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Should there be any play in a cassette?

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Should there be any play in a cassette?

Old 03-14-07, 11:40 PM
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Should there be any play in a cassette?

My first 10-speed Shimano cassette. I notice if I grab the 6-7 smaller rings I can wiggle them back and forth a few mm with the lockring on. Should that happen? The lockring seems to be on as tight as it will go.
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Old 03-15-07, 12:22 AM
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The alumanium cassette carriers do not last forever. The splines can be notched over time by the cassettes when the freewheel engages especially if they are steel. Best bet is to take the cassette off and see if the carrier needs to be replaced.
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Old 03-15-07, 12:35 AM
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might be missing a spacer - some freehub bodies are slightly longer than others, so those may require a small shim on the wheel side of the cassette. You should be able to find one at you LBS

Before you do that however, make absolutely sure that your cassette lockring is on straight, and also that the smallest cog is lined up properly with the freehub. Check the lockring threads for wear and stripping (especially on used hubs.) and check all surfaces for dirt or irregularities.

When everything is stacked properly, and before the lockring is installed, the cassette should sit slightly (2 mm or less) proud of the end of the freehub. This way the lockring will clamp the cassette firmly together and eliminate play. Torque the lockring down reasonably tight, to avoid the possibility of it's coming loose.

Once you have installed the cassette, give it a good spin to check that the cogs run true. If they don't, repeat cleaning, aligning and installation.
good luck
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Old 03-15-07, 12:36 AM
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There should be no movement.
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Old 03-15-07, 04:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Patriot
There should be no movement.
+1
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Old 03-15-07, 05:55 AM
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Originally Posted by GuitarWizard
+1
+2.
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Old 03-15-07, 07:53 AM
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If you are using a 8/9 speed freehub body, you will need a 1mm spacer between the hub and cassette.
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Old 03-15-07, 08:02 AM
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Originally Posted by squintal
might be missing a spacer - some freehub bodies are slightly longer than others, so those may require a small shim on the wheel side of the cassette. You should be able to find one at you LBS

Before you do that however, make absolutely sure that your cassette lockring is on straight, and also that the smallest cog is lined up properly with the freehub. Check the lockring threads for wear and stripping (especially on used hubs.) and check all surfaces for dirt or irregularities.

When everything is stacked properly, and before the lockring is installed, the cassette should sit slightly (2 mm or less) proud of the end of the freehub. This way the lockring will clamp the cassette firmly together and eliminate play. Torque the lockring down reasonably tight, to avoid the possibility of it's coming loose.

Once you have installed the cassette, give it a good spin to check that the cogs run true. If they don't, repeat cleaning, aligning and installation.
good luck
Yep. Follow this advice. In fact, I would take everyone off and re-install just to be sure.
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Old 03-15-07, 08:16 AM
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Is the cassette on mavic wheels?
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Old 03-15-07, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by canaxer
Is the cassette on mavic wheels?
Yes, Ksyrium but it's not the Mavic shim thats the problem. It's definitely the lockring spacer. it's a brand new 10-speed that I just put on and there are definitely no spacers missing. I may have used the wrong one for the lockring. During install I had a Mavic spacer on my desk so I may have mixed them up. They are not the same thickness. I can see the lockring doesn't mate up to it evenly so I'll switch it when I get back.

Last edited by Dubbayoo; 03-15-07 at 08:25 AM.
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Old 03-15-07, 08:29 AM
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almost all mavic or zipp wheels ive seen need either a 1mm or .5 mm spacer behind the cassette to work correctly.
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Old 03-15-07, 08:47 AM
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Did you install the spacer that's included with the cassette AND the Mavic one?
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Old 03-15-07, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by JayC
Did you install the spacer that's included with the cassette AND the Mavic one?
No, hence the reason I said I mixed them up. If they were both on the net width would still be the same....c'mon people! Dang!


Originally Posted by recneps
almost all mavic or zipp wheels ive seen need either a 1mm or .5 mm spacer behind the cassette to work correctly.
Actually it depends what cassette you mate it to.
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Old 03-15-07, 10:13 AM
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I had to add more than the one that came with the shimano cassette when I added a set of SL's. At first I thought I must have dropped a hub spacer ring while changing it out.
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