Surly Moonlander update; MWOD drive chain replacement...

My Surly Moonlander is over 2 years old now and on its 4th chain and second cassette to the Surly MWOD

 crank set. The stock bike came with the 3622 t ring set. I have wanted to swap these out to the lower geared 33/20t for a while to get lower gearing but there was no point doing this until the original chain rings were shot. Although the fourth chain is not worn out yet the front big ring is missing a few teeth!.
Time to get the job done..

Replacement rings were cheapest and in stock at Triton Cycles so ordered up. I ordered the usual 9 speed stuff i have on all my fatbikes; a 36t Shimano Deore HG61  cassette and Sram nickle plated 991 chain from CRC, still having 9 speed means cheaper components these days with the 10 and 11 speed stuff that's coming,...
Instructions come for the MWOD rings along with outer bolts and spacers...

The whole thing looks quite complicated but is not to hard to do/ I removed the complete ring and bash set from the crank arm and sat these bolts in the new ring-easy enough as 2 hole sizes...

Then removed the inner...

Leaving the bash ring and outer ring...

I split these..

With the outer ring on the bench it was easy to swap over the bolts and spacers...

All threads got the usual treatment of some copper grease- a cut down brush can be kept in the tin that makes this wee job easy...

Outer ring attached to the bash ring...

Then i added the inner ring bolts and spacers...

And then attached the inner ring itself and tightened it...

Lastly the whole ring set to bolt to the crank...

Clean up the crank shaft and then stick the cranks back on...

Off with the old cassette...

Steel Cassette to alloy free hub removal;
If your running a steel to alloy cassette/free hub on a Hope Pro 2 the whole lot will prob pull off when you try to remove it!, not a problem, just sit the drive end spacer on the bench and head to your vice...
With an alloy Hope Pro 2 free hub you often have to tap off the free hub, this will never come off if beach riding and you never copper greased the free hub body!, i found this out 5 years a go and since greasing i use this method every time. Sit the free hub body on the vice with the vice no gripping it. A bit rag or tissue underneath to catch the free hub pawls if they come off...

Gently tap the free hub down until level with the cassette, it should drop down now, if not a gentle tap with a drift or socket that will not damage the bearing seal inside will do it...

You can see the alloy damaged by the steel cassette, nothing to worry about though...

A spot of grease on the pawls   then reline the seal and pop back on the cassette-check the spacer washer is on the axle first!...

add the end cap then re grease with copper grease the alloy interface where the cassette contacts...

And do the same to the new cassette..

All done...

New chain on next...

Easy enough to get correct lenght, smallest cogs each end then a small amount of tension on the rear mech-that`s your correct chain lenght...

An old spoke makes a handy third hand while you shorten the chain and fit the Sram Quick link, or rivet link if a shimano chain...

And nearly all done...

Just the chain to degrease before using a dry lube for beach riding...

I have found Squirt lube best for beach riding, seems to be better on Sram nickle plated 991 chains too instead of Shimano XTR- dunno why! it just does!...

Off with the old...

And on with the new (and lower geared) set for summer...