Robert D Merrill - Freewheel repair, service and restoration

Published on: June 4, 2012

Customer Satisfaction at FreeWheelSpa.Com

I aim to please! My business seems to be rather unique. In all my searching I've not found another website offering bicycle freewheel cleaning, restoration, and service. I'm glad I can offer such a place, whether it is for those who hate to throw things away, the restoration purist, or just for someone who has been the sole owner of their bike for 40+ years and they want to keep it all original. I'm glad I can help, and do so at what is hopefully a reasonable price.

I do want customers to be satisfied, and if there is ever anything in question or wrong with a FWS serviced freewheel, I'll be glad to take it back for further attention, refund the cost, and cover reversed shipping. I stand behind my work and feel it is paramount that the customer come first and be satisfied.

Recently I have received unsolicited comments from happy FWS customers. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I felt they were worth sharing. Some members of Bike Forums Classic & Vintage section have posted that dis-assembly, cleaning and greasing of freewheels is not necessary. They advocate for the less than adequate flush and oil method. But here is what a few happy FWS customers have said:

Dave in San Francisco writes: "While I was walking I found myself thinking about all the great things you've done for me these past few weeks... All the Regina's you worked on, including the one with warped cogs... Then all the Sachs you made like new!! What you did for me goes far beyond a service one merely pays for. I can't thank you enough for your efforts and your willingness to share your time helping me. You made fixing up my bike so much easier and the end result far better than my highest expectations."
John in New York writes about his Sachs: "Looks NIB, you weren't kidding! A thousand thanks for your patience and hundreds of hours fiddling to learn how to take it apart! Happy riding, pastor. Been a pleasure!"
Mike in Miami writes about his Shimano Sante: "I'm figuring the mechanism was worn out and would never be right. Sometimes things like this happen. Thanks for the effort, If I owe you anything please let me know."

In the case of the last comment, the Sante was a different sort of freewheel. No matter how many times I took it apart for cleaning, new grease and adjustment, I could not remove a small "catch" when the body was freewheeled. It was ever so slight, and my guess is that when mounted on a bike, the "catch" would not hinder performance. But one never knows until there is some real world experience. There was no charge for the Sante and I covered return postage.

Published on: May 16, 2012

Sachs Seven Speed Freewheel & Bearing Cages

I was sent this Sachs 7 Speed Freewheel recently and was surprised to find that the internal bearings are held in place by plastic cages. I'd never seen this in the Shimano, Suntour, Regina or Atom freewheels I had serviced. As you can see there about 2/3rds less bearings in this system.

While I was able to clean and service the bearings and cages, I wonder if Sachs meant for the bearings and cages to be replaced? It would seem the sensible thing to do since it was quite a tedious process to scrape the old, plaster-like, grease from the cages and bearings.

As can be seen, the bearings are offset in the cages towards the center. This insures proper contact with the races.

This particular freewheel used both threaded and splined cogs in order to build it to the body.

Published on: April 6, 2011

Regina CX, Basket Case? Or Is Nothing Hopeless?

A few weeks ago, a member of Classic & Vintage sub-forum on www.bikeforums.net started a thread about a set of wheels he had recently picked up. Mounted to the rear hub was this severely rusted Regina CX 7 speed freewheel. Yes, that is rust, not caked on road grime, oil, and dirt. He also noted the FW made a loud clunking sound.

I sent him my Regina tool in order to remove the FW and send it in for the Full Spa Treatment. It arrived about two weeks ago, and I could not believe how bad this FW had been neglected! Every cog had about a .5mm layer of rust. Obviously it had lived near the ocean. It was sad, but I was not deterred.

A liberal dose of penetrating oil was applied to the cogs and retaining ring. I repeated this about 4-5 times. Eventually, the cogs started to loosen in their threads.

Nothing pretty about this Regina CX! Rust, not road grime, was the culprit behind the discoloration of the silver cogs!

Even the body was rusted. Even more worrisome, there was significant 'slop' between the core and the body. I feared the races were shot.

Also, the retaining ring would not budge. This FW might be toast. But I would not give up and eventually a hammer and punch persuaded the ring to yield to the Spa Master.

A bath in Oxalic Acid took care of the rust. Some of the original silver finish would be forever gone. Also most of the original bearings were discolored and not salvageable.

Cleaned, greased, pawls oiled, and new bearings ready for reassembly. Would the new bearings and grease take care of the slop?

Yes! All back together, and it purrs like a kitten! Even an apparent basket case, still has many years and tens of 1000s of miles of life left!

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Published on: April 4, 2011

Regina Corsa for Frank the Welder

30 Year Old Regina Corsa Receives the full Spa Treatment

Regina, Mallard, and European freewheels in general, are sort of a hit or miss experience. They can be a challenge to disassemble. Their cogs don't like to thread off the body, and the retaining ring tends to remain stuck tight. No matter how much the threads are soaked in penetrating oil, they like to stay together.

It was a real privilege to have Frank the Welder send me his Regina Corsa 5 speed for the full Spa Treatment. Frank is a legend in the MTB world and is a member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. I was honored to see what I could do for his 30 year old freewheel he planned to use on a vintage Raleigh restoration.

Frank's freewheel could not have been more cooperative! All but one of the cogs threaded off! The retaining ring threaded off! Out came the bearings, the pawls and the springs. All the pieces went into the cleaner, and came out in great shape.

All of the Corsa cogs thread on to the body. Frank's 4th cog would not come loose. But all the parts cleaned nicely.

Side view of body showing the threads for each cog. The two largest cogs thread on from the back of the body.

The pawls and springs cleaned and ready for 10,000 more miles of service.

Bearings greased, pawls oiled, springs installed, and ready for reassembly.

Frank will be pleased. His Regina Corsa has at least 10,000 miles or 10 years before another Spa Treatment is needed.

Published on: February 23, 2011

Before and After: A Shimano Recovery

This Shimano wide range 6 speed was moderately dirty on the outside, but in need of a cleaning and new grease on the inside. The spin was stiff and the clicks were less than enthusiastic.

Apart she came, cogs, spacers, bearing retainer, balls, and pawls. Into the spa she went, for cleaning and rejuvenation. When she emerged, she was ready for her makeover!

Synthetic grease for the ball bearings, high quality machine oil for the pawls. In no time whatsoever, this old Shimano, was purring like a kitten with a lifetime ahead, and no one to stop it!

Dirty Insides! Yuck!

Cleaned and ready to Roll!

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