Help with 3x9 to 2x11 Conversion

[Glen]

A plea for help to the more mechanically inclined on here. (Paging Bill Lindsay!)

I am changing my Toyo Atlantis from a 3x9 to a 2x11, replacing the outer ring on my Sugino triple with a chain guard and the inner 36 to a 38 and the rear 11x34 9sp with an 11x34 11sp. I will use a Silver 2 on a thumbie to shift the LX rear derailleur. 

The original cassette was a Shimano HG61-9 and the new one is a Shimano HG700-11 (105 level - see here https://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-105-cs-hg700-cassette) which is supposed to drop right onto my 10ish year old Shimano LX hub. 

With the included spacer installed the smallest cog doesn't "engage" and the lock ring will not reach the hub threads. I've pulled my remaining hair out over this. Without the spacer there is play in the cogs with the spacer I can't get it to sit low enough to engage the lock ring. 

Any insights? Did I possibly install a spacer upside down (is that possible)? Do I need a different mountain hub spacer than provided by Shimano with the cassette? 

I don't want to revert back to the 9sp as I'd like to keep the tighter mid cassette gearing of the 11sp. Promise pictures when this is complete and thanks to the group for the Billy Bars and Antelope Hills I was able to pick up at a good price. 

thanks

Glen

[Joe Bernard]

You shouldn't need a spacer behind that cassette which explains why it's too wide with one. Since you are having trouble locking the cassette down without the included spacer I would try a much thinner one, you can get them in various sizes, search bottom bracket spacers, it's the same diameter. 

Joe Bernard 

[Nick Payne]

It's a bit strange that without the spacer you can't tighten the lockring sufficiently to remove all the play in the cogs. I have that exact cassette (and its Ultegra equivalent) Installed on a couple of ~20-year-old Shimano XTR M970 MTB hubs, and the lockring tightens down on the cassette fine without any spacer installed.

The spacer is included with the cassette in case you want to install it on an 11/12s road hub, which have freehubs that are 1.85mm longer.

Nick Payne

[Glen]

Got it, thanks for the encouragement. I think I misaligned the last cog before trying to get the locking set all the way.