bikecommuter13

Thanks for sharing. I am learning the names of the tools. I had to use between 15, 16, and 17 cone wrenches to un-tighten and tighten the nuts.

djb

getting the knack to properly adjust the cones, and then tighten down the locknut without tightening the cones is a skill that is a bit fiddly, so having someone help you get a proper feel for things is a big help, and like a lot of hands on skills, you probably wont get it right first time, but thats normal.

bikecommuter13

So I fixed the knocking issue after servicing the hub: wheel is turning ok

But now the chain won't go to the biggest sprocket, and it will fall through the smallest one.

I think it's related the fact that the axel is not evenly installed:



I don't have enough tools at home to re-adjust the axel, and I thought I could adjust the derailleur instead. And as usual, I made a mess . Now the tire is rubbing on one side even more -- while maybe it was rubbing a tiny bit before.

So one step forward and two steps back.

It takes so much time to learn this stuff, lol.

smd4

The axle length has nothing to do with it.

A certain member here cautions against tinkering with the limits screws, but it sounds like just such an issue to me. Unless tinkering with them is what led to these new problems. You did say you tried to adjust the derailleur. Did you mess with the screws?

It also sounds like the wheel is in the dropouts incorrectly. Or the frame is misaligned, which your mechanic pointed out.

If you had someone knowledgeable around who could explain things to you in person, you’d learn a lot faster.

Bill Kapaun

"Typically", a standard 17mm box end wrench will work "better" than a thin cone wrench-
Reason being is that the 17mm nut is on the end and easily accessible. There are exceptions, but typically.....

Bill Kapaun

The locknut is what bears inside the drop outs. The cassette is going to stay in the same place in relation to the lock nut. ERGO, axle length is moot re: cassette placement.

Sometimes you simply have to step back and take a breath, look and think for a moment. Repeat as needed.

bikecommuter13

The locknut is on the left in my picture right (on the cassette side)? So if I push/screw it in a bit the wheel will be positioned a bit to the left right?

Regarding the derailleur, I didn't touch the limit screws. All I did was loosening the cable and tightening it again.

smd4

You can’t screw the lock nut on any further. It is what it is. If you didn’t move any spacers from one side to the other, the position of both locknuts are pre-determined.

It sounds like you don’t have a good understanding of the most basic mechanical concepts, let alone bike mechanics. It’s something you can learn, but you really need to be taking baby steps at this point. Rear derailleur and hub bearing adjustment are like running a marathon.

I’m having a hard time making any diagnosis/ suggestions, because I think everything may be so far out of whack at this point that guessing what the problems might be is now an exercise in futility. Get the bike to a qualified mechanic before things get worse.

Bill Kapaun

Cones adjust the bearing play and the LOCK nut, locks the cones so they don't change adjustment. The amount of spacers etc. underneath stays the same for THAT specific hub. You DON'T screw with it!
Every time you do something without knowing WHY, you're just demolishing the foundation of your repair.
You need to learn what NOT to do.
Study the PARK Tools repair guide before you try stuff. Have an idea of what to expect and plan for pitfalls.
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help

When I first started repairing bikes, I studied Sheldon Brown's website for hours at a time.
I also learned another neat trick when in doubt. LOOK at another bike that operates correctly.