Cassette lock ring will not budge

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Goobs

Veteran
Location
East Yorkshire
I am trying to change my rear cassette on my hybrid from a 12-25t to a 11-28t and struggling to move the lock ring.

I have held the freewheel in place with a chain whip and fitted a cassette removal socket but whether I try turning it with a 3/8" wrench or using a 60 cm tap wrench it will not budge.

I tried soaking the lock ring in magic wrench spray and tapping it with a hammer and screwdriver but its as if the ring has bonded to the smallest cog.

At one point my wrench was starting to bend I had that much force on it.

I don't have a table vice so my next step is to take it to a LBS.

Any ideas what you would expect to pay just for them to free the lock ring ?

p.s. I am in Hull if anyone local has any suggestions where to try.
 
Last edited:

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Lbs for sure, let them take responsibility for wrecking your bearings, hub, rim spokes or any manner of associated stuff.

Also, if the blame game isn't your thing , they are far more likely to have the right tools for the job.
 
OP
OP
G

Goobs

Veteran
Location
East Yorkshire
That's what I thought.
I rang Halfords and they said £7.99 then rang Bobs (LBS) and they said a couple of quid but might be a lot more :smile:
Halfords seemed like a fixed price and I could watch them do it whilst Bobs mighty need to leave it with them to fix.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Lbs are perhaps more likely to have the right kit and experience to budge it...or understand the associated risks of trying the wrong way..that said, I know a few members on here work at Halfords and are very experienced.

For me, it would be a choice of who is closer and most likely to shift it fastest....sounds like Halfords to me.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Penetrating oil won't make any difference.

Leverage will, as well as shocking it with a sharp blow from a hammer. You need to find a way to hold the chain whip solidly so that it doesn't move and absorb the effort you're putting into the lockring. Alternatively, can you set the lockring tool in a vice, put the wheel on top of it then wallop or lever the chain whip from below?
 

Mo1959

Legendary Member
Must admit, I was surprised how much force it took the first time I gave it a go. Had the wheel on the floor in front of me with the chain whip and lock ring remover roughly at a 10 past 2 position and bounced on it a couple of times with as much strength as I could muster and it went suddenly.
 

winjim

Smash the cistern
I took my workstand apart and put the leg on the end of the spanner for extra leverage.
 

DWiggy

Über Member
Location
Cobham
I had trouble with mine, got someone to hold the chain whip while I turned the lock ring with a spanner...it worked...in the end
 
Location
Loch side.
Penetrating oil won't make any difference.

Leverage will, as well as shocking it with a sharp blow from a hammer. You need to find a way to hold the chain whip solidly so that it doesn't move and absorb the effort you're putting into the lockring. Alternatively, can you set the lockring tool in a vice, put the wheel on top of it then wallop or lever the chain whip from below?
I agree. The oil will do nothing.

I curse this type of problem because it usually breaks the shop's tools (i.e. my tools) and the customer doesn't see why he should pay for it.

What I used to do is sell the customer a lockring tool - the type without the handle that requires a 1 inch socket (ParkTool is 1 inch, the rest of the civilized world is 24mm). Then take the wheel, customer's tool and my socket to the local tyre company and ask them to remove it with their pneumatic impact driver. It really works well and without all the risk of skinned knuckles and the usual blood and gore. Further, the tool is already paid for by the customer and the risk is his.

It is amazing how many people have no idea how little torque 40NM really is.
 
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