----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Kasha" <kasha.lists@cox.net>
>
> I took apart my first freewheel! A worn out 5 speed
> Maillard I think it was.
>
If you do this procedure to service a good fw, you'll obviously need to reverse the process. There's one trick to success.
At least in all the fw's I've rebuilt, there's a physical constraint that requires the bearing installation to be done a certain way. You'd normally be inclined to grease each cup race of the outer body as you would in a hub, and tack the balls in place. This won't work. Once the balls are placed in the rear race, the pawls won't compress enough to squeak past when you try to slide the bodies together.
You have to place the rear bearings on the "cone" race of the outer body. Spread just enough grease on the race to tack the balls in place. Then you'll have to have to hold the two bodies in position and rotate the bodies a little until the pawls drop into the teeth, and the two will slide together. The front bearing set can go in the cup race of the outer body fine. Go lite on any grease used. Grease in the pawls can limit action enough to impede engagement.
I use thicker oils to lube them. Phil oil is fine. 90W hypoid gear oil is cheap. BTW, if the fw body doesn't have an oil port already, drill one while you have things apart. Just not in the pawl area. Then you can re-oil by just removing cogs.
Jon Schaer
Columbus, OH