I'm looking for a freewheel wrench to repair a Schwinn Le Tour

Question

I recently bought the bike and it seems that the grease has dried up in all the bearings. Even the front fork doesn't want to turn unless some pressure is applied to the handlebars. Since it is an otherwise nice Schwinn Le Tour, it has a 25" frame (I'm 6'4") which is a major reason I snatched it for $30 at a charity store. Fork badge says "Chicago."

I've never worked on a Schwinn. I understand that they used a lot of proprietary components - most notably Schwinn tire incompatibility - that I'm a bit reluctant to start trying to take things apart without some hand-holding. :-)

To start the project, I'd like to find out a couple things first:

1. How old is the bike? Has a # stamped on the crank carrier # SP405526
2. Where to find a freewheel wrench to fit this old Schwinn hub?
3. Any words of advice that you think I should know in this restoration?

I've worked on Raleigh, Miyata, Hercules and Ross but have always avoided Schwinn. Over the years, most all of my bike tools have gotten away - I don't think I even have a spoke wrench anymore so I'll be starting over on this retirement endeavor. Thanks, Dax

Answer 1

Le Tours are Japanese bikes that exemplified the "Schwinn-approved" concept from the bike boom. They're free of proprietary Schwinn sizes. The freewheel tool will be whatever matches the particular 70s-era freewheel it has - probably either Suntour 2 or 4 prong or "old-style" Shimano (the kind that isn't the current Park FR-1 spline for Shimano & copies; looks similar but thicker, smaller diameter, and requires axle removal to access - if this is what it takes then they're only obtainable used but aren't hard to get).

You can probably get the freewheel ratcheting by dripping in penetrating oil (Tri-flow or WD-40) along the gap on the outside you have access to without removal, then once it's working chase it with something thicker. But, since you've observed all the grease isn't grease anymore, overhauling the hub properly is still a good idea.

The other thing about the freewheel/hub considerations is that the bike won't really come alive until you get rid of the steel rims/wheels anyway, so you might consider first whether you're going to do that. But that said if you wanted to transplant the freewheel you would still need the tool.

Answer 2

The specific type of freewheel wrench you'll need is a function of the freewheel manufacturer. Schwinn Le Tours typically used Shimano components (shifters and derailleurs certainly) and since Shimano started business as a freewheel manufacturer, there's a great chance it's a Shimano FW. Look at the center of the freewheel. Look at the very center where you'll note 2-4 notches or several small splines. The number and pattern of notches will determine the brand and the pattern of wrench you'll need. Additionally the ring surrounding the notched hole usually has the brand name engraved into it. This link to Park Tool's selection of freewheel removers may help determine the one you need.

To determine the year of your Le Tour, things like color ways, badge design and location as well as the specific components (and their physical position) will point the way to a precise model year. Keep in mind that components can be switched and the frame repainted, so those aspects have some ambiguity. For the positioning of components, I'm referring to the location of the shift levers as the moved from the stem area to the down tube in later models.Schwinn resource

Another possible resource for you is the Schwinn serial number lookup Entering your provided number didn't reveal any information, however, there's a link to the catalogs put out by Schwinn over the years which one can look through to find your particular model and year. It's a bit tedious to do from my experience doing this with Trek bikes, but it's neat to see the development of the brand.

Answer 3

I once had to remove a vintage 80s freehub, and noone had a tool to do it.

I ended up using calipers to measure the two slots visible in the end, and then I sacrificed an old 24mm socket to make a driver-tool. It worked great, once I figured out that it was also left-hand thread.

If you could add a side-view photo of the cassette in place on the wheel, then we may be able to offer some suggestions.

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Based on your photo, this bike has already had some modernisations. I see a Quick Release nut on the rear axle, not the standard flanged nut. The rear cassette appears to be old-school uniglide teeth profile, which suggests someone has changed the rear axle from a solid to a hollow, with the QR skewer to hold it on.
Additionally, the axle is not all the way back in the dropouts. If I ride my bike like this, I risk moving the wheel and getting frame rub at the tyre.