i have A Dura-Ace lock ring on my cog. What is the best tool to remove it? I've found the shimano chain whip / removal tool but it just seems wrong to buy a $50 tool to remove a $10 part.


is there a better way to remove it?

A hammer and punch is probably the cheapest way.

How does $15 grab you? Also very useful for bottom-bracket lockrings and other applications:

https://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=1390

The more I look around, the more I am convinced that Shimano has gone back to it's old trick from the early 1980's - making proprietary parts and the tolls to work on them. Here we have another golden ($$$) example. I mean, why does this cog have this lockring? Is it absolutely necessary? Or was it created, alongside with it's $50 tool, as a money-maker?

Back in the early 80's Shimano sent a representative to address a trade-show for store-owners and mechanics. When the rep. from Shimano approached the podium, he was booed and objects were thrown. The cost to store-owner/mechanics had reached $400/year for the latest Shimano-toolsets. Needed to work on Shimano parts/components. Shimano finally got the message.

Maybe it's time for a repeat...

That lockring is by no means proprietary. Any old lockring tool will work, and is an essential tool to have around, especially if you plan on switching out cogs yourself. I have the park tool one that Panthers posted but I liked the Hozan ones I've used, they are thicker so they engage the lockring better and don't cut into your palm like the park tool does.

Also, when you replace your cog, or whatever you are planning to do, tighten the new cog and lockring as tight as you can, then ride up a big hill or sprint as hard as you can to fully tighten the cog down, then tighten the lockring again.

I have the Hozan tool as well - but that goes for closer to $40.00. And not saying this thing is proprietary - just needlessly involving the whizz-bang Shimano tool. Or so some would be led to believe. $50 to remove a lockring? Ha! I call that robbery.

Ever price any of Campy's proprietary tools? There sure are plenty of them too. I expect Shimano took it's cue from Campagnolo.

Hozan is the way to go.

if it smell like a rose then it must be a rose. if it look like a lock ring then it must be lock ring wench to remove and to lock down on it. no matter what the price is the question is can we do the job ? Does the cheaper tool work as good or better than its' more expense brother ? If it me i would goes with the park one.

Keep in mind that a common, old-style BB lockring wrench will also fit on it. I have an old Sugino one that works fine. I think most any LBS will have a Pedros or Park that will work and be fairly cheap.

jim

In my defense, I bought the Hozan back when Hozan was rather obscure. Cost me around $9 - $10. I was lucky - it was smooth on the ends. Many of them need filing to get rid of burs that can cause them to slip easier.

Today I would go with the Park. I'm rather steamed at Pedros for the bottom-bracket tool for Octalink and ISIS.

I have the Park tool and the Hozan

The park tool works great on bottom bracket lockrings, terrible on track cog lockrings.

That type of wrench (well one side of the Park tool) is known as a hook spanner and they are made to work on a particular diameter. For example here is one made for scuba gear servicing that is for a 1.5" diameter:

https://www.scubatools.com/p-536-hook...-diameter.aspx

Some non-bike companies make adjustable hook spanners that work well for multiple diameters but the park is made for BB lockring diameter and the Hozan is made for the diameter of a track cog lockring (it is kind of expensive though). You can get the Park tool to work but it is much nicer having one made for cog lock rings.

So you're saying that one really should buy the Shimano tool for correct fit/function on the Shimano lockrings? Or hunt around for a non-bike tool? This brings me back to my initial premise - Shimano & proprietary parts/tools. And yes, I know about Campagnolo starting this idiocy. But I figured with Campy, you're not buying a tool. You're buying a name. I have one Campy tool - the dust-cap remover for their Record pedals. Cost me $5.00. It says Campagnolo on it! Weee!! LOL. I think I even used it once...

As for Shimano - let the boycott begin!

Get the Hozan, ~$25. I use it all the time for old BB lockrings, headsets, etc. If you're just putting on one track cog, take a six pack down to your LBS and have them do it.

+1

also, I've broken the park lockring tool on a stuck lock ring. Hozan did the job.

You don't necessarily need a Shimano tool...just one designed for the right diameter. I am not really sure what diameter the Shimano cog lock rings are. I have a feeling they are the same as other ones (around 41mm I think).

Check out the two tools (attached) to see what I mean. The hozan tool has one end that is smaller and works much better on the cog lockrings, the other end is about the same size as the park tool and works for BB lockrings.

Shimano tool $24 - https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...7&category=404

your link shows a freewheel puller tool (which work on a bmx freewheel), not on a lock ring as we are talking about here. yes the hozan tool will be the best tool to use here.due to the angle needed to apply torque to remove.

I have tried a number of lockring wrenches and the best one by far is the one that I made myself. It is a $5.00 Kobalt channel lock style pliers and 15 minutes with a grinder. It has never slipped, will remove any lockring no matter how tight and it will tighten without any effort, regardless of the size of the lockring.