How do I remove this cassette?

[zaxatron]

Hi
I am trying to rebuild my old urban bike which is an Iron Horse Adventure which uses a 7 gear Shimano Megarange cassette.

My normal lockring tool will not work because there is not a lock ring on this cassette.
Not sure if I have to unscrew the last high gear sprocket.

Here is an image of this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YYXDUD ... sp=sharing

In the process of undoing this I lost 2 inner ball bearings.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

Zaxa

[Derny Driver]

Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_vRbBRPr3c

[zaxatron]

Thank you.

Now I will need to get another chain whip tool.

[darkhorse75]

What you have is a freewheel not a cassette. You need a freewheel removal tool, no chainwhip required. There really is no point in disassembling the freewheel as described in the above video.

If its gummed up flush it out with WD-40 or similar and relube by dripping oil between the cogs and the threaded centre bit from the backside.

[Duck!]

As above, it's a freewheel cluster, not a cassette. The removal tool is similar to the cassette lockring tool, but has a shallower spline pattern (which is why the cassette tool doesn't fit). To remove the cluster, place the tool in a bench vice, splines up. Remove the axle nut on the drive side and fit the wheel onto the freewheel tool. The wheel is your spanner - unscrew the wheel from the cluster; it will probably need a bit of muscle if it's been on for a while.

Refitting is basically the reverse. Grease the thread & screw the cluster on by hand initially, then using the same method as removal, use the wheel as a spanner to tighten it properly. In theory you don't need to really reef it down, because it will tiggten under drive load, but if you don't snug it down it will feel like massive gear slip the first few times you pedal as the drive tension tightens it.

[zaxatron]

Thank you for the great answers, forgive my ignorance.

Now I have a new problem:

as I tried to pull it apart I have lost 2 ball bearings, I have now 7 instead of 9 (silly me).

Can I buy these? Or I should by a new wheel now?

Thanks

Zaxa

[RobertL]

As above, it's a freewhell cluster, not a cassette. The removal tool is similar to the cassette lockring tool, but has a shallower spline pattern (which is why the cassette tool doesn't fit). To remove the cluster, place the tool in a bench vice, splines up. Remove the axle nut on the drive side and fit the wheel onto the freewheel tool. The wheel is your spanner - unscrew the wheel from the cluster; it will probably need a bit of muscle if it's been on for a while.

Refitting is basically the reverse. Grease the thread & screw the cluster on by hand initially, then using the same method as removal, use the wheel as a spanner to tighten it properly. In theory you don't need to really reef it down, because it will tiggten under drive load, but if you don't snug it down it will feel like massive gear slip the first few times you pedal as the drive tension tightens it.

Or if you don't have a vice, you can loosen the cassette with the tool in a big spanner. Maybe with a length of water pipe over it - leverage is your friend. I usually stand the wheel on the floor of my garage, holding it with my left hand while I lean on the spanner with my right hand. I jam the tyre up against the wall to give enough traction to prevent the wheel slipping while I am leaning on the spanner as hard as I can.

[RobertL]

Thank you for the great answers, forgive my ignorance.

Now I have a new problem:

as I tried to pull it apart I have lost 2 ball bearings, I have now 7 instead of 9 (silly me).

Can I buy these? Or I should by a new wheel now?

Thanks

Zaxa

You can buy bearings. You don't need to replace your wheel for 2 lost BBs

I don't know the specifications on those type of bearings, but I'm sure that someone here will. Once you have that, you can go to a specialist bearing shop. Or you could go to any LBS with a decent mechanic and get some. They might even just give you a couple of their spares.

[darkhorse75]

Most likely there would have been 9 x 1/4" bearings on either side. You should probably just replace the whole lot at once.

[Duck!]

Yep, 9 x 1/4" bearings per side. A packet of bearings sufficient to do the whole hub will cost less than a coffee.