cassette play

chatlow

Hi, should there be any play whatsoever when a cassette is fully tightened (40nm) to the wheel hub? I have just bought new sram 11-28 cassette and fitted to my practically brand new shimano r500 wheel and there is very slight play when i wiggle the cassette.. should it be solid?

This also happened with my older shimano wheel and shimano 12-27 cassette, so either I am unlucky or slight play is normal

thanks

jgsi

In my book the cassette should be solid. Have you missed a 1mm spacer on the freehub before putting the cassette on?

jimothy78

Is the play actually between the cassette and the freehub body or between the freehub body and the hub istself? If you can't be sure, then take the cassette off again and check for play at the freehub/hub body interface. This is normal (to some extent, depending on model), but there shouldn't be any play between the cassette and the freehub.

chatlow

cassette didn't come with a spacer and nor did the new wheel. Wondering if it needs one as heard that could be the issue.

chatlow

jimothy78 wrote:

Is the play actually between the cassette and the freehub body or between the freehub body and the hub istself? If you can't be sure, then take the cassette off again and check for play at the freehub/hub body interface. This is normal (to some extent, depending on model), but there shouldn't be any play between the cassette and the freehub.

There is a very small amount of wiggle in the hub itself but seems to be more when the cassette is on and tightened which makes me think it's a cassette to hub issue, not loose hub.

As for the spacer, I was under the impression only 10 speed cassettes need the spacer behind them as they are slightly narrower

keef66

What speed cassette are we talking about?

I only know about Shimano compatibility. On an 8/8/10 speed freehub you need a spacer with a 10 speed cassette, except for 10 speed Tiagra which has it built in. No spacer required for 9 speed cassettes.

On 11 speed freehubs you need an additional spacer with the 10 speed cassettes

chatlow

9 speed sram 11-28 cassette on shimano r500 wheel.

jgsi

Get yourself some 1mm spacers off Ebay.. cost v little

chatlow

Went to bike shop and tried out a few different spacers behind the cassette. The play was exactly the same. Must be the hub (even though it's almost brand new). Maybe I am worrying about nothing so will just get over it!

thanks

peteco

There is play in even a new hub. Fitting the cassette just makes it seem worse.
Should be fine.

Pete

damocles10

What did the bike shop say?

I had an old zipp 404 (6 years) wheel and the freehub body had some damage to the grooves/slots for the cassette....end result...one of the cogs snapped in half. Not much fun as I was going up hill at the time.

First.Aspect

peteco wrote:

There is play in even a new hub. Fitting the cassette just makes it seem worse.
Should be fine.

Pete

Yeah, sounds like the play is in the freehub itself. If so, the whole cassette should appear to move as a single unit. Sometimes this play can reduce when the qr's are tightened. It might not be a problem at all. For all you know, though, when the splines are engaged and the chain is tensioned, there might not be any play. Unless you are concerned that its making other odd noises suggestive of imminent failure, I'd be inclinded to ignore it.

Its somewhat unlikely, but the whole freehub could need tightening. In the Shimano hubs I've had, its possible to tighten down the freehub body against the hub using a large allen key, having removed the cassette, cones and axle.

If the individual cogs are moving in relation to one another, its on wrong, though.