Yes a lot of freewheels came like that and yes you can just fill up the races with blls but leave room for one so you do not bind it up. Steven Willis 1778 East Second Street Scotch Plains NJ 07076 908-322-9022 http://www.thebikestand.com
> Wanting to see what the rough spot problem is on a unused old Regina
"extra"
> single speed freewheel, I dis-assembled it and found a strange bearing
> configuration. Each ball bearing is alternated with a 4-5mm long round
> piece of metal, layed in lengthwise in the race. The metal lengths are
not
> consistent. This alternating arrangement goes all the way around the
races
> on both sides of the cog, and with a couple extra balls to confuse even
> further. I doubt that this freewheel has ever ben dis-assembled. The
only
> reason I can figure that they did this bearing method was to save money on
> balls? Has anyone ever run across a similar set-up? Any thoughts as to
why
> this is so seemingly compromisingly engineered? I think I'll put it back
> together with all balls.
>
> Dennis Young
> Hotaka, Japan