I want to change the cassette. Ive taken the nut off and the axle that goes through the hub but cassette wont come off. Has ball bearings inside. How do I remove?
by iamtoolazytosleep
I want to change the cassette. Ive taken the nut off and the axle that goes through the hub but cassette wont come off. Has ball bearings inside. How do I remove?
by iamtoolazytosleep
8 Comments
You will need a tool for removing the lock ring in the cassette, and if you are planning on changing it with the cassette in the picture which looks like a free wheel type, that won’t work.
These two are incompatible. The cog set on the bottom is a freewheel. It has the ratcheting mechanism in the cog set. The upper cog set on the wheel is a cassette, the ratcheting mechanism is called the freehub and is part of the hub.
They also install and remove differently, a freewheel is threaded and screws onto threads on a freewheel hub. It uses a freewheel remover to remove it.
A cassette is a block of gears that slides onto the freehub and then is secured with a lockring that screws into the freehub. It requires a cassette removal tool and a chain whip to keep the freehub from spinning when you turn.
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/determining-cassette-freewheel-type?
Co-op volunteer here, still learning, so please correct any misinfo on my part.
The axle and cassette are separate entities. The cassette can be removed while leaving the axle intact. You need to remove the lock ring holding the cassette in place. There’s a specifically configured lock ring tool that will fit the spline pattern of that lock ring. You will use a chain whip (second necessary tool) to hold the cassette still while you’re loosening the lock ring. Righty tighty/lefty loosey.
you have two diefferent gearing clusters.
the item ON the wheel is a cassette, the other item is a freewheel. You cannot install a freewheel on that hub.
but, to answer your question about how to remove the cassette, you will need a chain whip, a Park Tool FR-5.2G cassette lockring tool, and a wrench that can handle a 1″ hexagona base (an adjustable wrench, or a 1″ socket, or a bench top vise)
You’ll need a cassette lock ring tool, a chain whip and a big wrench to fit the lock ring tool. Wrap the chain whip around the cassette and hold it in on hand. Use the wrench to turn the lock ring tool to undo the lock ring. Once the lock ring is removed the cassette will pull off the freehub.
You’ll need a different replacement cassette than what’s shown in your photo as that is a freewheel and won’t work.
This Park Tool page has a good tutorial: https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/cassette-removal-and-installation?srsltid=AfmBOopKwHzDiGZBHzxjvFyYu-fCmLgEt7H_qcKl4ynxWTmWTQI22rx3
It looks like you have a cassette on the wheel and a freewheel as your replacement. The freewheel is not compatible with your wheel.
To remove the cassette, you will need a chain whip and a cassette remover with the cassette on the wheel.
A freewheel remover is a different tool, and easiest to remove with the tool on a vice.
These are two different parts which requires a different set of tools.
https://preview.redd.it/xkz7n0bwv7gg1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac0f399ea6a79bd25f79ff40715f8ab2440db3b5
Would be this compatible with my wheel?
freewheel to freewheel:
cassette to cassette
each requiresxa different tool to remove and assemble
changing another requires a new hub, a thus new spokes