[pnj]

I am pretty confiedent when it comes to working on bikes but I don't have alot of experience with derailers. I have done minor adjustments with the set screws but thats about it.

I replaced my shifter(thumb index thingy) and the cable.

I didn't have too much time to mess w/ it last night but did ride around the block once.

The problem is, when I shift all the way up or down,(not sure what direction it is, but it only does this on one way) and I start to shift back through the gears, I have to 'Click' the shifter 3 or 4 times before the derailer starts to move the chain across the rear gears.

do I just need to massively adjust the set screws or do I need to do something else?

 

[BrokenChain]

There's either too much/not enough tension on the cable.

 

[Tenchiro]

SOunds like a cable tension issue, the set screws are just to keep the derailleur from pusing the chain off the end cogs. Remember to stretch the cable before doing any real adjustments.

 

[BrokenChain]

Put the shifter/derailleur in the smallest cog and take up the slack (Not super tight though.) Then adjust the tension by using the barell adjusters on the shifter/derailleur. If you have a 9 speed cassette, a quick way to get almost perfect shifting is to get the chain on the 4th cog from the bottom and increase tension using the barrell adjuster until it starts to rub on the next cog up, then back off on the adjuster until it stops rubbing.

 

[pnj]

cool, thanks guys.

I'll give it a try.

 

[pnj]

well, I didn't make any adjustments an it is shifting just fine. but when I replaced the shifter I didn't know how to take the cable out so I, of course, took the whole thing apart.

now I have 3 extra clicks on the shifter to get the derailer to start moving if I start w/ the chain in the highest gear/smallest cog. (this is the rear derailer/shifter)

so, I'm sure I messed with the guts of the shifter when I took it apart and will be needing to take it apart again to fix it.

anyone have any experience with these? it's a shimano Deore.

(yea, I know i'm an idiot....)

 

[mtbdirteater]

Originally posted by pnj
well, I didn't make any adjustments an it is shifting just fine. but when I replaced the shifter I didn't know how to take the cable out so I, of course, took the whole thing apart.

now I have 3 extra clicks on the shifter to get the derailer to start moving if I start w/ the chain in the highest gear/smallest cog. (this is the rear derailer/shifter)

so, I'm sure I messed with the guts of the shifter when I took it apart and will be needing to take it apart again to fix it.

anyone have any experience with these? it's a shimano Deore.

(yea, I know i'm an idiot....)

None personally ripping shifters apart, but next time click it down so your orange indicator is all the way closest to your stem and remove the little black twist cap behind the thumb lever and push the cable out. When you feed the new shifter cable in through the shifter, if it doesn't seem to go all the way in, click the thumb lever once.

You may also still have your cable tension wrong (where you clamped it on the derailleur), see below.

When installing a new rear derailleur, remember to back your High and Low screws all the way out (so they are not doing anything) on your rear derailleur and run your barrel adjuster on your shifter all (or almost all) the way back in before you tighten your cable clamp screw. The cable should be pulled through about hand tight just until it stops when you lightly pull on it, or just a tad more, you do not need a cable stretcher for this. And obviously if starting your rear adjustment with the low cog, you need to have your shifter shifted that way first too.

On a High-Normal rear derailleur (regular type - disconnected derailleur by default snaps out to small cassette cog), you can adjust your High (small) cog without the chain on, and you can set these two screws before you attach the cable too. Visually line up the top cage cog wheel with the teeth on your smallest cassette cog above it, turn the H screw to line it up. Now grab the derailleur by the top of the cage and pull it all the way over (in towards your wheel) with your hand to where it stops over the big cassette cog (the Low gear cog). While holding it over to where it stops, turn the L screw until it moves and lines up. Neat, eh? Now put the chain on (shift into small cog and chain ring to do this, then back to a bigger chain ring to adjust High gear first) and do any fine adjustments with the H and L screws to get the chain to run smoothly through without rubbing or grinding on the next cassette cog.

So now you see that these H and L screws on your rear derailleur are just stops that limit how far over it can move on each end of its travel. Cable tension is the adjustment that determines when it starts to move and where it stops when you move the connected shifter.

If you get this H and L adjustment done like this, all gears will shift perfectly in between. You shouldn't turn the H and L screws to adjust unless you are actually on the small (H) or big (L) cassette cogs, and don't cross-chain up on the chainrings when doing this, it will rub then and make you think you are doing something wrong. If/when you get cable stretch after this or if you swap out a different rear wheel, use your barrel adjuster on your shifter to take up the slack.

After you play with this a bit, you will be Mr. Rear Derailleur Dude.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[pnj]

thanks. i'll give it a shot in a few months when I actually get some time to ride the damm bike again.