Cassette wobble / rotational play between cogs

[DrMekon]

Just been out to clean my drivetrain (my saturday nights soooo are crazeee) and noticed that my rear cassette wobbles and there is some rotational play in the 8th and 9th sprocket. It's a deore freehub. Google suggests it's normal for freehubs to get some play in them and it's fine if it doesn't affect shift (it doesn't), but that doesn't explain the rotational play. Does that mean the lockring is likely to have come loose (can't check as don't have tool)?

FWIW, the wheel has done <11,000km.

[Biggsy]

Yes, a loose lockring is the likely cause of the rotational play.  There could also be a missing shim or thin spacer (if the cassette is supposed to have one).

The wobble perhaps could have always been there due to a manufacturing imperfection.  Sometimes an optical illusion makes it look worse.

[DrMekon]

When I say wobbles, I mean I can grab it and wobble it, rather than it spinning off-axis.

I'll borrow a lockring tool and chainwhip tomorrow and see if I can nip it up.

[Rhys W]

I've had something similar plaguing my best Record wheels over the summer. My first thought was the lockring, but even with that tight, there's play in the largest two sprockets but not in any others. Disassembling and reassembling seems to cure it for a few weeks but it comes back, along with a worrying clunking sound. The only thing I could think of was wear between the freehub body and the splined carrier for the largest two sprockets.

[Pingu]

Just been out to clean my drivetrain (my saturday nights soooo are crazeee)...

I can't believe I wasn't invited 

[Wothill]

It could be that the freehub splines are notched. I would guess that is less likely with a cassette that has the big sprockets paired up but it would explain some play in the direction of rotation of the wheel (which I think is what you refer to).

You must be pedalling too hard!

[Polar Bear]

The smallest two sprockets on a Deore cassette come 'ready spaced' as I recall.   I would guess that your lockring needs a tweaking up.

[MSeries]

To the OP you don't need a chain whip to tigten the lockring, only to loosen it (actually you use the chain whip to hold the cassette so you can loosen the lockring for the pedants). Just hold the wheel when tightening, your freehb will not move (relative to the wheel) in the clockwise direction.

[LEE]

Sounds like it's missing a spacer

[DrMekon]

I'd be surprised if it's missing, in that I've not noticed it before and its done 11,000km. Still, iff there is play when it's done up, I guess thats possible. Reading elsewhere, it's suggested that freehub bodies do develop play. If when I tighten it, there's still play, I'll mention it to my LBS, as they are due to swap everything over to a new frame imminently (rack eyelet came off, offered new frame and parts swap). It's the rotational play between 8th and 9th and the rest of the cassette that confuses me.

Thanks MrN. I am off round my colleagues to nab the tools right now.

[DrMekon]

And it was a loose lockring. Wobble and rotational play now gone. 

[sg37409]

I just found this during an investigation into some noises when putting some load on the pedals. I'll find out tomorrow if my tightening has solved it.

[sg37409]

Yes it solved it 😀