Busting cassettes open

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 20:14:29 -0000, "MSeries"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want to
make up a custom cassette,

Yes. It's either dead easy or impossible. If you have a good one, there is a long allenscrew (weeny
head) which goes in from the back and holds them all together. I had a cheap cassette once where
they were riveted together: never again I hope.

Quoted message said:

the bottom 7 sprockets are held together by what looks like three rivets.

They are screws. DO NOT try to punch them out, or you will spoil your whole afternoon.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
chapmancentral.demon.co.ukchapmancentral.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at the University of Washington.

[QUOTE][i]

Yes. It's either dead easy or impossible. If you have a good one, there is a long allenscrew (weeny
head) which goes in from the back and holds them all together. I had a cheap cassette once where
they were riveted together: never again I hope.

[/B][/QUOTE]


Thanks for that Guy!!! Your comment just had to awaken the curious devil in my mind that compelled me to remove my cassette, take it to pieces, and then put it back together!!! At least it is nice and clean now though. :-D

(I think mine is a shimano XT cassette. £20 from chainreaction)

Just zis Guy said:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 20:14:29 -0000, "MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in message <[email hidden]-
berlin.de>:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette,

Yes. It's either dead easy or impossible. If you have a good one, there is a long allenscrew
(weeny head) which goes in from the back and holds them all together.

Nine speeds are funny as the screws are inserted from the front!
--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL www.m-gineering.nl

Just zis Guy said:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 20:14:29 -0000, "MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in message <[email hidden]-
berlin.de>:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette,

Yes. It's either dead easy or impossible. If you have a good one, there is a long allenscrew
(weeny head) which goes in from the back and holds them all together. I had a cheap cassette once
where they were riveted together: never again I hope.

Mine are definately not screws (my seven speed UG has screws with tiny hex heads and my six speed
is loose). I may end up sacking the idea. Can anyone say for sure which 9 speed HG cassettes are
easily bustable, I need to get 8 sprockets and 7 spacers from a 9 speed or two to make up an 8
speed 14-32 cassette.

Buggs Bunny said:

If your using the hyperglide cogs the odd ones might cause slight shifting problems because of the
way their shaped.

I know what you mean though not really worried, I have inserted HG sprockets into a UG cassette with
only minor problems before. With downtube shifting it is so easy to overshift to persuade the chain
to jump to the next sprocket and if all else fails I can switch to friction shifting.

Quoted message said:

Most of the shimano MTB cassettes had a rather nasty jump halfway up, like the change from 18-21
or 15-18.

Yes I want to make a closer cassette

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Mseries

BJust zis Guy said:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 20:14:29 -0000, "MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in message <[email hidden]-
berlin.de>:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette,

Yes. It's either dead easy or impossible. If you have a good one, there is a long allenscrew
(weeny head) which goes in from the back and holds them all together. I had a cheap cassette once
where they were riveted together: never again I hope.

Mine are definately not screws (my seven speed UG has screws with tiny hex heads and my six speed
is loose). I may end up sacking the idea. Can anyone say for sure which 9 speed HG cassettes are
easily bustable, I need to get 8 sprockets and 7 spacers from a 9 speed or two to make up an 8
speed 14-32 cassette. [/B]

Wouldn't the screws be too long though?
They will have been designed for a nine speed not an 8 speed. I would suggest getting an 8 speed and a nine speed, and then mixing and matching. The shimano HG90 7spd is definitely bustable because i ripped it apart out of curiosity just an hour ago! Therefore I would safely assume that any shimano XT cassette is bustable, be it 7,8 or 9 speed. Good luck.

davebee said:

Mseries said:

Just zis Guy said:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 20:14:29 -0000, "MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

<[email hidden]- > > berlin.de>:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed

cassette > >> and a HG50 cassette. I want to make up a custom cassette, > >

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes. It's either dead easy or impossible. If you have a good

one, > > there is a long allenscrew (weeny head) which goes in from the back > > and holds
them all together. I had a cheap cassette once where they > > were riveted together: never
again I hope.

Quoted message said:

Mine are definately not screws (my seven speed UG has screws with

tiny > hex heads and my six speed is loose). I may end up sacking the idea. Can > anyone say for
sure which 9 speed HG cassettes are easily bustable, I > need to get 8 sprockets and 7 spacers
from a 9 speed or two to make up > an 8 speed 14-32 cassette.

Wouldn't the screws be too long though? They will have been designed for a nine speed not an 8
speed. I would suggest getting an 8 speed and a nine speed, and then mixing and matching. The
shimano HG90 7spd is definitely bustable because i ripped it apart out of curiosity just an hour
ago! Therefore I would safely assume that any shimano XT cassette is bustable, be it 7,8 or 9
speed. Good luck.

The screws are not necessary, my six speed is not screwed nor riveted, the locking ring, actually on
UG the smallest sprocket, which is threaded to the outside of the cassette body keeps all the
sprockets and spacers in place.

Eight speed bolts would be too long too as I will be using 9 speed spacers, the whole cassette (8
sprockets, 7 spacers) will be narrower than a conventional 8 speed so that it fits on my 6/7 speed
freehub body thus eliminating the need to spread the frame and redish the wheel.

MSeries said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette, I have a LX 9 Speed already and the bottom 7 sprockets are held
together by what looks like three rivets. Are these easy to remove with the aid of a drill and
punches ? Same question for the HG 50. I presume the HG50 (Tiagra) does not have a carrier hold
two or three sprockets like the more expensive models.

A method I read in Cycling Plus is to file off the rivet heads.

~PB

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

MSeries said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette, I have a LX 9 Speed already and the bottom 7 sprockets are held
together by what looks like three rivets. Are these easy to remove with the aid of a drill and
punches ? Same question for the HG 50. I presume the HG50 (Tiagra) does not have a carrier hold
two or three sprockets like the more expensive models.

A method I read in Cycling Plus is to file off the rivet heads.

~PB

I have a HG?? (doesn't say) 7sp which is bolted together, I swapped a rivet together 28 cog into it,
just had to drill out the holes a bit. Apparently you can leave the bolts out. Have got to put it
back as the 28 won't fit a Sora mech.

MSeries said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette, I have a LX 9 Speed already and the bottom 7 sprockets are held
together by what looks like three rivets. Are these easy to remove with the aid of a drill and
punches ? Same question for the HG 50. I presume the HG50 (Tiagra) does not have a carrier hold
two or three sprockets like the more expensive models.

Usually a 1.5mm (!) allen key. I took a cassette apart the other week.

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 20:46:53 +0000, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

there is a long allenscrew

Actually three of them, being the objects misidentified as rivets by the OP.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
chapmancentral.demon.co.ukchapmancentral.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at the University of Washington.

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 22:36:49 +0100, m-gineering
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Nine speeds are funny as the screws are inserted from the front!

Not my nine-speed :-)

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
chapmancentral.demon.co.ukchapmancentral.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at the University of Washington.

MSeries said:

Yes I want to make a closer cassette

When I got into mtbs seven speed was common, eight speed was on the elite bikes and nine speed was
unheard of. As I used my Orange C-16 (Clockwork) for work I fitted a 8 speed racing cassette 12-21.
This was much better than any 'mtb cassette' I could find and for road use was perfect. Then nine
speed came out, I got my shimano catalogue and studied the cassette ratios, the nasty jumps were
still there, shimano had just added say a 34 tooth cog. I assume its a mountain bike cassette your
modifying, have you thought of getting a cheapish racing cassette?

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004,

Just zis Guy said:

Actually three of them, being the objects misidentified as rivets by the OP.

I wouldn't guarantee it. I've had shimano blocks held together by allen screws, hex-head bolts, and
rivets. Could easily be rivets on an HG50.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

MSeries said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette, I have a LX 9 Speed already and the bottom 7 sprockets are held
together by what looks like three rivets. Are these easy to remove with the aid of a drill and
punches ? Same question for the HG 50. I presume the HG50 (Tiagra) does not have a carrier hold
two or three sprockets like the more expensive models.

My cassette is a 11-32 9 speed, the largest 7 sprockets were held together with three rivets, not
allen bolts, not hex bolts. Today I filed off the tails, and punched them out. Took about 30 minutes
in total and that included getting the tools out and tidying up.

I want the larger sprockets (28, 32) as its for my tourer that has a double chainset (50/36) not a
triple. 36x32 gives me a 30 inch gear roughly which is low enough for me, it lower than the 30x24 on
my triple equiped #2 road iron. On this bike I don't really need anything larger than 50x14, I
rarely use that as it is so I'm going to make a 14-32 in 8 instead of the 6 I have now.

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 12:57:12 +0000 (UTC), Ian Smith
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Actually three of them, being the objects misidentified as rivets by the OP.

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't guarantee it. I've had shimano blocks held together by allen screws, hex-head bolts, and
rivets. Could easily be rivets on an HG50.

I was correcting my own "a screw" rather than the OP's "rivets" - I wrote the correction carelessly
and now find I need to correct my correction - note to self: apply for job at the Grauniad :-)

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
chapmancentral.demon.co.ukchapmancentral.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at the University of Washington.

"MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

MSeries said:

Has anyone tried to separate the sprockets on an LX 9 speed cassette and a HG50 cassette. I want
to make up a custom cassette, I have a LX 9 Speed already and the bottom 7 sprockets are held
together by what looks like three rivets. Are these easy to remove with the aid of a drill and
punches ? Same question for the HG 50. I presume the HG50 (Tiagra) does not have a carrier hold
two or three sprockets like the more expensive models.

My cassette is a 11-32 9 speed, the largest 7 sprockets were held together with three rivets, not
allen bolts, not hex bolts. Today I filed off the tails, and punched them out. Took about 30
minutes in total and that included getting the tools out and tidying up.

I want the larger sprockets (28, 32) as its for my tourer that has a double chainset (50/36) not a
triple. 36x32 gives me a 30 inch gear roughly which is low enough for me, it lower than the 30x24
on my triple equiped #2 road iron. On this bike I don't really need anything larger than 50x14, I
rarely use that as it is so I'm going to make a 14-32 in 8 instead of the 6 I have now.

try as they might Shimano will never be able to stop the British cyclist from tinkering! A method I
dicovered yesterday to lock the cassette while you remove the locking ring is to clamp the largest
ring in the plastic jaws of a Workmate (use all 4 so as to get max contact) NB you need to have the
cassette facing downwards and poke the tool up from the bottom but it works; also saves the skin on
your right hand ;-)