Wobbly cassette

[Shack]

Hi all, I picked up a gravel bike the other week and the PO let me have the original wheelset (devoid of all useful things like rotors, skewers, tubes and until today a cassette.
So having correctly fitted a cassette on there appears to be some oscillation, and I can wiggle the cassette around a little (never had any movement on other cassettes on any previous bike) it is secured on the hub (locknut) and suspect it's a hub wiggle.
Question 1- what might be causing it Question 2- what can I do to address this?
Thanks

 

[Dave Davenport]

Depending on the hub and what speed cassette you may need a spacer.

 

[Cycleops]

^^^ This, sounds like you need a spacer at the back of the cassette. Check no of speed against freehub width.

 

[DRM]

Probably an 11 speed hub, with a 10 speed cassette, you’ll need a spacer

 

[Bianchi boy]

If the free hub is wobbling as well, it will be the sealed bearings in the actual free hub, but this would usually be accompanied by a very unpleasant grating noise.

 

[Ajax Bay]

If the OP can't properly tighten the lockring (it 'bottoms out' and you can move the sprockets side to side) then (@DRM forgive the parody): probably an 10 speed hub, with a 10 speed cassette, you’ll need a spacer.

 

[Shack]

Thanks all, it's an 11 speed directly replacing what would have been an 11 speed, touring the internet/ YouTube I think I will look at tightening the cones. The lock nut on the 105 cassette seems to fully engage it's the whole cassette hub body that wobbles. I'll update as I discover more

 

[fossyant]

Take the cassette off, and see if you get any play. Mavic freehubs can move a little, but it doesn't affect use - they have a polly bushing as well as bearings. Other hubs run on bearings and you may have a worn bearing - doesn't always accompany with a noise as they can develop play if cartridge bearings. Relatively easy to replace though.

 

[Paulus]

Thanks all, it's an 11 speed directly replacing what would have been an 11 speed, touring the internet/ YouTube I think I will look at tightening the cones. The lock nut on the 105 cassette seems to fully engage it's the whole cassette hub body that wobbles. I'll update as I discover more

I was going to say it could be the wheel bearings. Is there any play if you try to move the wheel in situ side to side ?

 

[battered]

I was going to say it could be the wheel bearings. Is there any play if you try to move the wheel in situ side to side ?

A very good suggestion. I once spent a very long time truing a wheel before I realised that the sideways movement was coming from bearing wear. Sometimes you forget to fix the basics first.

 

[T4tomo]

Take the cassette off, and see if you get any play. Mavic freehubs can move a little, but it doesn't affect use - they have a polly bushing as well as bearings. Other hubs run on bearings and you may have a worn bearing - doesn't always accompany with a noise as they can develop play if cartridge bearings. Relatively easy to replace though.

which might be why they gave you them for free!

 

[Shack]

I've picked up some better quality cone spanners so hope to be able to have a proper looks and clean and adjust on Thursday. Any reason I couldn't/ couldn't use lithium grease on the bearings (a quick scout around the man cave found only that or copper grease which feels a little abrasive for bearings)
Thanks for all you help so far folks

 

[weareHKR]

I've picked up some better quality cone spanners so hope to be able to have a proper looks and clean and adjust on Thursday. Any reason I couldn't/ couldn't use lithium grease on the bearings (a quick scout around the man cave found only that or copper grease which feels a little abrasive for bearings)
Thanks for all you help so far folks

Lithium grease is fine & ok for bearings.
Copper grease is an anti-seize compound.

 

[Shack]

Lithium grease is fine & ok for bearings.
Copper grease is an anti-seize compound.

Yep that's what I usually use it for, and felt it might be a little abrasive for moving parts, I have some bog standard grease somewhere but the man cave is a bit Horder next door, and not as organiser as I would like, so down to two

 

[battered]

I've picked up some better quality cone spanners so hope to be able to have a proper looks and clean and adjust on Thursday. Any reason I couldn't/ couldn't use lithium grease on the bearings (a quick scout around the man cave found only that or copper grease which feels a little abrasive for bearings)
Thanks for all you help so far folks

Lithium grease is the correct material for bearings. Most "standard grease" is lithium grease . Grease is a mixtur e, I'm not sure whether it's chemically an emulsion or a suspension, of a soap and a lubricating oil. The lithium bit is the salt used to form the soap component. The soap stops the oil draining away, if it's a water soluble soap, like the sodium soap in your bathroom, the grease is water miscible. If it's not water soluble, like lithium soap in lithium grease, it's waterproof.