Can't remove hub cassette barrell from cassette - any tips?

[oxford_guy]

Hi - I've had to dismantle my rear wheel to remove my Hopetech Pro 3 hub, which has a broken flange, Hopetech have said that they will replace the hub body for free under warranty, but I need to return the existing hub.

I've managed to remove the cassette and the broken hub body from the wheel, but can't see how to remove the cassette barrel (which is a separate part from the hub) from the cassette! I've tried pushing it out, but it won't budge - does anyone have any tips?

See photos below for the various parts:

Hub spindle:

The broken flange on the hub body:

This shows the back of the hub barrel that I need to remove from the cassette somehow:

Front of the cassette and cassette barrel:

Even if Hopetech don't need both the hub body and cassette barrel, I still need to remove the barrel from the cassette, as won't to replace the cassette with a new one (and upgrading to an XT cassette), as my existing one is almost 4 years old and showing signs of wear, so I might as well replace it, considering I've just had to remove the cassette from the hub.

 

[the_mikey]

The cassette should just slide off the hub, if it doesn't then there's something amiss or the hub is worn or damaged. Start with the smallest sprocket and then try to remove the rest.

 

[02GF74]

the cassette barrel you refer to is called the freehub. It look like you have removed the lock ring - last photo shows the smalles sprocket and threads can be seen in the freehud into which the lock ring screws.

therefore the cassette should slide off. if it doesn't then there is damage to the spines of the cassette or freehub - do not worry, it happens and the burring is what is preventing the cassette from sliding off.

find a block of wood that sits inside the freehub and postion the freehub so that you can tap the cassette from the large sprocket, it should come off.

let me see if I can find photo of the burring I refer to......

 

[02GF74]

.... beaten to it. here is freehub showing burring. this is caused by the sprockets, on XT and XTR it will be the smaller steel ones that bite into the freehub splines, the resulting lumps prevent the cassette from sliding off.

 

[oxford_guy]

the cassette barrel you refer to is called the freehub. It look like you have removed the lock ring - last photo shows the smalles sprocket and threads can be seen in the freehud into which the lock ring screws.

therefore the cassette should slide off. if it doesn't then there is damage to the spines of the cassette or freehub - do not worry, it happens and the burring is what is preventing the cassette from sliding off.

find a block of wood that sits inside the freehub and postion the freehub so that you can tap the cassette from the large sprocket, it should come off.

Thanks, though I'm not quite sure what you mean about the block of wood - do you mean inserting something that would fit inside the front of the small end of the cassette, but in contact with the free hub? Then would I turn the cassette upside down and tap the cassette with a rubber mallet or similar?

If I managed to get the free hub off and notice burring, should the free hub be replaced, or can the burring be sanded down or something?

 

[oxford_guy]

Thanks, though I'm not quite sure what you mean about the block of wood - do you mean inserting something that would fit inside the front of the small end of the cassette, but in contact with the free hub? Then would I turn the cassette upside down and tap the cassette with a rubber mallet or similar?

Okay, just tried this, the free hub still won't budge an inch, am tempted to clean-up the cassette and send the whole thing plus the hub for Hopetech to sort out!

 

[rusty bearing]

Met this before on my road bike. Its the light alloy hub which the cassette rings cut into quite badly. You need to hold the rear of the freehub, perhaps in a soft jaw vice, without damaging the pawls and springs. Then tap each ring (or set) in the opposite direction to normal travel. Should free them enough wiggle them off.
Hope do a steel freehub which I've now swapped to.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Okay, just tried this, the free hub still won't budge an inch, am tempted to clean-up the cassette and send the whole thing plus the hub for Hopetech to sort out!

Sounds like a good plan. They might send you a new freehub. As 02GF74 said while it helps with cassettes that are pinned or on spider, the smallest sprockets usually aren't. I try to avoid alloy freehubs.

 

[oxford_guy]

Sounds like a good plan. They might send you a new freehub. As 02GF74 said while it helps with cassettes that are pinned or on spider, the smallest sprockets usually aren't. I try to avoid alloy freehubs.

If Hopetech hadn't offered a free replacement hub body I probably would've shelled out for a Royce Titan Venus, these look pretty bomb-proof....

 

[oxford_guy]

Okay, went to my local bike shop (Beeline in Oxford, UK) and they helpfully (for free) managed to remove the freehub from the cassette, by removing some of the smaller cassette rings (I didn't realise they were removeable!) though did say it seemed very jammed on. The freehub has quite a bit of burring on it, I'll post of photo once I've cleaned it up. Hopefully Hopetech will replace this too!

 

[oxford_guy]

Photos of the freehub body - do you think Hopetech should replace this too, given the state of it?:

 

[lpretro1]

Not Hope's problem - that's the price you pay for wanting lightweight wheels
As Rusty said above - Hope do a steel free hub body if you want to avoid in future. It's usually ok just to file off the burrs and stick to more expensive cassette with sprockets on carriers

 

[oxford_guy]

Not Hope's problem - that's the price you pay for wanting lightweight wheels
As Rusty said above - Hope do a steel free hub body if you want to avoid in future. It's usually ok just to file off the burrs and stick to more expensive cassette with sprockets on carriers

Okay, I'll ask Hopetech if they can replace the free hub body with a steel one, will offer to pay for that part...

 

[oxford_guy]

stick to more expensive cassette with sprockets on carriers

BTW the new cassette will be a Shimano XT 11-34 (upgrading from the previous LX cassette)

 

[rusty bearing]

Yep, just like mine, the steel makes for a slightly quieter gear shift as well.