Why does my cassette keep coming loose?!

Hi,

I have an annoying issue. I am using a Shimano 11sp 11-42 M8000 cassette on a Hope Pro 4 steel, shimano spec freehub and the specified 2mm spacer behind the cassette.

I tighten it all up fine, but after 20k or so, the cassette comes loose (where the cogs move independently).

Take it off, check it, re-tighten as much as possible… still comes loose.

The freehub body is scored slightly, but not that bad really (steel freehub, not Alu).

If I put an extra 1mm spacer behind the cassette, the lockring won’t engage.

Any clues?

Thanks!

thread in the lockring or freehub gubbed? try a new lockring firstly, if not might need to replace the freehub? only things I can think of anyway.

Let it play all the way to the end, then the whole thing goes back on the autorewind. That will keep the tape tighter.

Is the lockring tight when you remove it or has it come loose?

Have you tried fitting the lockring without the cassette? Does it go on true?

Is it the correct size of lockring? (I assume you’re using the one that came with the cassette, but….)

Lockrings need a fair whack of torque. Are you getting it on tight enough? 50nm

Aye, are you hearing enough clicks when you tighten the lockring? never use a torque wrench myself, I’ve just gotten used to the sound of tightening one, so I know when to stop!, click, click, click, click……….sorted that’ll do! :)

either that or back to my earlier hypothesis, have you cross threaded it?

I might be (probably am)wrong but is the 2mm spacer not for use if your putting a 10sp cassette on 11sp hubs, does the 11sp cassette need the spacer. Try putting it on tight without the spacer and see if there is any play in it, you might only be on a couple of threads as it is now and it’s working loose.

11 speed mtb cassettes are the same width as all 10 speed cassettes.

It’s the road 11 speed that is a little wider.

Therefore, the spacer is needed for everything that isn’t road 11speed unless it’s an older freehub that won’t take road 11 speed anyway.

Typical torque for the lock ring is 40Nm which is a fair few pies. The Hope cassette is 70Nm so goes to show just what a beasting those aluminium threads can take.

Thread lock it

Let it play all the way to the end, then the whole thing goes back on the autorewind. That will keep the tape tighter.

Not sure which is the saddest, the fact I know exactly what you are on about or that a lot of the youngsters won’t

Not sure which is the saddest, the fact I know exactly what you are on about or that a lot of the youngsters won’t

Don’t be daft, there’s no youngsters on here!

Everyone (27 and 1/6 years old) :D

If an extra 1mm spacer means the lockring won’t engage, then there aren’t many threads engaged to start with. Which means there isn’t much to stop it unscrewing. I don’t know whether the 2mm spacer you have is correct or not, but from a pragmatic point of view I’d replace it with the 1mm and see how the lockring fits then.

Thanks for the replies.

I should have clarified that it’s the cogs of the cassette that are loose. The lock ring is still very tight (takes a fair bit of chain whip grunt to get off).

I’m also torquing it literally as hard as I can (feels like its not possible to get another click out of it, which is why I tried another spacer)

Is it the pocketing that came with the cassette? Hmmm, not sure to be honest; I’ll check that out.

Thanks!

On my cassesteI’ve got a spacer that goes in between a couple of the cogs, you maybe lost a spacer in there some how?

Jump on the manufacters website see if you can find the diagram for your cassette to check that.

http://si.shimano.com/#/en/search/Keyword?name=M8000

As already suggested, I thought 11-speed cassette on 11-speed mountain Shimano freehub does not require a spacer, but fitting that cassette on a road freehub would.

click, click, click, click……….sorted

Shouldn’t that be click, click, click, click, click?

As others have said above, I’m pretty sure that that cassette on that hub doesn’t need a spacer, at least I’m 99% I never put one on my XT 11-46 on hope pro 4 hubs. There is a spacer between some of the smaller loose cogs though (again 99% – might have to take mine off to look now) and sounds like you’re missing that if the lock ring is tight

I have to use the Hope spacer when using an 11spd cassette… and an additional super thin spacer when using a 10spd cassette.

Just in case anyone else has this problem. I realised this week that the problem was that the absolutely tiny “washer” that normally sits as part of the lock ring was missing. No idea why or how. However, upon salvaging one from an old lock ring, the cassette seems to be much better :)

seems to be much better

happy day!