need help to replace outdated 7sp freewheel body

JMTB

Bike : 1991 Groundpounder MTB, 3 x 7 speeds Shimano Deore LX group sets.
Rear wheel hub : Shimano Deore LX FH-M550
Freewheel body : Shimano FH-HG50 (for 7 speeds CS-HG50 cassette sprockets).

Hi,

I'm in the process to repair my old 1991 MTB bike for commuting. I've already bought new front 3x and rear 7x speed shifter levers and replaced the original worn out and discountinued Shimano Deore LX brake and shifter ST-M060 by new Shimano Altus M310 front 3x and rear 7x speed shifters with great success.

Removed the old worn out CS-HG50 7sp cassette sprockets (12-28) and put a brand new one CS-HG50 7sp 12-28 with ease (was lucky to find such an oldie still on stock).

Problem : the old freewheel body is completely worn-out (dead ratchets) and cannot be serviced as well, so it needs to be replaced by a new one.

Trouble : I cannot find a brand new Shimano FH-HG50 freewheel body anymore because it has been discountinuated from Shimano. Shimano online techdocs is currently helpless, however.

Question : does anybody know a replacement freewheel body that is 7 speed compatible with the brand new Shimano CS-HG50 7 speed cassette sprockets ?

For example, I've seen on CRC two other Shimano 7 speed compatible free wheel bodies (Shimano M290 7sp Freehub Body and Shimano STX 7sp Freehub Body) but will they fit 100% on the old Shimano Deore LX FH-M550 rear wheel hub ? I want to keep the 7 speeds and don't want to upgrade to 8 or 9 speeds (keep cost$ low).

How about current breed of Shimano Altus FH-RM30-7 or FH-RM40-7 QR freewheel bodies that are found on the online techdocs ? Or about FH-MC32 (http://webandy.hekko.pl/shimano/model.php?id=765) ?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers !

JM

PS : old techdocs source about Deore LX FH-M550 freehub body :
http://www3.big.or.jp/~number-1/No.1_Sh ... 550RP.html
http://board.lutsk.ua/imgstore/images/lxhub.jpg

nicklouse

nice info thanks.

first issue your hub is 130mm wide. new ones are 135mm (mtb hubs) you could cold set the frame to 135mm though if steel.
2nd it is a freebody not a freewheel.



I would have a read of this http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#up7 8of 9 on a 7spd

would be a cheaper option.

jimothy78

I'm a bit confused about what you want/need to do, as CS-HG50 seems to refer to cassette sprockets to fit a freehub, not freewheel, so not sure if you've got the wrong code or if it's a code that's been re-applied to a newer product (I wish they wouldn't do that).

Anyway, if it's any help, I have a 7-speed screw-on freewheel you could have if that's what you need. You can have just the body or complete with sprockets, whichever suits you best. Sprockets have some surface corrosion, but the freewheel body itself has been kept clean and in great nick.

The Rookie

I think the OP has a broken Freehub and is calling it a Freewheel as indicated by Nick.

He wants to know what freehub body will fit his older hub - Shimano Deore LX FH-M550.

As it's a 7 speed freehub, I would suggest trying the oldest 7 (not 8 or 9) speed Shimano freehub you can find, 7 weren't around for long (they went 8 soon after) so knowing Shimano they are probably all interchangeable.

jimothy78

The Beginner wrote:

I think the OP has a broken Freehub and is calling it a Freewheel as indicated by Nick.

Oh, I see - I'd got the wrong end of the stick entirely, then. Cheers.

Erudin

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-FH-M2 ... 337f520461

JMTB

The Beginner wrote:

I think the OP has a broken Freehub and is calling it a Freewheel as indicated by Nick.

Hi,

Sorry for my poor english and thanks for the correct use of tech words. That's correct, I need to replace the worn-out freehub body (because of dead ratchets), specific part # FH-HG50.

He wants to know what freehub body will fit his older hub - Shimano Deore LX FH-M550.

As it's a 7 speed freehub, I would suggest trying the oldest 7 (not 8 or 9) speed Shimano freehub you can find, 7 weren't around for long (they went 8 soon after) so knowing Shimano they are probably all interchangeable.

That's correct, I need a 7 speed Shimano freehub that is compatible with a new 7 speed CS-HG50 cassette sprocket on a very old MTB rear wheel (label printed on rear hub : Shimano Deore LX FH-M550).

Question : are you sure that a modern-type of 7 speed Shimano freehub (e.g., FH-M290, FH-RM30 or STX-MC32 type that one can buy now online) is 100% interchangeable with the 21 years old FH-HG50 freehub ?

Cheers !

JM

The Rookie

HG is the style of location, so yes.... HyperGlide.

JMTB

The Beginner wrote:

HG is the style of location, so yes.... HyperGlide.

Correct, HG all the way even back in 1991...

supersonic

There are Shimano Hyperglide original, and HyperGlide C (compact).

nicklouse

OP to sum up.

yes it can be rescued if you find a proper bike shop.
yes it can be modded to work.
yes new stuff can be fixed to make it work.

it all come down to what you can do or what you want to pay.

are you going to build a new wheel?

what is the frame made from?

etc etc.