[spoke80]

I am a proficient bike mechanic who's have been racing a DH9 for a year now and ever sice I changed to SRAM x-9 derailluers I have destoyed 4. I have noticed that on each occassion the derailluer goes into the wheel no matter what gear I am in.

Please let me know of any advice or maybe it is just me.

 

[Jeremy R]

Yo Ben,
I have found the X-9 to be stronger than anything else that I have tried.
Short cage XT, Ultegra, 105, for me the x-9 has taken some good impacts and keeps on trucking.
I did break one, but it from bending it back and forth trying to get my der. hanger straight.

So the fact that you have blown 4 is kinda strange and badass at the same time.

 

[vitox]

a friend of mine had the same problem with the same bike, he ended up rigging a steel rod that stuck out and protected the derailler, he even managed to scratch that thing up pretty bad.

i have a pic somewhere but couldnt find it, if it interests you i can look for it again but its pretty simple really.

 

[spoke80]

Yo Ben,
I have found the X-9 to be stronger than anything else that I have tried.
Short cage XT, Ultegra, 105, for me the x-9 has taken some good impacts and keeps on trucking.
I did break one, but it from bending it back and forth trying to get my der. hanger straight.

So the fact that you have blown 4 is kinda strange and badass at the same time.

Yeah, I am just trying to figure it out. I believe it is a setup question but I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. It didn't crash or hit anything so I guess it has to be a bike setup. Badass or not I would like to finish a run without breaking a derailluer.

Maybe I need to kill a chicken or something! :devil:

 

[Acadian]

is your hanger straight?

 

[Jeremy R]

is your hanger straight?

That is a very personal question to be asking on a messageboard.

 

[spoke80]

My hanger is strizzaight and I am running a short cage x-9. I try to avoid the rocks but that is easier said than done, at least for me it is.

 

[profro]

I've ridden with Spoke and I didn't think it was a rock hitting thing, but more of a swinging into the spokes then?????? Is that right?

 

[Threepointtwo]

That does sound strange. I went through 5 XT's before switching to an XO last season and it is still going strong. I don't know that there is a big difference between the X9 and XO so I wouldn't expect to see that kind of problem.

 

[profro]

did you take the shock out and run the travel with the chain on? It sounds like you didn't compensate for chain growth and it's throwing your der into the wheel when you bottom out.

Good anwser. I'll make sure to check mine too whenever I can ride again.

 

[Ciaran]

I have noticed that on each occassion the derailluer goes into the wheel no matter what gear I am in.

I think it's just me being confused... but you say that this is NOT caused by hitting rocks and such, and that the der. is going INTO the spokes? Possibly when shifting? (I know I must be missing something here) I only have experience with Shimano Der's, but does the SRAM have anything that acts as a travel stop like the two little screws on the Shimano? I have been riding for a long time and have only ever on very rare occassions had a der go that deep into a wheel. Like I said though, I am probably not understanding something... just trying to learn and help a bit.

I have a 2001 DH9 but I haven't had it that long so I may experience different things down the road... I am running a Shimano 105 short cage with XT shifter, cassette and chain. So far so good.

 

[profro]

He's not shifting while it happens.

 

[spoke80]

did you take the shock out and run the travel with the chain on? It sounds like you didn't compensate for chain growth and it's throwing your der into the wheel when you bottom out.

Now that is what I am talking about! So what do I need to do to compensate for chain growth?


Man I really appreciate the advice!

 

[profro]

Ben, bring your bike over tonight and we can put it in the stand to check everything out after MTNx. Plus you can pick up that extra der. as well.

 

[spoke80]

take the shock out and run it throuhg the travel, I usually added 2 links so my der pointed str8 down. that was usually about enough. but ditch the shock that's the way to check.

What cog should I be in so that the rear derailluer is str8 down?

Profro: rigs at the shop so they can fix all the spokes I broke.

P.S Are you coming out tonight, if so can you bring that RD?

 

[profro]

I can probably stop by for sure. However it has been hard for me to watch you guys ride and not get to ride myself.

 

[Zark]

What cog should I be in so that the rear derailluer is str8 down?

The largest cog on the cassette (highest tooth count) That gives the der enough chain to not explode when blowing through the travel in that gear.

Try to stay out of that gear when dropping/bottoming out if you can. Even if there's enough chain to not blow up the der it might get sucked into the spokes from flopping around during the impact.

 

[Matt D]

I switched from Shimano to SRAM X.7 and love it. I've had the same der. all year, where last year I went through 4-5 shimanos. This is all based on strength of the derailleur, not setup though.

Did anything else change when you put the SRAM on? As stoney said, did your chain length change?

 

[spoke80]

Thanks all, I will heed you advice when I install the new derailluer.

 

[JohnnyBoyDH]

A few of our team guys have had problems with the X9 derailleurs breaking by the high/low screws. Mine has been o.k. so far, but another guy has gone through 4 of them this season....

 

[MMike]

I ran the same XT med cage for over two years. It just got sucked in recently. I don't believe that it's a "shimano problem".