# Cassette removal w/o a chain whip??



## journey (Jan 27, 2004)

I was looking at some of the Pedro tools and noticed the following set at Nashbar:
link here.

Perhaps its a sign of being a 'newbie' in the do-it-yourself club, but I have only seen chain whips & lockring tools for removing cassettes -- this is the first time I have seen a 'cog wrench'. Has anyone used one of cog wrenches?


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## massmang (Apr 18, 2006)

journey said:


> I was looking at some of the Pedro tools and noticed the following set at Nashbar:
> http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...and=&sku=15024&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=
> 
> Perhaps its a sign of being a 'newbie' in the do-it-yourself club, but I have only seen chain whips & lockring tools for removing cassettes -- this is the first time I have seen a 'cog wrench'. Has anyone used one of cog wrenches?


a chainwhip is convenient, but not needed.. you could use a rag, or some work gloves to hold the cassette still while someone uses the lock ring tool... you can get them for a few bucks... this is all you really need to remove your cassette http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/14...x-ST-126-1A-Cassette-Remover-w_-Guide-Pin.htm


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## bike_freak (Dec 24, 2003)

Get yourself a chain whip and save your skin.. I have had good success with the cheaper (lifu) branded cassette tools.. they seem to be standing up to the job just as good as the Park tools I have... 

Can't help you with that pedro's tool, but it should do the job (I still prefer the chainwhip.. more stable i'd imagine).


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## journey (Jan 27, 2004)

bike_freak said:


> Get yourself a chain whip and save your skin.. I have had good success with the cheaper (lifu) branded cassette tools.. they seem to be standing up to the job just as good as the Park tools I have...
> 
> Can't help you with that pedro's tool, but it should do the job (I still prefer the chainwhip.. more stable i'd imagine).


Thanks for the input so far. I am more inclined to use something to hold the cassette other than my hand -- primarilly as I tend to do my wrenching alone (or late at night after the kids are in bed), so I do not have someone else who could use the lock ring tool while I held the cassette by hand.

The only downside to a chain whip, is that you still have to get it right in order to no apply too much pressure on the freehub when tighting the lockring -- I wasn't careful enough one time and had to open up my freehub and straighten out the pawls inside :eekster: Anyway, I thought that the 'cog wrench' was a good idea. I did find another version on ebay earlier:
http://cgi.ebay.com/CNC-Machined-11...ryZ27953QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Its priced a little better too


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## massmang (Apr 18, 2006)

journey said:


> Thanks for the input so far. I am more inclined to use something to hold the cassette other than my hand -- primarilly as I tend to do my wrenching alone (or late at night after the kids are in bed), so I do not have someone else who could use the lock ring tool while I held the cassette by hand.
> 
> The only downside to a chain whip, is that you still have to get it right in order to no apply too much pressure on the freehub when tighting the lockring -- I wasn't careful enough one time and had to open up my freehub and straighten out the pawls inside :eekster: Anyway, I thought that the 'cog wrench' was a good idea. I did find another version on ebay earlier:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/CNC-Machined-11...ryZ27953QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
> ...


the lockring only requires like 25 foot pounds to tighten... you put far more force on the free hub when you ride... you could honestly take it off with a rag and the lockring tool by yourself without much trouble at all.. it is just easier if you have someone else help...

chain whip makes the job real easy.. you can make one very easily with an old chain for free...


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

Maybe I don't read so well, but I'm pretty darn sure that the torque specs for the lockring on most cassette's far exceeds what we could hold against to under do them with our bare hands (even if using a cloth or some such).


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## journey (Jan 27, 2004)

*corrected link...*

I just noticed that the link above did not work (that's what I get for attempting to past a link). What I meant to post was the link to Pedro's cassette removal 'kit' which includes the cog wrench (sells for $15 separately) and the HG Socket/wrench:
link here.

Here's part of the write-up on the 'kit':Pedro's unique Cog Wrench fits into 11t or 12t cogs, holding the cassette firmly while you insert the included HG Socket through it for easy removal of the lock ring.​
$50 for the kit is a little steep, but $15 for the cog wrench & $3 for the lock ring tool seem pretty decent.

As far as the torque required, most of the cassettes that I have state that 40 Nm is required -- mind you, I have not broken out my calculator to know what that translates to in either ft lbs or inch lbs. Even if I did, I do not have a torque wrench yet (its on the short list of "things to buy" ;-) I have just been tightening it "very snug" so perhaps I have been putting the cassette on too tight -- I have borrowed a friend's tool set, so my next purchase is a few key items.


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## massmang (Apr 18, 2006)

40 newtone meters is 29.5 foot pounds

myself I use a chain whip $4.95 at LBS and the cassette tool $3.75 online..
total $8.70

works like a charm.. no problems what so ever. I put far mor torque on the casstte when I ride.


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

I have never used any tool to hold the cassett when installing the lock ring, only when removing it.


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## Gevorg (Dec 7, 2004)

*Make your own*

You can make your own cog set wrench by using large flat wrench like BB wrench (see picture)
1. Drill small holes at the end of the wrench opening
2.Install short 5mm or so bolts with nuts, make sure that bolts do not stick out to much

Alternative solution is to use bent nose pliers with large enough opening to hold the cassette


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## danthesoundman (Jun 29, 2006)

I would just put a leather glove on my left hand and wrap another chain around my hand and there it is - a chain whip. If you don't want to use your hand, you could vice grip the old chain to a stick or a whatever and there you go. And as LWright said, it's only for taking them off.


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

ive used both in the shop,i liked the pedros but your always trying to figure out wich side you need to be using,a chainwip always goes right on,no fuss no muss.the socket handle tool straight up rocks,you no longer need a cresent wrench or bench vise to hold the cassette tool,plus it holds campy bb tools.just my 2cents

J.A. Stein makes a nice cog wrench too,among other cool tools
http://www.jastein.com/


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## hugh088 (Feb 1, 2004)

I built a hook spanner that fits on the cog out of birch plwood and then covered it with some carbon fiber tape that I had left over from a strip kayak I built. A very cool looking tool that also works well. It's not a good investment time or money wise but I'll have it forever just like the ball peen hammer I built in shop class 35 years ago. I'm not at home or I would post a picture.


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## Nor'Easter (Apr 13, 2004)

*Any photos of a homemade chain whip?*



massmang said:


> chain whip makes the job real easy.. you can make one very easily with an old chain for free...


I need to make a chain whip, can you post pictures?


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