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Cannot remove the cassette from the axle

I have an e-bike with an 8FUN hub motor,

I would now like to replace the cassette as the gears are quite worn.

But I can't get them off.

I have attached a picture of the cheap tool kit I bought and marked the tool that fits (but is quite short).

Am I just too weak or do I need a different, special tool? (And yes, I used a lot of WD-40)

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That looks like a "freewheel" design, which has the clicky parts integrated with the cogs, and the whole lot has to unscrew, conventionally.

Downside is that every pedal stroke tightens the thread, so its really tight.

The normal process is to slip the tool into the hub (you will need top thread it over the wiring/cable) and use an enormous spanner, a 12" or 300mm spanner is about the smallest that might work.

Personally I put the tool in a bench vise with the wheel horizontally on top. Then I grab the wheel by the rim for leverage and unscrew it anticlockwise.

When you fit a new freewheel, add grease to the thread first.

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    vise did the trick, it worked with the short tool from my set, but was certainly not ideal, thanks!
    – JavaMan
    Commented Oct 2 at 20:04
  • @JavaMan good work ! Yeah freewheels themselves aren't ideal because the right-hand bearing is a long way from the dropout, so bent axles are more likely due to an unsupported length.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Oct 3 at 1:03
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Crigg has given good tips

BUT

The rear-motor e-bike freewheels are often a special case as the axle has a wider cross section than a standard wheel. Most freewheel tools cannot engage the splines as the centre bore is less than the axle diameter.

To perform this operation at the shop, I had to buy a Park FR 1.3 which is drilled with a 15mm bore.

https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/freewheel-remover-fr-1-3?category=Cassette+%26+Freewheel

I do not know if there is currently an alternative product, I could not find another.

You cannot modify a freewheel tool with a 15mm drill bit typically, because the tool steel is so hard.

Maybe this doesn't apply to you specifically but it will no doubt be useful for someone.

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  • A bigger clear bore is an advantage of (at least some) tools that are designed to be used with a socket, though the ones that fit directly onto a 1/2" square drive are normally nicer to use. Of course with a cable you can't use the square drive anyway, and have to use an open spanner
    – Chris H
    Commented Oct 4 at 15:36
  • @ChrisH Often the bore is big to clear the various nuts and spacers on a standard axle but reduces at the end to the axle diameter (or about 12mm). Have a look at yours and see if you think it would clear a long 14mm axle, so a bore of 15mm at the hex-shaped end. Let me know what brand if it's a fit.
    – Noise
    Commented Oct 5 at 7:29
  • the one that's a possible is a cheap unbranded one from ebay that I've had for years, but I'll try to remember to check later. When I temporarily mislaid it I bought one that specifically won't fit over much because it goes directly onto my square drive tools.
    – Chris H
    Commented Oct 5 at 7:50

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