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Can't Get Freewheel Off!


Gaz96

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I've used the search bar, watched tarty's guide, took it to my LBS and cant get it off what so ever! Tried all the usual techniques and all my LBS could suggest is using heat but don't have access to blowtorch or anything so what's next? Not wanting to save the freewheel at all but wanting to save the threads on the cranks, so how can I go about trying to get it off now without worrying about saving the freewheel? Any help appreciated

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SAme way as you've tried but get a hefty as f**k leverage bar on it.

I took mine to my Dads work at this engineering company who have massive vices, stuck it in and got a 5 foot bar on it and with one guy swinging on it it gave way pretty easily.

Every other method failed miserably.

Destroyed the vice in Halfords trying it :D hahah

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SAme way as you've tried but get a hefty as f**k leverage bar on it.

I took mine to my Dads work at this engineering company who have massive vices, stuck it in and got a 5 foot bar on it and with one guy swinging on it it gave way pretty easily.

Every other method failed miserably.

Destroyed the vice in Halfords trying it :D hahah

At the bike shop we used a massive bar, with me and a fairly decent sized guy and the bar was flexing... We were both quite astounded so cant really get a much bigger bar

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Things you need:

- A good, solid vice bolted to a solid bench.

- A LONG bit of bar, at least a metre.

Things you don't need:

- Heat: the alloy crank arm would expand more than the steel freewheel, so that will actually lock it more in place.

Follow the guide and it will come off - make sure you are going the right way!

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Might be able to dismantle the freewheel, grind a slot in the inner part of the freewheel (carefully avoiding the thread) and crack it with a chisel? Never done it on a freewheel myself but it worked a treat on the drive shaft bearings on my capri.

This video explains it a bit better but you have to ignore the first bit and fast forward to the second technique they use

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Chris' method works a treat.

With my old tensile I ground a flat in it so the threads are juussttt showing, then a slot down into the ring. Then while its hot, get a hammer and chisel/ flat headed screw driver and twat it. Will crack right allong the thinnest point. Should screw off by hand following that.

3 freewheels later my cranks are still sweet.

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i tend to do it this way its never failed once.

1st i get the tools needed

1, freewheel tool

2, a long bolt 80mm long

3, the nut to fit the bolt

4, two large thick washers.

5, a vice (good strong one)

6, a large rubber or nylon mallet

the tequnique, 1st bolt the tool to the crank so it isnt going to damge the to fixing points under pressure.

the vice grip the tool.

then you can swing the large mallet onto the crank arm to shock the freewheel undone.

remember to hit the crank in reverse to which you pedeal the bike.

if this fails in emergencys you can try one or two very hard hits from a lump hammer (this will dent the crank but only as much as you do on rocks ect...)

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if this fails in emergencys you can try one or two very hard hits from a lump hammer (this will dent the crank but only as much as you do on rocks ect...)

...or you could use an extension bar, not damage your cranks and still be able to get your freewheel off? :ermm:

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