need help with front sprocket!

[ragecage23]

How do I take this darn thing off? I took the sprocket cover off, but now I'm lost. Please help

[Paulcet]

Remove the chain. Remove the retaining ring. Slide sprocket off.

[Fry]

There should be a C-Clip/Snap Ring that you need to take off of the shaft before the sprocket will slide off of the shaft. Penetrating oil will help.

[JB848]

There is another way to do it too. Loosen the rear axle bolt after taking out the cotter pin. Loosen both adjusters and push rear tire forward slightly. This will give you the slack you need without breaking the chain. As fry said there is a c-clip that holds the sprocket on....use a large flat tip screw driver and spread the clip apart and from the rear you should be able to put a small flat tip or the end of needle nose pliers and work the clip in the opposite direction of the opening. Careful they tend to fly off sometimes. Once c-clip is off you should be able to use same large flat tip and gently pry the sprocket off with the chain still on, pry a little, spin the wheel,pry a little. DO NOT FORCE IT!. Use liquid wrench or WD-40 on it first if you have it. It should come off relatively easy. As long as you are not changing a drastic size sprocket you should be able to put the chain in the new sprocket and gently reverse sequence remembering to tighten or loosen the chain adjusters as you go and tighten axle and replace cotter saftey pin!

Good Luck and take your time it's really an easy process.

[gsJack]

As log as the chain has at least a normal amount of freeplay I've never had a problem just sliding the front sprocket off with the chain still around it without disturbing the chain adjustment, rear axle nut stays tight.  Takes a bit more muscle to put it back on with the chain around it but it's quite doable.  Just did it again last month to inspect the sprocket before ordering new chain at age 78, should be a piece of cake for a young man or woman.  After the snap ring is removed of course.   

[JB848]

Thanks gsJack, that's the way I have always done it. I was just trying to cover every detail a new GS wrencher might need and ask. I always losen the axle and adjusters just to make sure for proper chain adjustment too. But then I am anal I guess.

[tt_four]

I've fought with those stupid clips with screw drivers for countless hours I'll never get back. I bought a pair of the pliers that's meant to remove them for about $7, and can't believe how much time I wasted. It was the easiest thing in the world. I almost with I had more of those clips that needed undone.

[JB848]

LOL tt_four it takes paitence..I agree a good pair of snap ring pliers does the job in seconds...I have had to improvise so much as a mechanic it is faster with two screw drivers! I am not a cresent wrench and duct tape man by no means I have just been building engines for a long time.

For the first timer though you must let them know those little rings fly the way I do it.

[Fry]

The Proper tools make life so so much easier, yet a good mechanic can always make do with what's readily available...

[ragecage23]

Thanks all, I did what Paulcet and some others suggested. Turns out the sprocket that Cycle Gear had ordered was wrong because it sat on the chain links.

[sledge]

Its good practise to replace circlips everytime they are removed so butcher it off with screwdrivers, chisles or any other convenient blunt instrument you can find. Then get some cash together and instead of buying a pair of circlip pliers that you will probably never use again go out and buy 3 or 4 brand new 25mm external circlips from a decent hardware supplier for about $2.

They go on far easier than they come off, you will have enough to see out the lifetime of 3 or 4 front sprockets and will probably never have to worry about the problem again

[ragecage23]

Thanks, but my dad used to be a mechanic so he had a couple pairs of the circlip pliers laying around.

The 17 tooth sprocket swap was a success! I can't wait to see how this plays out.

[JB848]

Well it seems after all of our help and input all you had to do is ask your Father! Father knows best remember that. Cool beans you got everything squared away. But I have to say I have been calling them Snap ring pliers forever? Are they Circlip or Snapring pliers? Some one correct me or make a ruling?

[sledge]

Circlips have holes in them to facilitate removal, snaprings dont.

http://www.springmasters.com/circlips.html

[JB848]

Thanks Sledge for the clarification. Tomatoe Tomatoe LOL. I wonder if he ever got the sprocket replaced?