A bit of play in cassette.. normal?

[Craig Armstrong]

I was just busy doing a bit of maintenance on my bike when I realised my cassette has some free play in it. 

Is this normal? 

I noticed it because when I shifted to my biggest gear, the cassette actually moved a little. Seems like it might mess with the gear indexing. Or should I just ignore it.

 

Video to demonstrate:

https://s.amsu.ng/aouApYyK3vzN

[ChrisF]

Check the little nut on the end .... NO, this is not part of the shaft.  It is actually the nut that holds the freebody in place.

 

 

Had the same issue with my GX a few weeks back ... saw it the night before a ride .... shear luck that I figured out the "protruding shaft" is actually a nut for the freebody.

 

 

on previous bikes (shimano) I am used to nuts on the ends to line up the shaft.  But these did not form part of the freebody

Edited January 25, 2020 by ChrisF

[David Marshall]

That looks like the whole cassette/freebody is moving on the axle and is not normal.  Depending on the hub design it could be a number of things - loose axle end caps (if they are threaded), bearing collapsed, not properly seated or a missing spacer.  I would definitely dig deeper.

[Craig Armstrong]

Check the little nut on the end .... NO, this is not part of the shaft.  It is actually the nut that holds the freebody in place.

 

 

Had the same issue with my GX a few weeks back ... saw it the night before a ride .... shear luck that I figured out the "protruding shaft" is actually a nut for the freebody.

 

 

on previous bikes (shimano) I am used to nuts on the ends to line up the shaft.  But these did not form part of the freebody

 

Thanks so much! That was it. Problem solved