Shimano MX30 freewheel - serviceable?

luv2ride

My Shimano MX30 single speed freewheel is graunching. Not majorly, but it isn't happy It isn't that old as it replaced the original Dicta freewheel early last year and hasn't seen a huge amount of use. I also use a different one for going off road (have different wheels fitted with cross tyres) so this one hasn't even got really grubby. May have been through some flood water recently though.

So is this serviceable?

And any suggestions as to what kind of lifespan I should expect if I have to get a new one?

cheers

desweller

I've recovered freehubs by swilling them in a jar of white spirit and then in warm motor oil. Maybe that would work.

redvee

If you look at the image here you'll see two indents at 4 & 10 o'clock. Put a centre punch/screwdriver in them and hit with a hammer in an anti-clickwise direction(?), this will reveal the bearings inside the freewheel. Relube with heavy lube, not grease. I used grease on mine and the pawls would stick and not engage. Reassemble and ride. It is much easier to do this with the freewheel on the wheel.

luv2ride

Thanks for the responses. I guess these freewheels don't have a particularly long life expectancy then, without some form of intervention?
Might get a spare anyhow, just to keep me riding, although have put the old 16t Dicta on and it seems ok
for now.
Just noticed the front brake won't release and it seems the inner cable has threads coming away at the brake lever - no Singlecross riding for me today unless Halfords have any inner cable! :roll:
A will try the freewheel disassembly later today after sorting the brake...

Salsa

Stump up for a white industries freewheel, more money but they last for ages and are totally rebuildable.
http://www.whiteind.com/free-wheels.html

luv2ride

£75 quid :shock:
What's the deal with the combined 16/18t? Sounds interesting but wouldn't that muck up your chain line?

redvee

I killed a cheap freewheel in a month on my SingleCross when I first got it. Shimano freewheels last me on average 12 months commuting in all weathers.

Salsa

Whites are expensive yes but they're really well made. Mines 2 years old and still going strong on my commuter so it's probably cheaper in the long run.

hoojammyflip

Totally serviceable, just done it myself. Remove the freewheel first from the hub, Park make a suitable 4 prong tool. Do the rest of the job over a cardboard box with white tissue in it, so you catch the bearings....there are 96 of them, 48 either side of the ratchet mechanism. Then with a Park red pin spanner, remove the metal plate and the spacers from the drive side (this ring removes clockwise).

I cleaned the whole lot up using standard degreaser and kitchen towel. I put the bearings back in using white grease from Finish Line. I just lined the races with a little white grease and pushed the balls into the grease. You dont want too much at this stage. I dont know what size the bearings are...most of mine looked fine after a year of London riding, but some were looking tired. I reckon thats all that could be replaced if anything.

With the pawls, you dont want too much grease, but at their bushing where they run against the freewheel, I put some white grease. Too much grease and the pawls wont engage quickly.

keef66

Back in the 70s / 80s my bikes would've had 5 speed screw-on freewheels. I never dismantled them, rarely lubricated them and they appeared to last indefinitely. What's changed??

photonic69

keef66 wrote:

Back in the 70s / 80s my bikes would've had 5 speed screw-on freewheels. I never dismantled them, rarely lubricated them and they appeared to last indefinitely. What's changed??

I blame:
Air pollution
Electro-magnetic smog from mobile networks
Trump
May
Tattooed glamour models with plastic tits

the list is endless..........

(also what a thread revival!!!)