niconj Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 I was just wondering if there's a quick way to do this. I can disassemble it alright but getting those pawls and springs back in, especially with the ball bearings is such a pain in the ass that buying a new one is almost the better option. So how do you get the parts back together? I cannot put the springs and pawls in there and put it back in the outer ring as the pawls have to be pushed in... How do you clean a freewheel. Reason is that I ordered a new Jitsie freewheel (as I am sick of the newer Echo SL ones) and want to strip it, clean it and ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooo Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 (edited) Not sure if this is what you are asking but, If you want to just clean the inside and remove all the grease, you can spray a light solvent type lubricant (like GT85 ) through the gap on the edge of the freewheel and it will wash any dirt and grease out. Edited May 25, 2016 by ooo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niconj Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 36 minutes ago, ooo said: Not sure if this is what you are asking but, If you want to just clean the inside and remove all the grease, you can spray a light solvent type lubricant (like GT85 ) through the gap on the edge of the freewheel and it will wash any dirt and grease out. How will it wash it out? I can imagine that the gap being too small to wash out any tiny metal bits left from production... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gage-mann Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Get a tub and some petrol and put the the new freewheel in just enough petrol to soak until the colour of the petrol goes dirty and then empty the tub out and put fresh petrol in and the freewheel back in and just repeat doing this until the petrol stays the same colour then either run it dry or spray some wd40 or gt85 in it the first day you let it bed in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross McArthur Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 50 minutes ago, niconj said: tiny metal bits left from production... Does that even happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niconj Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Ross McArthur said: Does that even happen? Dunno. I read about it on this forum and come to think of it, my last Echo had tiny bits of metal in there but I think it was after having ridden it for a while. Edited May 25, 2016 by niconj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooo Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 I've not heard of metal being in there, but I would wash it out first and see if there is any metallic flakes in the dirt that comes out (usually a lot comes out). If it seems normal I wouldn't bother opening it, that gap is big enough for crap to get in and out of the freewheel though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooo Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Frewheels are just annoying, using thick grease on the ball bearings helps them from going every where and you can wash it out after. Here is a video with someone opening one if thats any help: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 3 hours ago, niconj said: Dunno. I read about it on this forum and come to think of it, my last Echo had tiny bits of metal in there but I think it was after having ridden it for a while. Once they've been used for a while you'll get little tiny bits of pawl/spring/ratchet cruising around in there too. With my old Eno, after a few skips the tips of the pawls would get shaved back a little so you'd end up with little thin strips/shards from them in the mechanism too - it's basically the same with any freewheel. It wouldn't be from the factory though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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