Hi all. I am new to doing my own wrenching. I got my hands on an older GT Outpost (1997) that is some serious need of renovation/TLC. I have done about all of the stuff that I know how to do, but I am having some issues with the rear wheel and the freehub and cassette. Here's the deal. The original setup is Shimano Deore. The cassette is shot (not surprisingly) and I need to put a new one on. Here is the thing. These are all individual cogs and they are on a staggered hub, meaning that half of the hub is wider than the other half. I could go about looking for a cassette to match it - which seems to me that it might be problematic - or I could replace it with a new hub/freehub/cassette. Amazingly, the hub seesm to be in pretty good condition - but MTB hubs aren't real expensive, so I am at a crossroads.
a) Can I replace the freehub without replacing the hub of the wheel?
b) Is it worth it to replace the freehub alone when hubs seem to be available for fairly cheap?
c) Is there anything that is going to cause me problems that I am probably not considering since my experience working on or building wheels is pretty much the same as a ground squirrels?
Just buying a whole new wheel kind of defeats the purpose of this exercise as my plan is to spend time wrenching this bike to learn about things.
What ya got??

freewheel

Pictures please.
I'm not familiar with what your describing but you will want to consider the cost of relacing a new hub when your comparing new hub v new freehub.

Hmmm. I don't understand what, exactly, your problem is.

Assuming you have a genuine Shimano rear hub, swapping out the freehub body is easily done with a 10mm allen key. You have to remove the bearings and axle and insert the allen wrench where the axle came out.

Staggered size with a step says that it's a freewheel you have rather than a freehub and cassete. You can either post some close up pictures of what you have and we'll identify it for you or there's no lack of pictures floating around that will aid you in identifying if this is a freehub or freewheel setup.

Assuming it is freewheel for now then you don't replace just the gears. You get a freewheel removal tool and useing a big solidly mounted vise or some other trick you unscrew it. The new freewheel comes as a screw on unit with all new freewheeling mech and gearing.

Here's another fellow that happens to have a freewheel that thought it was a freehub and cassete. Look at the picture and compare it to your setup.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...e-on-Trek-7100

Ok - after looking at pictures, it is definitely a freewheel. So - I can either get the new freewheel, get individual cogs and replace them with the current spacers (seems a little dicey) or replace the entire back wheel with a wheel with a freehub. Those are the only options, correct?

Yes, those are the options, but it's not worth the trouble or expense to replace the individual cogs. Replacing the freewheel is inexpensive, and it should be adequate. I wouldn't replace the entire wheel unless another reason is pressing on you, such as the fact that your rim or axle is damaged.

20 bucks from Harris Cyclery.
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#7

+10 Buy a cheap freewheel, check Nashbar, Niagara Cycle and some of the other common on line sources.

Yeah just buy a new freewheel, the tools and throw 'er on there! Would probably be a good time to replace the chain as well.

Actually one of your options isn't an option. You can't buy separate cogs for freewheels. They come only as an assembly of cogs and center freewheel.

And as mentioned buying a whole wheel is way over the top if your present one is OK other than the cogs being worn or the freewheel not working.

I think we need a few more responses to drive the major points home.

OK, get a new freewheel, google for one, I thought I saw some prices for less than $10

I wasn't going to post but Tom made me do it.

What were those again?

Ooh, does this mean I have the magic incantation to kill a thread?!