UKC

Maybe I shouldn't have left my bike outside for 5 years but now I have bought her a new cassette I can't get the old one off. Tried everything I can think of; violence, WD40, dremmel but to no avail. Anyone got any smart ideas?

In reply to featuresforfeet: A bit of heat?

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

Assuming you have the right tools...

Have you tried a longer lever on the spanner that you're using on the cassette tool?
Make sure you use the QR to hold the cassette tool in place as a slip here could be ugly.

Getting someone else to hold the wheel and chain whip will also help.

In reply to DaveHK:

Have the right bits, tried the QR thing and using a foot long spanner. Don't really have anything I can clamp the wheel in or anyone to hold it.

Sadly no blow torch either. Surprised cutting a slot all the way through it has made no difference (old cassette is knackered so don't mind trashing it).

In reply to featuresforfeet: Decent battery impact nut gun would rattle it off no problem, thousands of small shocks always works

In reply to featuresforfeet: It might have mashed itself into the free hub, so wont pull straight off. See if you can get it to wiggle a bit first.

In reply to itsThere: Is it the lock ring or the cassette that is stuck

In reply to woolsack: Was going to suggest this, pop over to a local garage with some chocy hobnobs and ask if one of the boys can have a go at removing it for you.

In reply to itsThere:

Lock ring that's stuck

In reply to existing debt:

You knows it! Choccy biscuits are absolutely the right currency for this sort of job

In reply to featuresforfeet:

Sometimes a different cassette tool help. I have 2 shimano compatible cassette tools, one for each shimano outfitted bikes (both 10 speeds). One works well on one bike, but poorly on the other and vise versa. Why? no idea...

In reply to featuresforfeet:
standing on the lever worked for my stuck freewheel- bit of a balancing act..
a few twacks with a hammer first would help

In reply to featuresforfeet: do not use a spanner. Clamp the tool in place with qr skewer. You then need a good bench vice. Clamp tool in give and use wheel as the lever whilst using chain whip. Several people can hold the wheel for increased torque. If this doesn't work it is stuck.

In reply to PGD:

Holding the wheel will do nothing, the cassette will just spin.


Position the chain whip and spanner at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions (clamping the lockring tool as others have said is a good idea here) then lift the wheel and smack it on the ground (repeatedly if necessary). This usually works for stubborn lockrings.


Where did you cut the slot? Can't envision how you would reach the threaded part of the lockring without taking the axle out.


Once you have exhausted all the other possibilities, depending on the model of hub you could always just take the entire freehub off and put a new one on.

In reply to featuresforfeet:

You'll probably have to sacrifice the free hub if the lock ring is rusted on and won't come off.

Unless you carefully grind away enough of the lock ring to let you take the cassette off I suppose ---> side onto the cassette, then set about cleaning the threads /getting to work on removing the metal still rusted on.

Just off the top of my head though.

In reply to a crap climber:


diagonally inwards so that I can cut all the way into it without hitting the axle - i.e. draw a line horizontally outwards from the top of the axle cylinder. Going to hack another one into it tomorrow and see if I can cut out a whole wedge of the lock ring (and smallest sprocket).