# cog keeps slipping... help?



## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

My fixed gear miles are building up.
I have started to be able to do some heavier braking with my legs, and some skidding.

My problem is that the cog loosens up from hard braking then hard pedaling. The play gets more and more until I have it tightened. About a quarter turn of the cranks. Which is annoying! The hub says 'Suzue Japan 2 J' on it. cog and lockring don't say anything. I bought the wheel secondhand from a riding buddy and the local shop ( a good shop that sells fixies) set it up for me. I have brought it back for them to tighten things up and they did, but it loosened up again. The chainline is far from perfect, if that matters. gearing is 42:16. bike is an old converted road bike.

Should I loctite it all together? higher quality cog/lockring?

is this a common problem?


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> My fixed gear miles are building up.
> I have started to be able to do some heavier braking with my legs, and some skidding.
> 
> My problem is that the cog loosens up from hard braking then hard pedaling. The play gets more and more until I have it tightened. About a quarter turn of the cranks. Which is annoying! The hub says 'Suzue Japan 2 J' on it. cog and lockring don't say anything. I bought the wheel secondhand from a riding buddy and the local shop ( a good shop that sells fixies) set it up for me. I have brought it back for them to tighten things up and they did, but it loosened up again. The chainline is far from perfect, if that matters. gearing is 42:16. bike is an old converted road bike.
> ...


Is it a track hub with a reverse thread lock ring? - TF


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

TurboTurtle said:


> Is it a track hub with a reverse thread lock ring? - TF


yes. suzue.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> yes. suzue.


Then I would say that you are not getting the cog tight enough before you tighten the lock ring. Try installing them and then stand hard on the pedals a few times going forward. Do not back pedal. Tighten the reverse lock ring.

Also could be that the lock ring is actually jumping the (cheap aluminum) threads of the hub. If true, new hub.

TF


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

TurboTurtle said:


> Then I would say that you are not getting the cog tight enough before you tighten the lock ring. Try installing them and then stand hard on the pedals a few times going forward. Do not back pedal. Tighten the reverse lock ring.
> 
> Also could be that the lock ring is actually jumping the (cheap aluminum) threads of the hub. If true, new hub.
> 
> TF


hmm...OK. i will try that. the problem is that i dont have the tool to tighten the lockring.

if lock ring is jumping the threads, could i look at the threads and see some damage?


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> hmm...OK. i will try that. the problem is that i dont have the tool to tighten the lockring.
> 
> if lock ring is jumping the threads, could i look at the threads and see some damage?


Step #1 - get the tool to tighten the lock ring.

The treads would be rounded, but don't know if you could tell without a new one to compare??

TF


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

*Loctite*

hey JH - 

So far I've had 2 fixies and have yet to use a lockring at all. And I have skid w/both. The only thing I've done is drop some blue Loctite on the threads and tighten. One setup is Surly hub & cog, the other is Dura-Ace hub (non-track) and DA cog.

that's kinda weird that the lockring is reversing too. Are there plenty of threads for both cog & ring?


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

Hollywood said:


> hey JH -
> 
> So far I've had 2 fixies and have yet to use a lockring at all. And I have skid w/both. The only thing I've done is drop some blue Loctite on the threads and tighten. One setup is Surly hub & cog, the other is Dura-Ace hub (non-track) and DA cog.
> 
> that's kinda weird that the lockring is reversing too. Are there plenty of threads for both cog & ring?


OK. I think that once the lockring is loose, it just jiggles loose when the cog isnt tight against it. i will find the tool, and tighten everything down with blue loctite and burn a candle and drink a stout and do the voodoo dance and see what happens.

i got the wheel from scott, who's company (level components) makes fixey hubs with bolt on cogs. so maybe if i cant get this sorted out, i will just get one of those. with a new gunnar frame? oh no.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> OK. I think that once the lockring is loose, it just jiggles loose when the cog isnt tight against it. i will find the tool, and tighten everything down with blue loctite and burn a candle and drink a stout and do the voodoo dance and see what happens.
> 
> i got the wheel from scott, who's company (level components) makes fixey hubs with bolt on cogs. so maybe if i cant get this sorted out, i will just get one of those. with a new gunnar frame? oh no.


Forget the lock-tite, candle and stout - just install it correctly. - TF


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

*Yeah, just put it together*

with the right tools. There is no way it's together right if you didn't use a tool on the lockring.


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## timfire (Dec 13, 2001)

*Might be a bad cog/hub/lockring combo*

Hmm, I seem to remember reading that that some cogs & lockrings (or maybe hubs) were slightly different widths, so that with certain combos you might end up with a slight space that allows the cog to move back and forth. You can try searching the forums for more info.

If tightening the lockring doesn't help, you may need to put some sort of washer between the lockring and cog.


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## weather (Feb 6, 2004)

NYCB sells a cheap track tool.

when your cog slips forward it unscrews your lockring, so you gotta make sure the cog is fully threaded in before tightening the lockring.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

timfire said:


> Hmm, I seem to remember reading that that some cogs & lockrings (or maybe hubs) were slightly different widths, so that with certain combos you might end up with a slight space that allows the cog to move back and forth. You can try searching the forums for more info.
> 
> If tightening the lockring doesn't help, you may need to put some sort of washer between the lockring and cog.


OK. thanks. that seems like it could be the problem. all of the parts are from the bin at the LBS.

agh! more bike part compatibility issues! i thought fixed gear would make this go away.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

weather said:


> NYCB sells a cheap track tool.
> 
> when your cog slips forward it unscrews your lockring, so you gotta make sure the cog is fully threaded in before tightening the lockring.


is this the tool you are talking about? do you have one and it's good stuff? it seems nice to have all the tools on one thing. If you have it, is it something you could carry around with you on the bike easily?

https://www.nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=372


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> is this the tool you are talking about? do you have one and it's good stuff? it seems nice to have all the tools on one thing. If you have it, is it something you could carry around with you on the bike easily?
> 
> https://www.nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=372


Don't know if that hooked end will fit a standard track lock ring or not. Ask before buying. I prefer the three pin style as on the left side of this one. You would still need to get the chain whip separate if you don't have one.

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools/fixedgear.html

TF


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## Thommy (Sep 23, 2003)

*Buy the right tool(s)*

and save your money to upgrade to a better hub. The Suzue Jrs aren't the best hubs to be skidding on. Upgrade to the better Suzue with the sealed bearings, way better hub. The shop I hang at sells a lot of the Jrs and they fail pretty frequently from skidding. They are a great entry level hub. I second the Loc-tite.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

You have a cheap hub, and if you do't fix it, you will strip the threads.

Some cogs are too thin to really be enguaged by the lockring... I have a cog like that. The cog kept tightening and loosening, but the lockring was fine. This is really hard on the threads. I ended up taking an old BB lockring, which is threaded the same as the cog, and used it as a spacer. I'm guessing a large washer could serve the same puropse.

Finally, use the right tools. Cogs are subjected to HUGE torques while riding. If you think it is tight, it probably isn't.


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## weather (Feb 6, 2004)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> is this the tool you are talking about? do you have one and it's good stuff? it seems nice to have all the tools on one thing. If you have it, is it something you could carry around with you on the bike easily?


yes i have one. tightened my cog up and never had a problem. it feels pretty solid.

it is not what i would call carry-alongs, but it is rather small so that if you ride with a camelbak, you can put it in your main compartment (with the bladder).


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## victorthewombat (Feb 28, 2003)

*have you tried*

assuming correct chain line. 

Have you tried complete tear down with cleaning with solvet. Blue locktite on all threaded pieces. Should not be a problem...

Someone mentioned this before....are you...cut your nutz off sure...the chainline is correct?

VTW


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

victorthewombat said:


> assuming correct chain line.
> 
> Have you tried complete tear down with cleaning with solvet. Blue locktite on all threaded pieces. Should not be a problem...
> 
> ...


Why would bad chainline loosen the lock ring? - TF


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## Jamieshankland (Jan 8, 2005)

A couple small drops of loc-tite also are a good idea to help fill the voids in the threads. Suzue hubs are well known for soft threads to begin with so I would recomend quickly solving your issue before you take all the treads off.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

I just wanted to mention that the problem seems to be solved. I removed the lockring and cog, and cleaned it all up with degreaser and let it dry. It was pretty dirty. Then I put some chainlube on the threads and tightened it all up (by hand only). I really cranked on the cog, then cranked on the lockring. no loctite.

seems to be working, even with my skidding.

i think the guy at the shop either didnt tighten it down enough, or maybe the dry/dirty threads prevented good tightening.

Unfortunately, my deteriorating BB has become something that needs to be addressed. It's full of sand from the winter, I think. Lots of play. maybe later ...

happy riding and thanks for the replies!


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