How do I get this old cassette off?

[John the Canuck]

[QUOTE 3155018, member: 45"]Thanks, yes, it is a Maillard. It's hardly worn and the freewheel seems fine so I'm just going to service the hub bearings and leave the rest together.[/QUOTE]

i have a Maillard 14-28 T 5speed on my steel RIGIDA chrome rims - decided it can stay in view of the hassle.

Sheldon, i think, advises to lay the bike at 45deg - spin the rear wheel [ assistant is required.] - stop pedals
the cog will become stationary but the inside mechanism will rotate with the wheel
'drizzle' medium weight oil into the adjacent surfaces [the gap]
capillary action will suck the oil into the freewheel hub

put rags on the floor ..... don't ask.!...

 

[Apollonius]

Unless you are going to replace it, then you have no reason to take it off. Years of pedalling will have got it firmly stuck on the threads. You can replace balls and cones very easily without taking it off.
If you really want it off, you will probably find that your long-established (ie, going back to the freewheel era) LBS will have a "special tool" which will do the job in seconds. I suspect one of our local shops has something fixed to a door frame, as that is what it sounded like when I took one in to be done once.
If it is a bit "sticky" then wash it out with white spirit or something and put some oil into the gap on the wheel side of it while it spins.

 

[Nigeyy]

Edit: oops, I see you will keep it. I'd take John The Canucks advice.

Some pretty good replies I think.

FWIW, I had a freewheel with the 2 spacer design (ugh, worst design *ever*) and I even bought a 2 tab freewheel remover to take it off. I wish I hadn't; the tool and freewheel ended up getting burred up -even with the use of an axle bolt to keep it in place and the freewheel remover in a vice too. I ended up taking a Dremel to it to remove it....

So my advice is: if you want to reuse the freewheel, pay a bike shop to take it off, or get the right tool and use a vice. If you know you won't be using it and still don't want to go to the bike shop, Dremel it off and save the cost of the bike shop and the removal tool.