Rear Axle Length
- Thread starter EarleH
- Start date
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Tanis8472
Guru
If the thread doesn't come at least level with the outer face of the nut, don't use it
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
There is no such thing as a 9-speed freewheel.
7-speed frames are 126mm between drop-outs. 9-speed bikes are 130mm between drop-outs.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
First of all 
Next have a read of this Sheldon Brown article.
You can get 7 speed and 9 speed cassettes which 'slot' onto freehubs. As YS says, you cannot get 9 speed 'freewheels'.
Since your newbie status may mean you can't post images (for @User ) you will have to give us a better description of what you had and what you have changed it to, informed by the knowledge/understanding gleaned from Sheldon Brown.
Next have a read of this Sheldon Brown article.
You can get 7 speed and 9 speed cassettes which 'slot' onto freehubs. As YS says, you cannot get 9 speed 'freewheels'.
Since your newbie status may mean you can't post images (for @User ) you will have to give us a better description of what you had and what you have changed it to, informed by the knowledge/understanding gleaned from Sheldon Brown.
22point8
Senior Member
- Location
- London, SE28
First of all
Next have a read of this Sheldon Brown article.
You can get 7 speed and 9 speed cassettes which 'slot' onto freehubs. As YS says, you cannot get 9 speed 'freewheels'.
Since your newbie status may mean you can't post images (for @User ) you will have to give us a better description of what you had and what you have changed it to, informed by the knowledge/understanding gleaned from Sheldon Brown.
Let me go through the whole bit. #1, I'm 86. #2, I haven't had or worked on a bike since the had new departure brakes on a Western Flyer (in the 40s). #3. I bought a big box MTB for our son, plus a Shimano 9sp upgrade, wheels, tires, tools, bike stand, seats, and pedals. Our son died on the 10th of July. Anyway, "I" decided to do the upgrade! Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes. The up grade Shimano 9sp, was a cassette. I thought a 9sp, was a 9sp. The bike had a 7sp freewheel threaded cassette. Any way, after trial and error, I got the right (what ever you want to call it) cassette, and installation tool. and put it together, only to find that the rear wheel would not turn (by using the pedal). After tearing the whole thing apart, I finally, understood that the lock nut was not protruding far enough to free the axle to turn. Noting that I had added two more sprockets (7 to 9sp) and that I had a limited number of threads to work with, I thought I should ask someone that knows. By the way, the closest bike shop to us is 60 miles. So that is where I am. Is there enough thread, or buy a longer axle, (do I need spacers?) ????
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Well done for finding that - pretty esoteric. Now, how about you answering the OP's question! This freewheel has a 'so called' stack height (means edge to edge width) of 41mm. That's about 9mm more than the 'normal' ~32mm for a 7 speed freewheel. So one will invariably need a longer axle. But it's not yet clear that the OP has done this as opposed to just not knowing the difference between a freewheel and a freehub. So I/we need to elicit that info first - the OP did come back and look an hour ago but has not answered. It may be this is destined to be an MTB wheel so the OLN distances may differ.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
As we speak, I'm searching Amazon for an edible hat.
That's a strange beast indeed. The reason for freewheels stopping at 8-speed is because of the large overhang between the smallest sprocket and the last bearing contact point on the axle at the end of the hub. This overhang cause bending in the axle as you pedal and eventually the axle breaks. Seven-speed overhangs are about as far as you want to go. I'd imagine the 9-speed freewheel will destroy an axle very quickly.
Further, you'll have to do some sort of mod to your wheel in order to extend the axle to 130mm.
I think that is a problem item but I'll give it to you. You found one. Don't open the cage door and let it escape.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
Your age doesn't matter.
The best way to upgrade that bike is to respace the rear dropouts to 135mm and fit a freehub wheel, not freewheel wheel. Freehubs take cassettes, freewheels take freewheels. The link Ajax posted will help with the definitions and explanations.
IN my opinion, attempting to make the 9spd freewheel fit is a mistake. You will spend too much money and effort and the result will be abysmal.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
So you have something like this: 26-x-175-wheel-rear-with-nutted-solid-axle-wide-silver-alloy-rim-screw-on-freewheel
but possibly only 130mm lock nut to lock nut axle (designed for a 7 speed freewheel).
You've screwed on something like this: sunrace-mfe909-9-speed-freewheel-1332t/
As YS suggests, buy something like this: 26-x-175-rear-wheel-with-shimano-qr-hub
The hub is suitable for a 9/10sp cassette, which slots/slides onto the freehub, so you'll need a 9sp cassette like this (and it sounds as if you may have it already "The up grade Shimano 9sp, was a cassette"): 11-28-shimano-cshg300-9-speed-cassette/
The last two items depend on the drop-out distance of your frame being (or can be respaced to be) 135mm.
YS has suggested respacing the rear drop-outs. First you need to check whether they are not already at 135mm. And if the distance between drop-outs is 130mm, is the frame steel (or aluminium)? Steel OK; aluminium - check back, and consider whether 7speed might actually be fine after all.
Finally, you do not mention a new chain. A 9speed drivetrain needs a 9 speed chain - the chain out of the box will be wider (6-7 speed).
I have used the SJS site only because @22point8 found the 9sp free wheel there. Many other sources for all the items (except the esoteric 9sp freewheel) exist. I am making no recommendations for the items linked to, just using them as examples of what you need.
HTH
but possibly only 130mm lock nut to lock nut axle (designed for a 7 speed freewheel).
You've screwed on something like this: sunrace-mfe909-9-speed-freewheel-1332t/
As YS suggests, buy something like this: 26-x-175-rear-wheel-with-shimano-qr-hub
The hub is suitable for a 9/10sp cassette, which slots/slides onto the freehub, so you'll need a 9sp cassette like this (and it sounds as if you may have it already "The up grade Shimano 9sp, was a cassette"): 11-28-shimano-cshg300-9-speed-cassette/
The last two items depend on the drop-out distance of your frame being (or can be respaced to be) 135mm.
YS has suggested respacing the rear drop-outs. First you need to check whether they are not already at 135mm. And if the distance between drop-outs is 130mm, is the frame steel (or aluminium)? Steel OK; aluminium - check back, and consider whether 7speed might actually be fine after all.
Finally, you do not mention a new chain. A 9speed drivetrain needs a 9 speed chain - the chain out of the box will be wider (6-7 speed).
I have used the SJS site only because @22point8 found the 9sp free wheel there. Many other sources for all the items (except the esoteric 9sp freewheel) exist. I am making no recommendations for the items linked to, just using them as examples of what you need.
HTH
