Shimano MF-Z015 Freewheel Ball Bearings
Stephen
eventually got home, I discovered that a screw in retaining ring had
come undone and ALL of the ball bearings had dropped out.
I tried a few local bicycle shops but none of them were able to advise
me on the correct size and quantity of ball bearings. I went to the
spot where she said the problem had started, but found nothing. The
local shops could only offer to "try and get a replacement block" or
replace the whole wheel!
I submitted a Shimano Service Centre Technical Query. Guess what?
Their advice, try your local shops!!! Sheesh!!
So, my question to this knowledgeable group is:
What size and quantity of ball bearings does a Shimano MF-Z015
Freewheel need?
Cheers
Rob Morley
Stephen <srm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> My wife had a problem with her bicycle last weekend. When she
> eventually got home, I discovered that a screw in retaining ring had
> come undone and ALL of the ball bearings had dropped out.
>
> I tried a few local bicycle shops but none of them were able to advise
> me on the correct size and quantity of ball bearings. I went to the
> spot where she said the problem had started, but found nothing. The
> local shops could only offer to "try and get a replacement block" or
> replace the whole wheel!
>
That's correct - it's a cheap freewheel and not a serviceable part.
Replacing the wheel seems a bit excessive though.
Here's one:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280366192034
and another:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110320304567
I'm surprised none of the shops had one - 14-28 5 speed used to be
very common on cheap bikes, and I'd have thought they'd at least have
the odd one in stock (although not necessarily Shimano) if they offer
any sort of service facility.
If you really want to try to rebuild it, it probably needs 1/8" balls -
just filling the cups up then taking a couple out should get you near
enough the right number.
srmoll
Seems a shame to have to do all that, OK it maybe not that expensive,
but even at £15 or whatever they go for on eBay, it not as cheap as a
£4 bag of steel ball bearings. I'll take a look at those though, but
the freewheel seems perfectly serviceable to me. I have the tools I
need to put it back together, I just need the ball bearings, which I
can also easily get. I simply need to know the size.
Why do you say they are not a serviceable part. This one comes apart
and goes together easily enough, it just missing some very simple
parts!? ;)
Rob Morley
srmoll <srm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Seems a shame to have to do all that, OK it maybe not that expensive,
> but even at £15 or whatever they go for on eBay, it not as cheap as a
> £4 bag of steel ball bearings. I'll take a look at those though, but
> the freewheel seems perfectly serviceable to me.
Are all the clicky springy bits still there?
> need to put it back together, I just need the ball bearings, which I
> can also easily get. I simply need to know the size.
>
> Why do you say they are not a serviceable part. This one comes apart
> and goes together easily enough, it just missing some very simple
> parts!? ;)
If Shimano don't list spare parts for it then it's not intended to be
taken apart. Even back when people were using good quality freewheels
they weren't usually considered serviceable - you'd clean them and oil
them, but that was about it. A few rare examples like the Suntours
that I used had adjustable cones, and I used to strip mine to clean and
lubricate them occasionally, but most weren't readily adjustable. Of
course bearing wear isn't a huge problem in a freewheel - when it's
driving the pawls take most of the load and the bearings aren't
turning. The bits that are vital to correct operation are the pawls
and the teeth they engage in - the pawls are very hard, and when the
teeth are worn the freewheel body is scrap, but if you've maintained it
properly (i.e. run a bit of oil through it occasionally) the sprockets
will wear out first. I guess that's why freewheels were never designed
to be particularly serviceable.
srmoll
I can understand when things are so cheap and plentiful, that
replacing the whole thing might make more sense, but this one is
clearly a serviceable part. All the sprockets can be removed if you
have the right tool (which I don't), the freewheel can be disassembled
and reassembled relatively easily, with the right tool, which I do
have. Given that Shimano don't make these anymore, it seems a shame
that they are unwilling to look up in their tech' specification or
drawings to see what size ball bearings were used. I think I'll simply
make a guess and buy a bag of balls and see how it is.
I have told them (Shimano) how disappointed with the response I am.
For starters, I made a technical enquiry that was answered by a sales
person. The response from whom was typically sales-like, go find a
local bike specialist. A bit miffed about that, because I had already
tried that approach, although to be fair I didn't tell them I had done
that in the initial enquiry.
Fingers crossed they'll come up with a better answer this time.
The condition of this free wheel, apart from missing its balls
(phnarr!) is very good. There is no discernible wear on the sprocket
teeth or the teeth inside the freewheel. My wife is by no means a
prolific cyclist, she uses it as a form of exercise when the weather
is good, and due to having bad knees, will only do between five and
ten miles, usually with a break in the middle. So I don't see it
wearing out in her lifetime! ;-)
Keitht
Also it's not really what the customer wants to hear --
"I could have just changed the freewheel but i decised to take it apt,
clean everything, replace any broken bits, re-assemble and put the wheel
back on. Took ages."
or
"Freewheel was knackered, put another one on, didn't take long"
--
Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.
TerryJ
My student son had his bike kicked about by scallies a couple of weeks
ago and took it to a lbs who told him (and me when I phoned up) that
the thing was totally trashed and bent. Only the saddle could be
salvaged.Need a new one , mate.
Fortunately I got the wreck brought to me. One new back wheel (18gbp )
later the bike is as good as new.
Not all bike shops are the same.
TerryJ
srmoll
Unfortunately all our local shops seem only interested in selling new
bikes too. They only stock parts for current models. The only other
shop is run by a chap who looks about 90, and probably started out
servicing penny-farthings! ;-) He looked completely flummoxed by what
I showed him!
terryj
>> salvaged.Need a new one , mate.
>> Fortunately I got the wreck brought to me. One new back wheel (18gbp )
>> later the bike is as good as new.
>> Not all bike shops are the same.
>>
>> TerryJ
>
> Unfortunately all our local shops seem only interested in selling new
> bikes too. They only stock parts for current models. The only other
> shop is run by a chap who looks about 90, and probably started out
> servicing penny-farthings! ;-) He looked completely flummoxed by what
> I showed him!
I think your problem is that a 5 speed screw-on is such a cheap part
that unless you can get your handful of bb's and do it self it will not
be worth any shop fixing it. you should be able to get a freewheel for
about 14gbp. normally the shop will swap them for you no charge if it is
a proper one like the old guy probably runs.
srmoll
Well apologies to everyone. I didn't believe it would be cost
affective to buy a new freewheel, as opposed to buying a bag of ball
bearings. Well I bid on an identical one on eBay that was at 1p with
no bids and a few hours to run (Thanks for the pointer Rob). I put £5
in as a bid, and well... I got one for 1p!!! OK I had to pay £3 to
have it delivered, but I have to admit, I doubt I would have found the
ball bearings for less, even if I could eventually find out the right
size.
My only problem is I don't have the right tool to get the old one off,
so I feel another walk down to those shops again, and see if one of
them can at least do the swap over for me. I somehow feel that I am
going to be dissappointed though.
Ah! Well! I'll let you know.
Rob Morley
srmoll <srm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Well apologies to everyone. I didn't believe it would be cost
> affective to buy a new freewheel, as opposed to buying a bag of ball
> bearings. Well I bid on an identical one on eBay that was at 1p with
> no bids and a few hours to run (Thanks for the pointer Rob). I put £5
> in as a bid, and well... I got one for 1p!!! OK I had to pay £3 to
> have it delivered, but I have to admit, I doubt I would have found the
> ball bearings for less, even if I could eventually find out the right
> size.
I wondered if that was you.
>
> My only problem is I don't have the right tool to get the old one off,
> so I feel another walk down to those shops again, and see if one of
> them can at least do the swap over for me. I somehow feel that I am
> going to be dissappointed though.
>
A vice or Stillson wrench is all you need to grip the freewheel body
now that the spinny clicky bit is no longer there. No tool is needed to
fit a freewheel, but before fitting you should grease the thread on the
hub.
srmoll
I took the wheel to one of the shops that was unable to help me
before. They changed it in about a minute. At least without mashing
the old one up, it might be a useful spare.
TerryJ
> My only problem is I don't have the right tool to get the old one off,
> so I feel another walk down to those shops again, and see if one of
> them can at least do the swap over for me. I somehow feel that I am
> going to be dissappointed though.
Get a pointy thing like a bradawl or a big nail and insert the point
into one of the holes in the lock ring around the central hole. hit
the tool with a hammer repeatedly to rotate the circle thus unscrewing
it. when you get it off the freewheel should be dissembleable leaving
some bits still screwed on the hub. finally stick the remnants into a
vice and rotate the wheel to screw them off.Or if no vice use a big
mole wrench.
I used to reckon 50% of my screw ons got so tight this had to be done
to change them.
TerryJ
Clive George
news:fea5d48e-a860-453e...@f16g2000vbf.googlegroups.com...
Tandem?
When I had a freewheel on the tandem, getting it off wasn't easy - but with
a well secured vice, I always won without resort to breaking things. OTOH
this was with newer splined freewheels, rather than the 2 or 4 pronged
ones - the tool and interface is rather stronger with the splines.
Nigel Cliffe
> "TerryJ" <jon...@breathe.com> wrote in message
> news:fea5d48e-a860-453e...@f16g2000vbf.googlegroups.com...
>> Get a pointy thing like a bradawl or a big nail and insert the point
>> into one of the holes in the lock ring around the central hole. hit
>> the tool with a hammer repeatedly to rotate the circle thus
>> unscrewing it. when you get it off the freewheel should be
>> dissembleable leaving some bits still screwed on the hub. finally
>> stick the remnants into a vice and rotate the wheel to screw them
>> off.Or if no vice use a big mole wrench.
>> I used to reckon 50% of my screw ons got so tight this had to be done
>> to change them.
>
> Tandem?
>
> When I had a freewheel on the tandem, getting it off wasn't easy -
> but with a well secured vice, I always won without resort to breaking
> things. OTOH this was with newer splined freewheels, rather than the
> 2 or 4 pronged ones - the tool and interface is rather stronger with
> the splines.
I usually hold the 2/4-prong tools in place using the QR skewer (and same
for splined type). Tighten the skewer so there is perhaps 0.25mm slack (just
feel it moving up/down). That ensures the tool is engaged as tightly as
possible on the freewheel.
Then put the freewheel removal tool in a big spanner, and hold spanner in
strong vice (usually with wheel horizontal). Unscrew wheel from freewheel.
As soon as freewheel moves relative to the wheel, slacken the QR skewer and
remove the freewheel.
However, I'm not a heavy rider, so probably cannot tighten a freewheel as
much as some others.
- Nigel
--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Rob Morley
Had you bothered to read the thread you'd have realised that the OP's
freewheel is already in this state.
srmoll
Yes indeed, it is all sorted now. Thanks to all for the help and
comments.
stephen...@gmail.com
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj-pIzexKXVAhVpI8AKHW-GAk8QFggvMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paul-lange.de%2Findex.php%2Fde%2Fexplosionszeichnungen.html%3Ffile%3Dfiles%2Fpaullange%2F07_Service%2F04_Downloads%2FShimano%2Fexplosionszeichnungen%2FMF%2FMF-Z015.PDF&usg=AFQjCNHG3SCY54uj4H0dV2Bp2ZWI7v0zZA