BigCatDaddy

Help for this newbee please. (Thread Title should have read 8-speed freewheel....not freehub)

I purchased a used, older wheel set (approx 1990) with a Hyperglide freewheel (I believe Uniglide compatable...after checking S. Brown's descriptions and pictures). It was holding an 8-speed cassette assembly. It's been my assumption that this freewheel can accomodate a 12-25 10-speed Ultegra cassette assembly. Correct?

All the cogs certainly fit but when I torque the lockring, the cassette assembly compresses against the spokes just as the spokes leave the freewheel and the whole cassette can not spin. I noted that placing a spacer on the freewheel first (a 10 speed spacer)....and then the rest of the assembly.....It now holds the whole cassette off the spokes and it spins nicely....But....the whole cog assembly is just out of reach of my lockring...(the cassette is now shifted outward, the width of a 10 speed spacer).

Is the fix just simply purchasing a narrower spacer....say 1-1.5 mm to place on the freewheel first? I took my spare 9 speed cassette out of storage and it mounts to this freewheel like a charm and works well. When I examine the back of the 25-23-21 spider cog on my 10-speed vs. the 9-speed, (the conjoined three cogs that first go over the freewheel), I notice that there's a difference in how close the back of the spider sets up against the freewheel by about 1mm....a slight difference in how they're machined. I also compared the existing 8 speed spider cluster that came on the freewheel....it, just like my 9 speed, is machined flat...the 10-speed I'd like to use has a slight recess on the back where it sits up against the freewheel.

I've tried to be specific here in Newbee language. Any ideas...I'm thinking a narrower spacer...say 1 mm. Or is a newer/more compatible freewheel in order?

Bill Kapaun

Better go back and study Sheldon some more.
Specifically the differences between Free Wheel & Free Hub. You are using the terms as if they were the same thing. They are not. Cogs are different too, if that's what you are talking about.

mike

I am not sure if I understand your problem, but if the new freewheel is wider than the old one, you can have problems that are not fixable with spacers. That is, the rear stay geometry will not allow you to go past a certain width even if you put in spacers.

Hope this helps.

BigCatDaddy

Let me try to be more specific....what terms am I interchanging?


In short....the back of the "spider assembly" of a 10-speed cog (the first cluster to go on the freewheel), is machined different than a 9-speed or 8-speed cog assembly. This machining difference seems to be the reason the 10-speed cog assembly sits "in too far". The 10-speed assembly actually compresses against the spokes and not the freewheel body. If I place a spacer over the freewheel first, it seems to "take up the potential space" at the back of the cassette assembly...allowing the whole cassette to now ride on the freewheel and not the spokes.

Perhaps some pics would help? I'll get out the camera.

BigCatDaddy

Ah yes, it appears that I'm interchanging the terms freewheel and freehub. I believe now we are talking about a freehub.

freehub pic....


8-speed pic....


9-speed pic....


10-speed pic....


Perhaps I'm wrong...(a very possible scenario). Is there another reason this freehub won't accept my 10-speed cassette assembly properly?

HillRider

What you have is a freehub fitted with a cassette. You used the term freewheel in your OP and that's what confused everyone initially. They are not the same thing.

You are sure the original cassette was an 8-speed, not 7? Seven speed freehubs have a shorter body than 8-speed hubs and an 8 or above cassette is too wide to fit.

If yours really is an 8-speed, there may have been an earlier design not compatible with 10-speed cassettes that I'm not aware of it.

And yes, a spacer behind the 10-speed cassette is needed but the spacer is only about 1 mm thick so if yours is significantly thicker you may have the wrong one.

BigCatDaddy

Thanks Hillrider....

Actually, I've assumed the original assembly was an 8-speed. It consists of conjoined 6 cogs....all as one unit, with the smallest cogs (2 of them) as singles. To be more specific, the cluster of 6 is, 24-21-19-17-15-14, all conjoined. With two single cogs added on, a 13 tooth and a 12 tooth.

I'm not sure yet how to determine if the freehub is 7 speed or something else.

This freehub body seems to easily accept the 8-speed assembly as I've described above, as well as my 9-speed assembly.

Thanks for your help.

HillRider

OK, your cassette is really an 8-speed (total count, not just the cogs in the sub-assembly) and, if the body accepts a 9-speed cassette, you have the correct one.

Again, the 10-speed spacer is only 1 mm thick and fits into the recess at the back of the biggest cog so be sure you have the correct one.

BigCatDaddy

Thanks HillRider.

I "expressed" some free-hub/BB spacers from "Loose Screws" and just as you predicted....the 1mm and the 1.5mm spacers allow the cassette to now spin free of hitting the spokes. I placed the spacer on the freehub first, then the cassette. Both spacers allowed just enough thread showing for the lockring to "grab". The 2mm spacer was too much, and the lockring could not catch. I understand I now need to recheck the derailer limits and watch for chain rub on the frame?

Now the 10 year old HED Jet will go out for it's first ride under my ownership! Happy Newbee here. Thanks again for the advice.

Next project...to upgrade wifes 9-speed 12-25 to a 11-23. I understand that since she doesn't have a "compact" freehub....I simply place a 1mm spacer over freehub body first. Then check derailer limits and clearance.