Rohloff Splined Sprockets (Ease of swapping)

[mickeg]

I think you need to measure the diameter of the groove in the carrier, not the ID of the circlip.  The second link below suggests that a 36mm circlip has a 33mm ID.   

This one looks a bit thinner.  This is the USA Ebay site, shipping cost to UK on the UK Ebay site might be better.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pack-of-2-1400-36-External-Circlip-36mm-ID-36mm-Thickness-1-75mm-/201713701721

From China can be cheaper, but shipping can take a month.  In USA, no customs duty for this but I do not know if that is an issue for UK delivery.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-304-Stainless-Steel-External-Circlip-Retaining-Shaft-Snap-Rings-36mm-/311399714011

You might also try an automotive parts store.

[TheShipwright]

I'll measure and report back if helps anyone. Good time to do it's not been fitted and is therefore nice and clean!

I was thinking about trying to replace the standard round wire type circlip with the type that has little lugs and holes in. That way you could use circlip pliers to remove and refit. The fly in the ointment seems to be the thickness as the lugged type appear to made of plate and are thinner, ranging from 1.5mm to 1.75mm.  If the round wire type is a snug fit 2.5 then my plan might not work.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1400-36-External-Circlip-36mm-ID-36mm-Thickness-1-75mm-/201310120470?hash=item2edf04aa16:g:wxYAAOSwEeFVCAvc

Plier type might not so be so good when touring as its another tool to carry but non touring purposes it might be better/easier.

I always managed with my alfine and SA circlips but was never really tested with them by the roadside only in workshop conditions.

Edit: have measured and the inside of the splined carrier 36.6mm. Also noted that the width of the groove that the circlip sits in is 2mm. This makes me think that the lugged/pliers style might work for me.

Good luck and I hope my blathering has been helpful.

[mickeg]

I did not realize it is a round wire circlip. 

I checked a 60s(?) vintage Sturmey Archer hub, the circlip while still on the hub is 38.5mm outside diameter.  Maybe it would fit?

If it was me, I would not bother with a spare circlip anyway.  I would just be very careful to not lose it.  But I will be sticking with the thread on type for years to come, so I am not going to try to find any circlips.

[Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop]

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/rohloff-spare-snapring-splined-sprocket-system-8539/

[TheShipwright]

Dave, can I ask your opinion please on using one of these, flat style circlips instead of the round wire type ?

Thanks

[Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop]

From memory I think the round wire is important as it pushes against the sprocket to eliminate any sideways movement between the sprocket and rub ring.

[TheShipwright]

Dave, brilliant ta very much. I had thought as much as I noticed one side of the splined carrier was chamfered to accept the "round" of the wire and assumed the other side would press against the sprocket but didn't have a sprocket to hand to check.
Thanks

[mickeg]

So, when someone said you could not buy the circlip separate from the carrier, SJS will have them available.

[Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop]

So, when someone said you could not buy the circlip separate from the carrier, SJS will have them available.

Yes I saw the post and checked with Rohloff and they sell them so we should have stock in a couple of weeks.

[TheShipwright]

For those interested I swapped my splined carrier to the short (S) version this afternoon and therefore had to remove the circlip and sprocket.  It was very easy and only required a small screwdriver. It looks Rohloff have desinged the splined carrier so there's a recess, on the outer lip, to allow you get a blade under the circlip.  The circlip didn't appear to be under a lot tension as I managed to put it back on with just my fingers, something I could never manage on my Alfine which IMO required octopuss like dexterity.

In summary this is not something I'd worry about whilst on the road.

[John Saxby]

Thanks for this, Ship.

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

Here are some closeup photos I took showing the Rohloff "Slim" sprocket carrier, snap-ring and cog that arrived in the mail from SJS Cycles yesterday. The slim version preserves a 55mm chainline.

There is a little bit of lash when the sprocket is mounted on the carrier alone, but it is not apparent when the snap ring is fitted. The snap-ring went on easily with only light to moderate finger pressure and the photos show the little recess where you can insert a flat-bladed screwdriver to prise it off again. There is a gap in the snap-ring itself, so I took care to position the end of the ring over the recess for easier removal in the future. The sprocket carrier came with one snap-ring, the cog none. I ordered two more snap-rings to take with me on tour so I would have them on hand in case I dropped one in tall grass, roadside, at night in the rain with hail starting to fall. There, that should cover most contingencies. I think an emergency substitute could be field crafted from fence wire or perhaps a suitable coathanger -- possibly a cable tie or windings of twine. Really, it doesn't look too hard to bodge an emergency substitute, but I'm glad to carry spares.

Hebie Chainglider owners can see the different outer profile on the sprocket carrier, where the Chainglider would ride on a screw-on sprocket.

Best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

...A couple more photos I took showing the cog mounted on the carrier with the snap-ring in place.

Best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

Thanks for posting.  I have a spare threaded one, won't need a splined one for many years but it is useful to see what the new ones are like.

No holes drilled in the sprocket to lighten it, that must add at least two grams, maybe even three grams of weight.

[Danneaux]

No holes drilled in the sprocket to lighten it, that must add at least two grams, maybe even three grams of weight.

Yes, but removes a hard-to-clean area for clean-bike fanatics like me.   It seems dust and dirt mixed with oil and caught in the lightening holes. 

Compensations. I'll have to live with the greater weight. 

All the best,

Dan.