How to Take Off a Flywheel on a BMX Bike

Removing the flywheel on the rear wheel of your BMX bike is a necessary step for many repairs, including rear wheel installation, rear hub overhaul and maintenance, and flywheel greasing and cleaning. Given the right tools are available, removing a BMX flywheel is a relatively simple procedure, and you can save a lot of time and money by doing it yourself.

Things You'll Need

  • Flywheel remover
  • Vise
  • Basic wrench set
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set your bike upside down on its handlebars and seat so you can remove the rear wheel without worry of the bike falling over or scratching the frame dropouts.

    • 2

      Loosen the rear wheel axle nuts using a socket and wrench. Slide the wheel forward to loosen the chain, then pull the chain off of the rear sprocket. Pull the wheel straight back to remove it from the frame dropouts and twist the drive-side axle nut off the end of the axle.

    • 3

      Clamp the flywheel remover in a vise facing upward. Be sure the vise is nice and tight, or the remover could fly out while you're trying to work. Set the axle of the wheel into the remover with the flywheel facing downward toward the tool. Turn the wheel counterclockwise to unscrew the flywheel.

    • 4

      Spin the wheel until the flywheel comes off the hub of the wheel. Pull the wheel out of the flywheel remover, then pull the flywheel out of the tool.

    • 5

      Perform whatever maintenance or repair you have removed the flywheel to perform. To reattach the flywheel to the hub, place the flywheel and wheel upside down in the flywheel remover and turn the clockwise until it stops. Slide the wheel back into the frame dropouts, wrap the chain around the sprocket, then tighten the axle nuts and you're ready to ride.