when cleaning - rear gears.

[Medic6666]

As I ride a lot in muddy areas of a forest I clean my gears after every ride.

I generally sponge of the worst and then brush off between the gears. Once done I give the chain a quick clean.

Now my question....I dry lube the chain, should I also lube the rear cassette or will the chain lube be enough?


Many thanks

Karl

 

[Globalti]

I wouldn't bother lubing the cassette as the chain is the bit that needs it.

If you are cleaning so regularly you might find that the derailleur cable is getting a bit rusty or clogged, so it might help to change the outer at the sharply curved bit. A cable cutter and a couple of metres of cable outer are useful to keep in your workshop, it's the outer that wears and most need changing every 6 months to avoid shifting problems, more in wet muddy conditions.

 

[Jonathan M]

This got asked a while ago, and the responses were mixed, even raised a debate about lubing the chain IIRC. I lube the chain but not the cassette.

 

[jimboalee]

The cassette freehub was invented for three reasons.

1/ The pawl ratchet is inside the hub and away from crap.

2/ The axle ball races are both at the end of the spindle close to the clamp nut reducing bending moment,

and 3/ The cassette can be removed seperately from the freewheel pawl hub for good cleaning.

If it is covered in crud and shoot, take it off the freehub.

 

[Mr Pig]

I lube the chain but not the cassette.

Same here. There's not much point in having oil on the sides of gears where nothing touches and the more oil the more crud sticks.

I brush white spirit on to the gears and spin them to throw the crap off. If you want to 'really' clean it you need to take it off or you risk getting solvent into the freewheel or hub.

 

[02GF74]

nope - the chain needs a bit of lube for the pins but not on cassette - in fact putting oil on cassette will result in grit sticking to the oil that will help wear both out.

run the chain through a cloth afterwards - the lube should not bne on the outside but inside.

 

[jimboalee]

Same here. There's not much point in having oil on the sides of gears where nothing touches and the more oil the more crud sticks.

I brush white spirit on to the gears and spin them to throw the crap off. If you want to 'really' clean it you need to take it off or you risk getting solvent into the freewheel or hub.

Is there an echo in here, in here, in here?

 

[jimboalee]

Same here. There's not much point in having oil on the sides of gears where nothing touches and the more oil the more crud sticks.

I brush white spirit on to the gears and spin them to throw the crap off. If you want to 'really' clean it you need to take it off or you risk getting solvent into the freewheel or hub.

BTW, the rubber that tyres are made of doesn't like White Spirit, turps sustitute or Staddards Solvent. They disolve.

 

[Mr Pig]

BTW, the rubber that tyres are made of doesn't like White Spirit. They disolve.

Indeed. I forgot to say that you should cover/protect them. Thank you. I chuck rags around the bottom of the wheel, where most of the crap trips. If you don't the wheel gets coated! Been there, done that.

 

[jimboalee]

Just get the cassette off.

Put it on a 60C wash cycle with a small cup of powder.

Fast spin and then transfer to tumble dryer.

Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.

 

[Globalti]

In all seriousness I once dishwashed an aluminium motorcycle component. It was a disaster; the hot caustic wash actually pitted the surface of the alloy.

 

[tyred]

Just get the cassette off.

Put it on a 60C wash cycle with a small cup of powder.

Fast spin and then transfer to tumble dryer.

Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.

You forgot to mention that you need to allow another few hours to go shopping for a new washing machine as the cassette being hurled around the inside of the machine at 1200RPM will murder the drum.

There is also the possibility that the lady in your life won't be amused...