Finding the Right Lockring Tool

[sonofhigashi]

Hello BT Readers,

First post here. First time messing around with bike maintenance as well.

Just bought a used mountain bike at a local resale shop. It's branded as a Pacific Render, but I can't find any information about it (so I'm treating it as a no-name generic).

My first question relates to finding the proper lockring tool for removing the cassette on my rear wheel. Here's a picture:



The lockring has 12 notches which seems pretty standard from the little I know. Will any old lockring tool do? Or is there more I need to take into account before buying one? It also appears that I cannot remove the bolt before I remove the cassette, so I'm assuming I'll need a lockring tool that is hollow.

sonofhigashi

[Bill]

Hi sonofhigashi,
Take a look at this forum post and tell me if yours is the same one as this one shown, the first one pictured. The last one pictured was only used as a reference.


Bill

[Bill]

After some research, I probably will be corrected on this but depending what the measurement is from middle notch to middle notch as shown in the freewheel pictured it is going to be a Park Tools FR-1 or a Park Tools FR-5C . Measure the distance with a ruler or preferably a micrometer. Use millimeters.

[sonofhigashi]

Thanks for the reply Bill.

Upon closer inspection on my part, I noticed that the smallest (outer) cog has 12 notches. I also noticed a smaller notched ring under that, as if it belonged to the second smallest cog (or at least lines up with it).

I only need one lockring tool, correct? Which measurement is the one I want to take?

I plan to visit a bike shop this weekend to pick up some more of the basic tools, taking some parts of my bike with me (disassembly is fun!) to make sure I get everything the right size. In the mean time, it's fun to learn about it.

[Bill]

You are welcome. The forum post I wanted to show ya I think I forgot to put in the first reply, sorry. If you are going to a bike shop take the whole wheel with you and they should take it off for minimal charge or tell you the exact tool you will need. For reference here is the post I was talking about. http://forums.bikeride.com/thread-1309-post-8546.html#pid8546 . The measurement you would want most likely be the inner set of splines (notches).

[trevgbb]

I am pretty sure a standard shimano remover will fit.
When you have removed your falcon fw, throw it away and replace with almost anything else, if it has to be cheap, try a sunrace, (this is the co. now making sturmey archer) or better still, a bottom end shimano.

[Bill]

Replacement is a good idea with those trev listed, but if worse comes to worse then make sure you clean it up really well by flushing it in solvent. After that, when it has dried use S.A.E. 60 oil to lubricate the inside of the freewheel by dripping a few drops in the crevice of the front and a few drops in the back crevice while turning the freewheel part on both sides. Wipe off any excess, then put anti-seize compound on the threads of where it goes back on the wheel. While some do not agree that doing this method is a good idea I have done it with freewheels that are still in good shape and they are still working great. If the freewheel has worn cogs/broken tooth, sounds very loosely rattle like, or has broken/mauled splines then definitely replace it!

An old method I wanted to share is that I have a very rare tool that allows me to inject grease into the freewheel mechanism. It works well with certain kinds of freewheels but most others it does not fit. I think that is why it did not become very popular due to the always changing and 100's of different types of freewheels.