Took off Cassette to clean, wheel won't turn when on back

CatFromHue

I took off the cassette on my road bike to clean it but now when I put it back on the back and tighten the skewer (?) to fasten it on to the back the wheel won't turn.

It turns freely when not attached to the bike.

Just wondering does anyone have any idea on how to fix this?

I only took off the cassette rings to clean them and put them back in the correct order with spacers, as far as I know anyway, and there was no problem cycling the bike before hand.

Brian?

Jaysus, it's very hard to guess without seeing.

I'd take the wheel off and spin the cassette by hand. If it doesn't spin, remove it and verify the freewheel hub spins by hand.

If the freewheel moves fine, reassemble everything and check at each stage.

CatFromHue

yeah its an awkward one as the cassette spins freely when not attached to the bike, it's only when you tighten up the skewer, the little rod that goes through the wheel with the nuts on each side to affix it to the wheel, do you get a problem.

I'm going to reassemble it and maybe loosen the nut on the wheel abit so it doesn't tighten so much on the cones when you affix it to the bike

Plastik

CatFromHue wrote: »

yeah its an awkward one as the cassette spins freely when not attached to the bike, it's only when you tighten up the skewer, the little rod that goes through the wheel with the nuts on each side to affix it to the wheel, do you get a problem.

I'm going to reassemble it and maybe loosen the nut on the wheel abit so it doesn't tighten so much on the cones when you affix it to the bike

Is the chain on the cassette and not stuck between cassette and frame?

CatFromHue

Yup the chain was on the cassette.

I loosened one of the locknuts every so slightly on the axle and that seems to have sorted the problem.

It looks like I should do some maintenance on the freewheel now as it looks pretty dirty.

I'm telling ya youtube, a good tool kit, and a fool are a dangerous mix

Cee-Jay-Cee

Did you perhaps lose one of the springs from the skewer?

You shouldn't need to back off the nut a little as the wheel shouldn't lock no matter how tight the skewer is. I wouldn't cycle it anywhere till you figure out what the problem is/was.

CatFromHue

No, had both of the springs.

coastwatch

Any chance the wheel is not centered and is rubbing against the brakes or chainstay?

Unknown Soldier

CatFromHue wrote: »

No, had both of the springs.

Are both the springs "small" end in towards the centre of the wheel?

Also when tightening the skewer you should be able to release it without using a crowbar.

People seem to have a habit of over tightening those yokes IMO. Shouldn't stop the wheel turning though.

I'd be with Cee-Jay-Cee and not cycling the bike till you get this sussed.

CatFromHue wrote: »

I'm telling ya youtube, a good tool kit, and a fool are a dangerous mix

Too true!