Removing Obstinate Cassette Locking Ring.

[ianbarton]

I am going to change the Shimano cassette on my Giant Defy. I have just fitted a new chain and the cassette shows signs of wear. I have changed the cassette a couple of times in the past and managed to remove the lock ring with no problem. I am using a tool (BBB Cycling, LockOut Cassette Lock-Ring Removal) with a decent length of the handle. However, I can't budge the lock ring. Before I go and look for a bit of scaffold tube to act as an extension does anyone have something I could try first?

 

[Ajax Bay]

No - just apply more torque. Should've been tightened to 40Nm, which is easy to apply with a decent lever (15").
But what are these "signs of wear"? You cannot "see" cassette wear until well advanced. And if it was that advanced, the new chain would have slipped (middle sprockets probably) when you applied a bit of power. Did it? If you test this and are not getting slip - well done. The chain/cassette combo will be fine but get a new chain and cassette ready to fit in 2000km.

 

[ianbarton]

No - just apply more torque. Should've been tightened to 40Nm, which is easy to apply with a decent lever (15").
But what are these "signs of wear"? You cannot "see" cassette wear until well advanced. And if it was that advanced, the new chain would have slipped (middle sprockets probably) when you applied a bit of power. Did it? If you test this and are not getting slip - well done. The chain/cassette combo will be fine but get a new chain and cassette ready to fit in 2000km.

The chain was slipping and it was the second chain fitted to this cassette. I can see signs of wear on the cassette on some gears. Some of the teeth had obvious "irregularities". I'll get my daughter to hold the wheel upright on the floor and hang onto the chain whip while I use my body weight to push down on the lever.

I am replacing both chain and cassette so I can start with a "clean sheet".

 

[T4tomo]

I position the whip handle and the wrench handle such that i can squeeze them together with both hands, rather than holding one handle in each hand operated independent, if you get what I mean. I think I get a bit more power that way.

 

[Ajax Bay]

^^^^ This. But if the OP has a 'spare pair of hands' lucky them.

 

[bikingdad90]

Can you put the skewer back in to lock the tool into position and then try?

 

[presta]

Put the lockring tool in the vice, wrap the chain whip, then slot the wheel onto the tool. Now you can get both hands on the chain whip, and put your whole bodyweight behind it if necessary.

 

[ColinJ]

I had to undo one the other day but only had an 8" adjustable spanner, which did not give enough leverage. Then I spotted some old copper pipe in my sister's shed...

That made short work of it!

 

[figbat]

My escalation process goes something like this:

1. Casually wrap the chain whip, hold firm whilst I insert and turn the lockring tool with a spanner
2. If this fails, I'll try the thing mentioned above where the chain whip handle and spanner on the lockring tool are a few degrees apart so I can squeeze them together
3. If this fails I put the wheel on the floor, stood upright, across the front of my legs (side-to-side, cassette pointing away from me) - I'll wrap the chain whip with the handle to the left and get the lockring spanner at about 90° pointing to the right, then lean on it with as much weight as I can whilst also pushing down on the chain whip handle
4. After that it's an old vacuum cleaner extension pipe on the spanner
5. If this fails, new bike.

Usually I'm done by line 2. Occasionally get to line 3. Very rarely need line 4.

I rarely use a torque wrench for retightening either, just a decent grunt.

 

[ianbarton]

My escalation process goes something like this:
Usually I'm done by line 2. Occasionally get to line 3. Very rarely need line 4.

I rarely use a torque wrench for retightening either, just a decent grunt.

Thanks, I'll try methods 3 and 4. I tried with my daughter holding the chain whip. The wheel was upright on the floor. Unfortunately, I am a bit stronger than her so she couldn't hold the chain whip steady while I put my whole weight on the wrench.

 

[cougie uk]

The chain was slipping and it was the second chain fitted to this cassette. I can see signs of wear on the cassette on some gears. Some of the teeth had obvious "irregularities". I'll get my daughter to hold the wheel upright on the floor and hang onto the chain whip while I use my body weight to push down on the lever.

I am replacing both chain and cassette so I can start with a "clean sheet".

You do know that some teeth are filed down to help with the shifting ? You're not seeing that are you?

 

[ianbarton]

You do know that some teeth are filed down to help with the shifting ? You're not seeing that are you?

No, it's small slices removed from the side of some teeth. Comparing it to my new cassette it's definitely damaged.

 

[ianbarton]

I had to undo one the other day but only had an 8" adjustable spanner, which did not give enough leverage. Then I spotted some old copper pipe in my sister's shed...

That's what I would call a proper lever

 

[Venod]

Had several chain whips, including home made, this is the best tool I have used for holding cassette's

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/chain-whip-cassette-remover/_/R-p-200

 

[ColinJ]

Had several chain whips, including home made, this is the best tool I have used for holding cassette's

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/chain-whip-cassette-remover/_/R-p-200

Looks good!

My chainwhip broke while I was using my super-extended adjustable spanner. I replaced the broken length of 10-speed chain with some spare 8-speed chain. My chain tool would not fit round the chainwhip handle so I hammered the pin in by hand.