Freewheel cog spacing not even, causing chain rub.
03-26-21, 05:45 PM
#1
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Freewheel cog spacing not even, causing chain rub.
I have an older Shimano 600 hub I just bought a new 7 Speed freewheel for (Shimano TZ510 14-28t). It seems the distance between cogs is irregular—slightly different distance from one cog to the next. I attached a photo but it is a little hard to see, but the black spacers are thinner than the white spacers. I figured maybe that was just an acceptable tolerance or it was by design, and decided to put it on and give it a shot. I can't seem to get it dialed in just right. It indexes clumsily, and in some gears it rubs a bit, with a metal-on-metal sound, and others it does not. Which might make sense if in only some gears it is closer to the neighboring cog. I'm using a SRAM 8 speed chain if that matters.
I tried another wheel, a slightly more recent Shimano 600 wheel from another bike, with a 7 speed uniglide cassette, and it works great, indexing with no metal-on-metal sound, so I do think it is the freewheel or wheel. Is there anything I can do about this? Should I just get a new freewheel and hope it is better? Could I get a narrower chain that would not rub? Could it be something else I'm not thinking of? Thanks!
I tried another wheel, a slightly more recent Shimano 600 wheel from another bike, with a 7 speed uniglide cassette, and it works great, indexing with no metal-on-metal sound, so I do think it is the freewheel or wheel. Is there anything I can do about this? Should I just get a new freewheel and hope it is better? Could I get a narrower chain that would not rub? Could it be something else I'm not thinking of? Thanks!
03-26-21, 06:13 PM
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Personally that chain looks a little wide on that cog.
Seems like I remember some mfrs varied the spacing on some models of their stuff. Don't remember who that was or whether it was FW's or cassettes.
Seems like I remember some mfrs varied the spacing on some models of their stuff. Don't remember who that was or whether it was FW's or cassettes.
03-26-21, 06:15 PM
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If you place the new FW against the old cassette, doing so with the big cogs lining up with the other's small cogs help the view, can you see any cogs that don't line up between the two sets? Shimano's 7 speed indexing is based on consistent cog to cog spacing so if the new FW is spaced wrong it's cogs won't line up with that cassette's cogs. It is possible that something in the factory went wrong WRT the spacing. It would seem to make sense to return the new FW for another and see what happens.
BTW I see that the small cog has less clearance to the drop out then is typical. Does the chain rub on the dropout when in the small cog and large ring? Andy
BTW I see that the small cog has less clearance to the drop out then is typical. Does the chain rub on the dropout when in the small cog and large ring? Andy
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AndrewRStewart
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03-26-21, 06:15 PM
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Well, it is was specified as 6/7/8 speed: https://www.jensonusa.com/SRAM-PC-850-678-Speed-Chain
So I would hope that it works for what it says it will. And from my understanding running a one speed higher (narrower) chain should work fine. And it does work fine with my other 7 speed wheel.
So I would hope that it works for what it says it will. And from my understanding running a one speed higher (narrower) chain should work fine. And it does work fine with my other 7 speed wheel.
03-26-21, 06:22 PM
#6
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If you place the new FW against the old cassette, doing so with the big cogs lining up with the other's small cogs help the view, can you see any cogs that don't line up between the two sets? Shimano's 7 speed indexing is based on consistent cog to cog spacing so if the new FW is spaced wrong it's cogs won't line up with that cassette's cogs. It is possible that something in the factory went wrong WRT the spacing. It would seem to make sense to return the new FW for another and see what happens.
BTW I see that the small cog has less clearance to the drop out then is typical. Does the chain rub on the dropout when in the small cog and large ring? Andy
BTW I see that the small cog has less clearance to the drop out then is typical. Does the chain rub on the dropout when in the small cog and large ring? Andy
I foresee returning it as you suggested though. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious/easily fixed.
03-26-21, 06:37 PM
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Did you readjust the der's limit screws and also the cable tension/length after installing the new FW? Ant time a different cog set is installed all the shifting adjustments need to be confirmed and corrected as needed. Andy
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03-26-21, 06:44 PM
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Well, it is was specified as 6/7/8 speed: https://www.jensonusa.com/SRAM-PC-850-678-Speed-Chain
So I would hope that it works for what it says it will. And from my understanding running a one speed higher (narrower) chain should work fine. And it does work fine with my other 7 speed wheel.
So I would hope that it works for what it says it will. And from my understanding running a one speed higher (narrower) chain should work fine. And it does work fine with my other 7 speed wheel.
That poster made my ignore list shortly after they started posting on this forum.
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03-26-21, 06:47 PM
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I did, yeah. I tried getting it dialed in for quite some time, and I'm usually able to tune a derailleur to work without so much trouble.
03-27-21, 01:50 PM
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I'm thinking your freewheel may have the dreaded SunTour disease. Wrap that freewheel with a face mask and keep it socially distanced from the rest of your bicycle parts.
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03-28-21, 07:41 AM
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In the early days of index shifting systems SunTour was slow to figure it out. Their solution involved using freewheels with unevenly spaced cogs. That didn't work very well. Prior to that time, SunTour had the major market share by a huge margin. Shimano's superior index shifting components allowed them to completely flip the market in just a couple of years.
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03-28-21, 09:47 AM
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I suspect some other issue is at play that we can't discern easily with our not having the stuff in hand. Andy
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03-28-21, 10:39 AM
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I've seen some sketchy things on Aliexpress and even Amazon and eBay that had a name that looked like Shimano but was not. Can't remember how it was spelled, but everything about the design and wording printed on the part and in the add was to make you think it was Shimano..... but it wasn't.
Wish I'd kept the link to those few I saw that were obvious counterfeits. Can't seem to find them now.
Wish I'd kept the link to those few I saw that were obvious counterfeits. Can't seem to find them now.
03-29-21, 07:56 PM
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Then worry about the chain.
03-29-21, 08:03 PM
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That's not what this is.
04-09-21, 12:39 AM
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If I'm not mistaken, the hub pictured is an HB-6207. These were either 120.5mm for 5sp, or 126mm for 6 speed, but not meant for use with 7 speed. A 7 speed freewheel is 2.5mm wider than 6.
Shimano introduced 7 speed to 600 Ultegra with the FH-6400 freehub. This was a transitional UG freehub, which you could put either a 6 or 7 speed cassette onto. However, there's an 1.2mm washer that goes on either the left or right side of the axle depending on which cassette you use, with the dish changing accordingly.
https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/s...000-00-ENG.pdf
Just putting a 7-speed freewheel on what was supposed to be a 6-speed hub is probably equivalent to having this spacer on the wrong side. The 6207 hub has a 1.5mm key washer on the left side which could be moved to the right for the same effect.
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04-12-21, 10:08 AM
#19
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+1
If I'm not mistaken, the hub pictured is an HB-6207. These were either 120.5mm for 5sp, or 126mm for 6 speed, but not meant for use with 7 speed. A 7 speed freewheel is 2.5mm wider than 6.
Shimano introduced 7 speed to 600 Ultegra with the FH-6400 freehub. This was a transitional UG freehub, which you could put either a 6 or 7 speed cassette onto. However, there's an 1.2mm washer that goes on either the left or right side of the axle depending on which cassette you use, with the dish changing accordingly.
https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/s...000-00-ENG.pdf
Just putting a 7-speed freewheel on what was supposed to be a 6-speed hub is probably equivalent to having this spacer on the wrong side. The 6207 hub has a 1.5mm key washer on the left side which could be moved to the right for the same effect.
If I'm not mistaken, the hub pictured is an HB-6207. These were either 120.5mm for 5sp, or 126mm for 6 speed, but not meant for use with 7 speed. A 7 speed freewheel is 2.5mm wider than 6.
Shimano introduced 7 speed to 600 Ultegra with the FH-6400 freehub. This was a transitional UG freehub, which you could put either a 6 or 7 speed cassette onto. However, there's an 1.2mm washer that goes on either the left or right side of the axle depending on which cassette you use, with the dish changing accordingly.
https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/s...000-00-ENG.pdf
Just putting a 7-speed freewheel on what was supposed to be a 6-speed hub is probably equivalent to having this spacer on the wrong side. The 6207 hub has a 1.5mm key washer on the left side which could be moved to the right for the same effect.
In any case, I've returned the freewheel. I also had another 6 speed freewheel (with even spacing between the cogs...) and set of 6 speed shifters I swapped out. All is working okay now. It sounds like I may have to stick with 6 speed if I want to use the wheel as is.
