling disc brakes
  • ...

Yes, when one has a choice, it's better to get the right hub upfront. Sometimes, people are dealing with already built bikes wheels and are not in a position to chose or to go with a full wheel re-lacing. Also, Shimano hub availability varies. It's not easy to buy a 28-hole SG-3R40 (freewheel model) - only 36-holes are being sold. One may be forced to buy a Coaster brake model because of the hole-count requirements. Also, coaster brake hubs are just cheaper.
SPGremlin is offline  
Old 10-20-19, 06:44 PM
  #12  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by JanMM
12 year old Zombie Thread!
That's why I wish the Forums would return the feature that listed the date of the first post in the index of threads. It went away when they "updated" these forums about two years ago. The moderator of one of the Bike Forums advised that they were working on restoring it, but I guess somebody decided it wasn't important enough.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 10-20-19, 08:20 PM
  #13  
SPGremlin
Newbie
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
That's why I wish the Forums would return the feature that listed the date of the first post in the index of threads. It went away when they "updated" these forums about two years ago. The moderator of one of the Bike Forums advised that they were working on restoring it, but I guess somebody decided it wasn't important enough.
Why would that be important in this case? Did the original question lose relevance? The thread has over 8000 views over 12 years. I guess not all of the views are since 2007. Many folks could still be stumbling here from search (like I did).
SPGremlin is offline  
Likes For SPGremlin:
Old 10-20-19, 09:44 PM
  #14  
JanMM
rebmeM roineS
 
JanMM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,216

Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 225 Posts
Originally Posted by SPGremlin
Why would that be important in this case? Did the original question lose relevance? The thread has over 8000 views over 12 years. I guess not all of the views are since 2007. Many folks could still be stumbling here from search (like I did).
You resurrected a sleeping thread to add some detailed and relevant info, which is not a bad thing.
Oftentimes someone will awaken a zombie thread by trying to carry on a discussion that ended long ago and/or with an OP who is long gone from BF. Also not a bad thing. Sometimes a funny thing.
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
JanMM is offline  
Old 06-18-22, 06:17 AM
  #15  
statge
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by SPGremlin
This is the right direction - but this is not enough to get a properly working freewheel hub! One more step is needed. Otherwise, the hub will freewheel but there will be a very late gear engagement (on all 3 gears - especially on the low gear), with a very noticeable pedal "slack" - nearly half a turn of a chainring will be required to engage the gear after even a small a period of freewheeling (or when starting movement).

After removing the brake pads, one needs to put something elastic around the 6 rollers to push them in and hold them together (like the original brake pad assembly did), such as:
A keyring of a proper size
or
A rubber plumbing o-ring like they sell in Home Depot
or
Perhaps a zip tie (if it is small enough that its head will fit in and won't touch the hub shell
I have an image of how it looks like (in my case, it was a keyring) - but being a new member I can't post it here (URLs and Images are prohibited). It is attached to my reply on similar question on the MTBR forum - you can find it by searching.

That piece (whatever you chose it to be) does not need to be very strong. Its function is to exert sufficient pressure on the rollers so that it was "easier" for the hub to ratchet (carrier unit against the hub shell) while freewheeling or backpedaling rather than to drag and attempt engage the brake roller clutch. Without this piece, any freewheeling will rotate the roller clutch inside the carrier unit as if the brakes were engaged (though there are no brake pads so no braking will actually occur). By default (without anything pushing on the rollers) it is "easier" for the hub internals then proper ratcheting. Then subsequent pedaling will need to undo all that rotation before the gear is engaged, and it results in a very noticeable pedals slack.
Thanks i found another way with removing paws in a video in youtube i cant post it here rules of this forum don't allow it but name is -
Shimano Nexus coaster brake delete - do you think this will work too? Looks like little better solution. sory for my english
statge is offline  
Old 06-18-22, 11:03 AM
  #16  
blinky
senior member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 373

Bikes: 2003 Litespeed Tuscany with Ultegra R-8000 components

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 145 Post(s)
Liked 40 Times in 35 Posts
Check out this video - nice discussion of how a coaster brake works - something I always wondered about - may be helpful for the OP .

blinky is offline  
Old 06-18-22, 01:20 PM
  #17  
ign1te
Full Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 214
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 92 Post(s)
Liked 47 Times in 33 Posts
Originally Posted by SPGremlin
This is the right direction - but this is not enough to get a properly working freewheel hub! One more step is needed. Otherwise, the hub will freewheel but there will be a very late gear engagement (on all 3 gears - especially on the low gear), with a very noticeable pedal "slack" - nearly half a turn of a chainring will be required to engage the gear after even a small a period of freewheeling (or when starting movement).

After removing the brake pads, one needs to put something elastic around the 6 rollers to push them in and hold them together (like the original brake pad assembly did), such as:
  • A keyring of a proper size
    or
  • A rubber plumbing o-ring like they sell in Home Depot
    or
  • Perhaps a zip tie (if it is small enough that its head will fit in and won't touch the hub shell
I have an image of how it looks like (in my case, it was a keyring) - but being a new member I can't post it here (URLs and Images are prohibited). It is attached to my reply on similar question on the MTBR forum - you can find it by searching.

That piece (whatever you chose it to be) does not need to be very strong. Its function is to exert sufficient pressure on the rollers so that it was "easier" for the hub to ratchet (carrier unit against the hub shell) while freewheeling or backpedaling rather than to drag and attempt engage the brake roller clutch. Without this piece, any freewheeling will rotate the roller clutch inside the carrier unit as if the brakes were engaged (though there are no brake pads so no braking will actually occur). By default (without anything pushing on the rollers) it is "easier" for the hub internals then proper ratcheting. Then subsequent pedaling will need to undo all that rotation before the gear is engaged, and it results in a very noticeable pedals slack.
Why not just remove the rollers?

Edit: Realized now that may create a gap in the assembly which would be unfavorable.

Last edited by ign1te; 06-18-22 at 01:53 PM.
ign1te is offline  
Old 06-18-22, 06:38 PM
  #18  
squirtdad
Senior Member
 
squirtdad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,848

Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque

Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2302 Post(s)
Liked 2,736 Times in 1,497 Posts
Originally Posted by blinky
Check out this video - nice discussion of how a coaster brake works - something I always wondered about - may be helpful for the OP .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2f0e28Dito
op posted in 2007
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)



squirtdad is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.