Cassette wobble

keithc440

Can a buckled wheel cause the cassette to wobble slightly ?
In the stand if I spin the wheel I can notice a very slight wobble, confirmed by gently resting my finger on the cassette. The wheel is out of true and awaiting a rebuild due to too many broken spokes over the winter. I had the bike in the stand and noticed the shifting was not too great and decided the cable and outers need replacing. It was then that I noticed the wobble and this concerned me. I've had the cassette off recently for a clean but I'm sure it was reassembled correctly. Spins nicely out of the frame.
Thanks in advance.

spender86

They normally have a bit of movement in them to enable the chain to slip between the gears easier. You should be able to sort the shifting out by adjusting the deraillieur.

chaymck

If required, did you remember to install the spacer before the cassette?

mattv

There is usually a tiny amount of rocking as the wheel spins in the frame. Make sure there is no looseness if you try to wobble the sprockets. This indicates a loose cassette or a worm freehub.

keithc440

Thanks for the replies. Don't remember installing a spacer but it all went back on in the order it came off. No looseness in the casssette if I try and wobble it. Think it is just the normal rocking action and I need to change my cable to sort the shifting.

dennisn

A cassette that is wobbling is WRONG. No other way of looking at it. They are meant to be screwed on, to the hub, tight, to prevent ANY movement, wiggle, or wobble in the cogs.
Now, if you're confusing a cassette with rear mech jockey wheels then yes, some manufacture's do have jockey wheels that slide slightly from side to side to aid shifting.

dennisn

spender86 wrote:

They normally have a bit of movement in them to enable the chain to slip between the gears easier. You should be able to sort the shifting out by adjusting the deraillieur.

Are you talking about cassette cogs or jockey wheels?

mattv

The whole assembly sometimes "wanders" side to side if you lift the bike and spin the back wheel with the cranks stationary. No movement if you rock it with your fingers. I am talking about the cassette sprockets here, not the jockey wheels.

dennisn

mattv wrote:

The whole assembly sometimes "wanders" side to side if you lift the bike and spin the back wheel with the cranks stationary. No movement if you rock it with your fingers. I am talking about the cassette sprockets here, not the jockey wheels.

I'm thinking that you may have a freehub bearing problem or your freehub is loose or the exterior of your freehub body is badly worn or the cassette teeth are badly wore, that causes this wobble. In any case the manufacturer did NOT design any wobble in either the hub body, the freehub body, or the cassette. You have a problem and it is not the normal state of affairs for rear drive line parts to wiggle, wobble, slip, or slide anywhere.

mattv

Sorry, I was describing a situation. My Hope hubs have no wobble. Due to machining inaccuracy most hubs do have a tolerable amount of wobble. No float or play. Just the cassette moves.

dennisn

mattv wrote:

Sorry, I was describing a situation. My Hope hubs have no wobble. Due to machining inaccuracy most hubs do have a tolerable amount of wobble. No float or play. Just the cassette moves.

How does a cassette "move" after you've tightened it up? Why would it if it was tight? A "tolerable" amount of wobble in a hub is not something anyone wants.

mpdouglas

Cassette wobble means the axis of rotation of the freehub is slightly different from that of the wheel hub. This could be down to low manufacturing tolerances (i.e cheap hub) or to knackered/damaged bearings in either the hub or freehub.

peteco

A little bit of wobble is normal. It's just slight slack in the freehub bearings.
I noticed this on my 2 year old Shimano RS80 rear wheel, then compared it with a new one, and it was the same.

Pete