Cycling UK Forum

Hi
I’ve got an 80s BSA to tidy up but am confused by state of back wheel hub / freewheel. Firstly the freewheel seems incomplete (see images below) so will need replacing but is part of it still attached to hub as I’m guessing hub should be threaded? If yes, how would I remove - tried and failed!
I’m a novice with gears - learned bike tech in bmx bikes! Any help greatly appreciated

there is a splined fitting in the bore of the freewheel body centre (the part that is still on the hub). You should ideally get the correct splined remover tool (which might be the same as (say) the regina/maillard 'atom' small spline in this case) and the part on the hub will (with difficulty) unscrew.


Regina freewheel with small spline

It certainly wasn't really necessary to dismantle the freewheel body, but now that you have done, you can remove the freewheel (in a destructive fashion if you are scrapping it anyway) without a remover tool by gripping the centre part in a good bench vice or welding something onto it.

BTW there is no sign of the (many) 1/8" balls, the two pawls, and pawl springs. The balls are easy enough to replace but the latter parts will almost certainly be particular to this brand of freewheel, although I suppose there is a chance that they are slavish copies of someone else's design (which is what the whole freewheel looks like; 'Elan' is not a well-known brand). In any event if you don't have the pawl and spring parts they can only be obtained by robbing another similar freewheel.

cheers

Thanks
I didn’t dismantle - it came loose on wheel. All I have are the parts pictured. I’ll try the vice trick to get last part off and buy a new freewheel to suit. If that doesn’t work I’ll try to source the correct tool to get it off.

normally you will need to grip the body centre where the pawl pockets are, which usually renders them unfit for further use.

If you find you can't get a good grip or you want not to damage the parts (I think Maillard pawls and springs might work in this freewheel) then a good trick is to grind a couple of flats onto the body centre where there is enough thickness to do so. In this freewheel body two flats could be ground onto the body 90 degrees round from the pawl pockets.

I have several times removed an old freewheel (in usable condition) by grinding flats onto the body centre in this way. It can (depending on the size of the flats) also reduce the loading on the bench vice, or allow a big adjustable spanner to be used instead or something.

cheers

Greatly appreciated