Garage Gazette
VEHICLES => Bikes/Trikes/Choppers/Scooters & etc. => Topic started by: bonneyman on January 12, 2019, 12:03:00 PM
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Have this Sunrace freewheel with just the right spread of gears that I like. It's been sitting 4 years since my accident, but decided to risk riding again to lose weight.
The freewheel was a bit draggy. Old grease needed removed and replaced. Only there's a lockring holding the gear cluster on the freewheel body. As you can see in the second pic, the lockring lip covers the outer race - no disassembly without first getting the ring off. Manged to get it off with a stubby screwdriver and hammer - not my preferred method. And trying to find a lockring tool for this was going no where. So, I decided to fabricate one.
This is becoming more and more common, as manufacturers don't figure on customers taking things apart and cleaning/lubing. Most riders probably just toss the freewheel and get a new one. Besides, freewheels are "old school" and not the standard cassette as is common now. The one bike shop didn't believe me when I told him it was a freewheel lockring. They don't even carry the tools to do it. :-[
Went to the local Ace Hardware and started looking through bins in all sorts of departments, hoping to find something I could modify for my needs. Finally found something that would just squeeze inside the lock ring but had enough thickness to form teeth out of. A 3/4" threaded conduit connector. Took about 35 minutes to get the profile just right. Think I'll thread a square black iron plug in the other end and pin it in for a wrenching point. Should work fine. And if the teeth wear or mush out - I've got plenty of length left in the fitting to reform them.
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Pics of the business end. Dremel cutting wheel to get things started, and then grind/test fit with a square Nicholson file till it drops in.
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Pretty darn ingenious BM -- very well fabricated.
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thumbs up emoticon.
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Well, I gave it a test run. Tried installing the lock ring - went alot smoother and quicker then doing it with fingertips. Tightened it down so-so (not locked in position), seems to go smoothly. Then backed it off without a hitch. I'm gonna do so more fine filing to get the profile better, then attach the square lug. No rush - I have my newly-lubed Sachs freewheel on the bike so it's rideable while I finish this tool.
Who knows? Maybe someone will call me with a freewheel like this on their bike, and the local bike shop will just want to chuck it and sell them a new one. I can take it apart and repair it and lube and re-install. :)
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Good thinking .....
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Nice work bman. Very clever little tool!
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Nice work!
Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk
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Excellent work.
If I made it it may work but it would be so damn crude it would probably only work once ;D
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Finally finished up the tool today. Nice and warm outside, almost 70. Perfect shop weather.
I installed a black iron plug on the end and drilled and pinned it. Tool works fine, though the mild steel of the threaded conduit fitting reveals itself under high torque. Rather it get worn than the lock ring.