I used bolt to remove freewheel.

[car5car]

I bought 9/16 bolt from local hardware store ($1.56). Unfortunately HomeDepot and Lowes don't sell 9/16 bolts.
It took about 5 min of filing corners to make it fit. I also grinded tread on opposite sides to improve grip of vise-grips. I also used pipe.

There is a video on youtube where guy is using 12 point bolt from some engine, but I don't think it is easy to find one. I am pretty sure my freewheel needed F1 remover.

[Bill]

Wow Fr-1 isn't that expensive is it?

[car5car]

(04-11-2011, 07:04 AM)Bill Wrote:  Wow Fr-1 isn't that expensive is it?

It is $7 from Ebay and 3 days delivery, I didn't want to wait 3 days and I wasn't sure 100% about which remover.

[This_Is_Old_Hat]

This is great Car5car,

I completely agree with the DIY job.
None of the tools are 'that' expensive but it all adds up and suddenly you have spent tens of pounds on a bike that cost 30 (or whatever), especially when you might only use each tool once a year.
And it is hard to know exactly what you need when each company seems to have made their components a little bit different from the last.

The last few days have been my first little foray into bike repair and at first I was really worried that I didnt have and couldn't afford all the special tools and then I thought 'blow it as it stands I cant ride my bike so I may as well give it a go' and I have ended up stripping and overhauling my freewheel (an odd helicomatic one) with no special tools and using cheap standard grease and lubes from the car parts store and its come up just grand and the feeling of satisfaction is a pleasure all of its own.

It has occured to me that it's important to see all the bits of the bikes and the tools as what they are - just special shaped lumps of metal with certain properties- and (especially if you are learning and don't have a super expensive piece of kit) to not be afraid to gather up some information, have a think logically round the problem and the ramifications of actions and then dive in and have a bash at it. (for a much better writen and more lucid version of this idea dig around in 'zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' for the section halfway through where they are visiting some friends in the mountains and talking about putting together some piece of kit after throwing away the instruction manual.)

So bravo on this, it's completely in the spirit of the kind of bike culture that attracted me in the first place.

[Bill]

Well hey if it worked and there was no major damage then bravo!

[speedkar9]

(04-11-2011, 06:02 PM)This_Is_Old_Hat Wrote:  I completely agree with the DIY job.

+1 for DIY!

A hammer and flat screwdriver are my "crank pullers".