Cassette cutting into splines of hub
#1
The cake is a lie!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 550
Bikes: 2006 Fuji Team Pro
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Cassette cutting into splines of hub
The last few times I have taken my cassette off of my FSA RD420 wheel for cleaning, I found the individual cogs have cut about 1 mm into the splines of the hub and requires a bit of convincing to be removed. Is this a "bad thing" that requires my hub to be replaced or just expected behavior?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1570 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times
in
359 Posts
The torque spec for the lockring that holds the cassette onto the freehub body is about 30 ft/lbs. That's quite a bit - way more than I'd ever use if left to my own judgement. Using that much torque squeezes all of the cassette cogs together so they don't cut individually into the freehub splines as much.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 5,736
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 431 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times
in
70 Posts
This happens with Aluminum freehubs, not ideal, but it generally can't be avoided.
If you look at Shimano freehubs, non currently available are made from Alu, they are all Steel up to the Ultegra/XT level, which isn't affected by the cassette digging in, Novatec offer their ABG to avoid this as well. Cassette choice does make a difference, but all will have an effect on standard Alu freehubs to some extent.
If you look at Shimano freehubs, non currently available are made from Alu, they are all Steel up to the Ultegra/XT level, which isn't affected by the cassette digging in, Novatec offer their ABG to avoid this as well. Cassette choice does make a difference, but all will have an effect on standard Alu freehubs to some extent.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 36,716
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 131 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4747 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 742 Times
in
464 Posts
To an extent it's par for the course. Various factors make it worse or better.
As noted above, steel freehub bodies are tougher, and tightening the lockring properly reduces some of the issues.
IME, the most significant factor is whether the larger sprockets are on spiders which spread the load, vs. present a 2" wide face to the freehub.
Then there's the size of the larger sprockets, the weight and strength of the rider, and the steepness of the hills. I wouldn't expect much of an issue in the plains states, but large rider in central Pennsylvania is going to be harder on his freehub no matter what.
As noted above, steel freehub bodies are tougher, and tightening the lockring properly reduces some of the issues.
IME, the most significant factor is whether the larger sprockets are on spiders which spread the load, vs. present a 2" wide face to the freehub.
Then there's the size of the larger sprockets, the weight and strength of the rider, and the steepness of the hills. I wouldn't expect much of an issue in the plains states, but large rider in central Pennsylvania is going to be harder on his freehub no matter what.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 16,954
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3722 Post(s)
Liked 2,764 Times
in
1,720 Posts
The cassette design also influences this cog tab digging into the freehub splines. IMO the lockring clamping pressure won't prevent the pedaling forces from acting on the splines. So a cassette with individual cogs will have the stress acting on a smaller point of the spline then a cassette with a "carrier" type of cog assembly. This is why some freehubs spec a "carrier" type of cassette assembly, the manufacturer understands that notching will happen otherwise. Andy.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8,297
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1427 Post(s)
Liked 1,059 Times
in
708 Posts
This is to be expected as stated earlier. The best you can do is to clean up the burrs with a file to ease installation/removal and torque the lockring properly, 22-36 ft-lb is the Shimano spec.
#7
Banned
Its part of why there are so many cogs combined in a sub assembly with one wider interface with the splines on the hub-driver.
#9
The cake is a lie!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 550
Bikes: 2006 Fuji Team Pro
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks All! I will ensure that the lock ring is torqued appropriately and maybe look at a steel freehub for future.
#10
Constant tinkerer
Aluminum is not an appropriate freehub material unless the splines are taller like on the orphan Dura Ace 7800 hubs. Otherwise, aluminum is not hard enough and the cogs will dig in. It's nothing more than a poor design choice intended to save weight.
Solution: buy some wheels with genuine quality Shimano hubs.
Solution: buy some wheels with genuine quality Shimano hubs.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,519
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1951 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 948 Times
in
662 Posts
Aluminum is not an appropriate freehub material unless the splines are taller like on the orphan Dura Ace 7800 hubs. Otherwise, aluminum is not hard enough and the cogs will dig in. It's nothing more than a poor design choice intended to save weight.
Solution: buy some wheels with genuine quality Shimano hubs.
Solution: buy some wheels with genuine quality Shimano hubs.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 36,716
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 131 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4747 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 742 Times
in
464 Posts
Aluminum is not an appropriate freehub material unless the splines are taller like on the orphan Dura Ace 7800 hubs. Otherwise, aluminum is not hard enough and the cogs will dig in. It's nothing more than a poor design choice intended to save weight.
Solution: buy some wheels with genuine quality Shimano hubs.
Solution: buy some wheels with genuine quality Shimano hubs.
IMO- the real culprits aren't aluminum freehub bodies, but large cassettes with all loose sprockets.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.