How to remove a Sunrace freewheel from an X-Lyte 5303?

[dermot]

I need to remove this SunRace 5 speed freewheel from a 5303, but I can't seem to find information on the appropriate tool - all I have is a standard chainwhip and the usual hand tools.

It may not be clear in the image, but it is stamped with SunRace Freewheel B0525

Do I need a specialist tool, or is there a workaround? (It being Sunday morning, here in the UK)?

Suggestions gratefully received.

Dermot

 

[xadmx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adDOv3439GI

 

[sanford]

Halfords sell a screw on freewheel removal tool that fits over a Hubmotor axle, well it fits over 9c, Clyte HS and Clyte 53xx for sure.
20% off if you reserve online before pick up too.

 

[UKfathom]

That video is a pretty brutal way of getting a cassette off. You can get a special castellated tool that fits down the splines from halfords or if you find a large hex head bolt you can fit in between the splines then clamp the bolt on a vice and turn the wheel to undo the cassette. In both cases you cannot do this with the axle in the way so you might have to remove the end off the hub motor or pull the axle out of the hub, ball bearings will fall out! But it might be a good time to clean them up and regrease them.

 

[UKfathom]

Looking at the picture you might be lucky an just use a pin punch and a hammer in the dimples on the inner race and gently, whilst alternating from side to side be able to get the cassette to unscrew.

 

[sanford]

This is the one I bought.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=714315&categoryId=242558&langId=-1

Its made by Cycle Pro but branded as Halfords. As said, it fits over the axle of all my motors inc my 5303 fine. I just had to give it a small tap down with my wrench to get it to slot in. My freewheel was shimano though.

 

[chvidgov.bc.ca]

Note: the best way, if you have a removal tool, is to put the tool in a vise pointing up, and put the wheel on the tool, then rotate the whole wheel rim with your hands, to get lots of leverage on the freewheel

 

[dermot]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

I'd searched the Halfords site, but not spotted that - local store has one in stock, so off down there now.

This wheel is unused; what happened is that I'd not noticed a scrap of metal had fallen between the largest chainring and the motor body when I assembled it and I don't want to apply force to remove it in case of causing damage.

X-Lyte Europe supplied the SunRace together with 5303 and a spacer washer: http://shop.crystalyte-europe.com/product.php?productid=16478&cat=&page=1

Now I've tried to fit it, I discover that the flats have insufficient clearance (though it will clearly fit across the rest of the axle) - time for a slow job with a file or dremel, I suppose.

Without it, the outer edge of the cluster will bind on the forks - you can probably see what I mean in the pic. The other option is to use a couple of spring washers - they will fit inside the freewheel and two of them have sufficient thickness to build it up enough, if I then fit a plain washer outside them to take the load against the forks.

I've had this wheel sitting around for a long time and thought it would be a quick job to fit it into my spare bike while I repair flats in both front and rear tyre on my main bike and address a couple of broken spokes (x5303 front).

Today is clearly not my day for bike repair...

I've thought for a long time that a 5303 in the front isn't that good an idea - cycling in the recent snow has just reinforced that view....

dermot

 

[dogman dan]

FWIW, for other readers perhaps, you can drill out the hole in a normal screw on freewheel removing tool, then it works on the larger diameter axles of hubmotors.

I wouldn't tap with a punch on hubmotors, because it's already bad enough with the screw portion cracking off hub covers. So I wouldn't pound on one too hard.

 

[dermot]

This is the one I bought.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=714315&categoryId=242558&langId=-1

And that fits the SunRace very nicely, thanks for the pointer!

Reassembled without the chunk of metal, so now all I have to do is sort out a spacer.

Dermot

 

[MadRhino]

12 $ in stock at that page: http://www.ebikes.ca/store/photos/FWTool.jpg