Homemade SS Freewheels - recycle vintage wheelsets
I have had success in recycling older Shimano 5-6 speed freewheels into workable SS freewheels, by removing either lockring (newer Hyperglide) or lockcog (older Uniglide), removing cogs and spacers and rebuilding. Simple tools, available to anyone with basic wrenching skills are all that is needed.
I decided to prepare a step-by-step photo guide to DIY.
The finished product
![Bicycle wheel rim Bicycle accessory Spoke Rim Hub gear]()
Why? or Why Not?
Since the late 1980's most quality multi-gear hubs use a freehub/ cassette. For most 7-8-9-10 speed applications this is the only way to go. Freehubs also offer easy conversion to SS and there is lots of information available on how to convert or 'ghetto-mod'.
I have a number of vintage freewheel wheelsets of good quality that are 'underutilized' and I would like to use for SS builds. At the same time, I do not want to re-space hubs and re-dish wheels to use a SS specific freewheel. I don't want to buy a number of SS freewheels for different ratios. I want to reuse and recycle. I assume that there are millions of freewheels still spinning around, most are discarded because one cog, usually the highest one, is worn out...
There is little or no information on the internet on freewheel cog replacement. In fact, except for some references on the Sheldon Brown site to sprocket replacement as a lost art, there is not even an image of a 'freewheel bench vise' or adaptor.
The following links to Sheldon Brown give great information. I credit Sheldon for inspiring me with the paragraph on freewheel sprocket replacement. It got me thinkin there should be a way..
https://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html
Why Shimano?
There were many different freewheels in the 70's and 80's.. There are few if any except Shimano (and Sun Race) currently producing multi-gear freewheels. Even the newer Shimano Mega7 7-speed models use a different spline pattern and do not lend themselves to conversion. Except for some Regina and Suntour freewheels, all I have are Shimano, and the proprietary pattern of the cogs is important. Shimano HyperGlide freewheels also have a 'lockring' that does away with the need for a 13t or 14t 'lockcog'. Most home users will have or can find recycled Shimano freewheels, and you will find that for a decent conversion you need at least one HyperGlide freewheel (for the lockring) and one UniGlide freewheel (for the straighter cut teeth on the cogs.)
Step-by-step Guide.
It is almost impossible to remove either lockcog or lockring without a vice (or vice substitute) to hold the freewheel. I tried with dual chainwhips with the freewheel in place on a wheel. I broke one whip. I tried bracing a freewheel off the wheel using vice-grips and chain, and even destroyed large cogs trying to brace in a vice without the elusive 'freewheel bench vise'
I want to credit Wayne at Performance Cycles (local LBS) at Quadra and Reynolds (just off the Galloping Goose trail at MacKenzie) in Victoria, B.C., for showing me a couple of versions of (now unavailable) vice adaptors and suggesting a home brewed version using a wooden jig and wood screws to secure the freewheel. Screwing the freewheel to a solid surface was the key.
Also props to Ryan at Recyclistas community bike shop at the TransCanada flyover on the Galloping Goose, where the Goose meets the Lochside Trail, for providing a number of freewheel carcasses for experimentation and general banging the hell out of...
For the images I show two freewheels, one a 5 speed Uniglide from the early 80's and the other a 6 speed Hyperglide that is current today.
You can successfully do the conversion with just a Hyperglide freewheel, but you will have ramped and cut teeth that are less than completely satisfactory. However, its no different than a 'ghetto-mod' of a freehub using HyperGlide cassette cogs. If you can find an older Uniglide freewheel you will get better teeth (the slight 'twist-tooth' style) and more spacers...hehe...
Remove the freewheel from the bike.
If you have a wooden work surface, simply brace the freewheel with wood screws around the perimeter of the largest cog.
![Gear Bicycle drivetrain part Bicycle part Hardwood Circle]()
I show a possible variation using a wooden brace in a bench vice.
![Iron Wood stain Tin can Tool Tool accessory]()
If you don't have a wood surface that your wife will let you drive screws into, you can also use a plywood 'plate' and clamp to a surface, like the dining room table....
Showing a plywood plate using a chainwhip (counter-clockwise) on a Uniglide freewheel (with lockcog)
![Gear Bicycle drivetrain part Hardwood Wood stain Plywood]()
Showing a plywood plate using a hammer and punch (counter-clockwise) on a Hyperglide freewheel (with lockring)
![Bicycle drivetrain part Gear Bicycle part Iron Circle]()
I had problems with a Shimano MegaRange 6 (low cog of 34t). The big cog was so flexy that the teeth would jump out of the screw heads with the force of the blows to the punch. I did a butcher job of shimming the big cog, but it worked...
![Gear Machine Hardwood Circle Engineering]()
Uniglide comes apart
![Bicycle drivetrain part Bicycle part Gear Crankset Auto part]()
Hyperglide comes apart
![Bicycle drivetrain part Gear Bicycle part Auto part Crankset]()
All the cogs and spacers simply lift off, after the first. Here is the body of the freewheel showing two 'steps' - the fatter for the low gears (cogs greater than 20t) and the slimmer for cogs from 13t to 19t.
![Wood Hardwood Wood stain Beige Tan]()
Here's a comparison of Uniglide vs Hyperglide cogs. You can see why the Uniglide is my preferred one.
![Red Pattern Carmine Stationery Gear]()
![Gear Bicycle drivetrain part Bicycle part Circle Auto part]()
Its a simple matter to build a new SS freewheel on the slimmer step of the freewheel body. Many middle gear chainlines will line up guite well with the middle of the 6 speed freewheel, so you can mount a cog from 15t to 19t against the shoulder of the step and use the slimmer spacers to fill to a point where the lockring will secure.
![Bicycle wheel rim Bicycle accessory Spoke Rim Hub gear]()
You cannot use cassette cogs - they differ.
![Bicycle drivetrain part Gear Circle Crankset Bicycle part]()
You cannot use BB lockrings or freehub lockrings- they differ.
![Text Font Circle Handwriting Number]()
You cannot use cassette spacers - they differ.
![Text Font Circle Symbol Coquelicot]()
I have tried various sizes of ABS pipe that I had, including 2" and 2.25" but no joy. I hope to try some PVC.
A few other finished product
![Circle Hardwood Gas Wood stain Plywood]()
The finished 18t weighed a little over 220 grams
![Measuring instrument Gauge Scale Circle Still life photography]()
Just as an aside, I include an image (courtesy Sheldon Brown) of a Var 16 lockring tool, that some suggest is the way to remove the Hyperglide lockring...
![Product White Technology Metal Black]()
In my experience, I had to hammer the hell out of the punch to move the lockring, and I really doubt that the narrow ring would move with the plier type tool. It also costs $80. Wayne at Performance Cycles told me that he just uses a punch and hammer.
I did not build a freewheel with cog greater than 19t, the last that fits up against the shoulder of the step. I could easily do one with 20t plus, but I have to figure out how to secure very wide spacers on the lower step to butt against the cog and/or spacers on the upper (low gear) step.
Future to-do list
I will see how the stability of the cogs holds up. I might add a string of large (fatter) spacers to the top step if the cog giggles.
I will experiment with how much tension I need on the lockring to hold without excessive giggle. It will be harder to remove the lockring as it will be harder to secure the SS freewheel to the base. I will experiment with a jig using chain or maybe just using tall screws.
I will see what alternate spacers might be had.
Build a 20t to 30t model, just to see what I need to make it work.
Final thoughts
The job went surprisingly easy once I figured out how to secure the freewheel to a solid surface. Be sure to drip penetrating oil into the threads of the lockring/lockcog or just soak in oil for a while.
Watch your knuckles on the teeth of the cogs, especially if you are really whacking on the punch...
I disclaim all responsibility for physical injury, property damage or death. Use at your own risk. Your mileage may vary.
Any comments welcome, suggestions for spacers etc etc
Cheers
dmc
I have had success in recycling older Shimano 5-6 speed freewheels into workable SS freewheels, by removing either lockring (newer Hyperglide) or lockcog (older Uniglide), removing cogs and spacers and rebuilding. Simple tools, available to anyone with basic wrenching skills are all that is needed.
I decided to prepare a step-by-step photo guide to DIY.
The finished product
Why? or Why Not?
Since the late 1980's most quality multi-gear hubs use a freehub/ cassette. For most 7-8-9-10 speed applications this is the only way to go. Freehubs also offer easy conversion to SS and there is lots of information available on how to convert or 'ghetto-mod'.
I have a number of vintage freewheel wheelsets of good quality that are 'underutilized' and I would like to use for SS builds. At the same time, I do not want to re-space hubs and re-dish wheels to use a SS specific freewheel. I don't want to buy a number of SS freewheels for different ratios. I want to reuse and recycle. I assume that there are millions of freewheels still spinning around, most are discarded because one cog, usually the highest one, is worn out...
There is little or no information on the internet on freewheel cog replacement. In fact, except for some references on the Sheldon Brown site to sprocket replacement as a lost art, there is not even an image of a 'freewheel bench vise' or adaptor.
The following links to Sheldon Brown give great information. I credit Sheldon for inspiring me with the paragraph on freewheel sprocket replacement. It got me thinkin there should be a way..
https://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html
Why Shimano?
There were many different freewheels in the 70's and 80's.. There are few if any except Shimano (and Sun Race) currently producing multi-gear freewheels. Even the newer Shimano Mega7 7-speed models use a different spline pattern and do not lend themselves to conversion. Except for some Regina and Suntour freewheels, all I have are Shimano, and the proprietary pattern of the cogs is important. Shimano HyperGlide freewheels also have a 'lockring' that does away with the need for a 13t or 14t 'lockcog'. Most home users will have or can find recycled Shimano freewheels, and you will find that for a decent conversion you need at least one HyperGlide freewheel (for the lockring) and one UniGlide freewheel (for the straighter cut teeth on the cogs.)
Step-by-step Guide.
It is almost impossible to remove either lockcog or lockring without a vice (or vice substitute) to hold the freewheel. I tried with dual chainwhips with the freewheel in place on a wheel. I broke one whip. I tried bracing a freewheel off the wheel using vice-grips and chain, and even destroyed large cogs trying to brace in a vice without the elusive 'freewheel bench vise'
I want to credit Wayne at Performance Cycles (local LBS) at Quadra and Reynolds (just off the Galloping Goose trail at MacKenzie) in Victoria, B.C., for showing me a couple of versions of (now unavailable) vice adaptors and suggesting a home brewed version using a wooden jig and wood screws to secure the freewheel. Screwing the freewheel to a solid surface was the key.
Also props to Ryan at Recyclistas community bike shop at the TransCanada flyover on the Galloping Goose, where the Goose meets the Lochside Trail, for providing a number of freewheel carcasses for experimentation and general banging the hell out of...
For the images I show two freewheels, one a 5 speed Uniglide from the early 80's and the other a 6 speed Hyperglide that is current today.
You can successfully do the conversion with just a Hyperglide freewheel, but you will have ramped and cut teeth that are less than completely satisfactory. However, its no different than a 'ghetto-mod' of a freehub using HyperGlide cassette cogs. If you can find an older Uniglide freewheel you will get better teeth (the slight 'twist-tooth' style) and more spacers...hehe...
Remove the freewheel from the bike.
If you have a wooden work surface, simply brace the freewheel with wood screws around the perimeter of the largest cog.
I show a possible variation using a wooden brace in a bench vice.
If you don't have a wood surface that your wife will let you drive screws into, you can also use a plywood 'plate' and clamp to a surface, like the dining room table....
Showing a plywood plate using a chainwhip (counter-clockwise) on a Uniglide freewheel (with lockcog)
Showing a plywood plate using a hammer and punch (counter-clockwise) on a Hyperglide freewheel (with lockring)
I had problems with a Shimano MegaRange 6 (low cog of 34t). The big cog was so flexy that the teeth would jump out of the screw heads with the force of the blows to the punch. I did a butcher job of shimming the big cog, but it worked...
Uniglide comes apart
Hyperglide comes apart
All the cogs and spacers simply lift off, after the first. Here is the body of the freewheel showing two 'steps' - the fatter for the low gears (cogs greater than 20t) and the slimmer for cogs from 13t to 19t.
Here's a comparison of Uniglide vs Hyperglide cogs. You can see why the Uniglide is my preferred one.
Its a simple matter to build a new SS freewheel on the slimmer step of the freewheel body. Many middle gear chainlines will line up guite well with the middle of the 6 speed freewheel, so you can mount a cog from 15t to 19t against the shoulder of the step and use the slimmer spacers to fill to a point where the lockring will secure.
You cannot use cassette cogs - they differ.
You cannot use BB lockrings or freehub lockrings- they differ.
You cannot use cassette spacers - they differ.
I have tried various sizes of ABS pipe that I had, including 2" and 2.25" but no joy. I hope to try some PVC.
A few other finished product
The finished 18t weighed a little over 220 grams
Just as an aside, I include an image (courtesy Sheldon Brown) of a Var 16 lockring tool, that some suggest is the way to remove the Hyperglide lockring...
In my experience, I had to hammer the hell out of the punch to move the lockring, and I really doubt that the narrow ring would move with the plier type tool. It also costs $80. Wayne at Performance Cycles told me that he just uses a punch and hammer.
I did not build a freewheel with cog greater than 19t, the last that fits up against the shoulder of the step. I could easily do one with 20t plus, but I have to figure out how to secure very wide spacers on the lower step to butt against the cog and/or spacers on the upper (low gear) step.
Future to-do list
I will see how the stability of the cogs holds up. I might add a string of large (fatter) spacers to the top step if the cog giggles.
I will experiment with how much tension I need on the lockring to hold without excessive giggle. It will be harder to remove the lockring as it will be harder to secure the SS freewheel to the base. I will experiment with a jig using chain or maybe just using tall screws.
I will see what alternate spacers might be had.
Build a 20t to 30t model, just to see what I need to make it work.
Final thoughts
The job went surprisingly easy once I figured out how to secure the freewheel to a solid surface. Be sure to drip penetrating oil into the threads of the lockring/lockcog or just soak in oil for a while.
Watch your knuckles on the teeth of the cogs, especially if you are really whacking on the punch...
I disclaim all responsibility for physical injury, property damage or death. Use at your own risk. Your mileage may vary.
Any comments welcome, suggestions for spacers etc etc
Cheers
dmc
Hi Rob - welcome to the board, and thanks. Glad that it helped out. Think of it as me trying to give back a little to Sheldon Brown (died this week) for all the inspiration I got from his pages...
