Need some advice and help. I have been trying in vain to disassemble / remove the cassette of the original Shimano DX hub on my '81 Supergoose to ready it for cleaning, paint, etc with no success. Ive been to 4 bike shops here in Houston and nobody Ive talked to can determine how to disassemble this piece. Is there a special tool required and if so where can I find one?

I am the orginal owner of the bike and its never been apart. Though it spins well, I can hear dirt, etc inside the hub so breaking it down, cleaning and greasing it is the preferred option. Any help anyone can provide is much appreciated.

If I remeber correctly you remove the axle assembly and insert a hex wrench (about 10mm?) into the hub from the opposite side of the cassette assembly.

rogeril3 might be right but hopefully mrcoasterbrake can chime in he has helped me out alot

there may have been different versions, but here's how the ones i have work:

remove axle/bearings. these are the only parts that actually hold my cassette body to the hub shell. once the axle has been removed the cassette body just slides off the shell splines.

to get the cassette body apart you will need to leave the body on those splines to hold it (keep it from turning) and unscrew the outer race (the race the axle bearings fit into) using the 2 notches on the edge. it's been a long time, so i forget if the threading is right or left handed. there used to be a tool for this, but it's long since discontinued so you'll probably need to improvise. once that is loose the innards are basically like the inside of a regular freewheel - bunch o' bearings and the pawls & spring/retainer...