[I Are Baboon]

My rear derailleur pulley is slightly, slightly twisted. The last few rides, I have been chain sucking anytime I hammer on the pedals, especially when there is mud in the drivetrain. It only seems to happen when I am in my small front ring though. I replaced the chain, but that didn't help. I checked the front rings for burrs and bends, and they look ok. Is it possible the tweaked pulley is causing this? My next try is to replace the front rings and see if that helps.

 

[VTinCT]

Originally posted by I Are Baboon
My rear derailleur pulley is slightly, slightly twisted. The last few rides, I have been chain sucking anytime I hammer on the pedals, especially when there is mud in the drivetrain. It only seems to happen when I am in my small front ring though. I replaced the chain, but that didn't help. I checked the front rings for burrs and bends, and they look ok. Is it possible the tweaked pulley is causing this? My next try is to replace the front rings and see if that helps.

Yo Babs.
I'd imagine that anything that is throwing your chainline off would adversley effect your shifting/drivetrain perofrmance. On that note tho, I'd also seriously look into swaping out those rings...a new chain on worn rings isn't always a great thing as the drive train tends to wear as a unit. When you looked at the rings, did you notice any of them hooking over? (shark fins) those will bring your chain around and double it over quckfast on you....

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by VTinCT
When you looked at the rings, did you notice any of them hooking over? (shark fins) those will bring your chain around and double it over quckfast on you....

Hmmm...I didn't really notice. I'll take a closer look before my ride tonight. I don't have a new set of big rings, so I was hoping just putting a new chain on would help (it's worth a try).

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Replace the granny gear & chain. Then double check the rear derailleur and bend it back if its tweeked.

 

[Rev.Chuck]

If you get chainsuck, especialy when the drivetrain is muddy, worn rings are most likely culprit.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by Rev.Chuck
If you get chainsuck, especialy when the drivetrain is muddy, worn rings are most likely culprit.

I removed my bashguard last night and took a good look at the front rings. They look somwhat worn, and there are a couple of teeth missing on my small ring.

Time to replace them, I guess. I just got the bike last August. Do rings wear that fast?

 

[jacksonpt]

I had similar symptoms, so I replaced the small and middle chain rings, and bought a new chain. I also had the LBS straighten my derailleur hanger - no more chain stick. FWIW... My chain and rings were still original - had just over 1 season on them, riding on average once a week from May - December.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
FWIW... My chain and rings were still original - had just over 1 season on them, riding on average once a week from May - December.

I am still on my original rings as well. Got the bike last August, and probably rode twice a week for six months on them.

 

[jacksonpt]

So it sounds like they probably have similar wear on them as mine did. My rings were Truvativ Firex, which, from what I've read, are pretty soft.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
So it sounds like they probably have similar wear on them as mine did. My rings were Truvativ Firex, which, from what I've read, are pretty soft.

Hmmm...I have not heard too much about those. Mine are XT.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Originally posted by jacksonpt
So it sounds like they probably have similar wear on them as mine did. My rings were Truvativ Firex, which, from what I've read, are pretty soft.

so are race face prodigies - damn thing sucked right out of the box.

 

[jacksonpt]

Originally posted by MtnBikerChk
so are race face prodigies - damn thing sucked right out of the box.

Good to know... I'll be sure to stay away from them.

 

[KrusteeButt]

Hmmmmm....but does your chain swallow?
Ba dum bump!
uh....
yeah.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by KrusteeButt
Hmmmmm....but does your chain swallow?
Ba dum bump!
uh....
yeah.

 

[KrusteeButt]

Originally posted by I Are Baboon

Yep...I just couldn't help myself.

 

[D_D]

Try cleaning the rings and chain before replacement. If you have a decent granny ring it can be filpped so the chain is running on the unworn side of the teeth. Also check for any bend teeth or teeth with bits of metal sticking out that could catch the chain and file them off.

If you have to replace them look for a steel granny ring it will last much longer and will be harder to damage.

 

[oldfart]

Yep the rings are the culprit. They do wear fast off road. The rear derailleur pulley has no involvement in chainsuck. How many hours and what sort of conditions you ride in determine drivetrain wear. I spend most of my rides in the middle ring and will go through 2 or 3 chains and one complete drivetrain once a year or less. That's around 400hours or so in a lot of mud.

 

[Rustmouse]

Chainring wear depends on how much you pedal (on my bike, I'm pretty sure the pedals are there for me to have somewhere for my feet as I go over the jumps)

If you look at the chainrings, they should look pretty much like a skateboard ramp on both sides, curved at the base going vertical at the top. if it looks like a cresting wave (concave on one side, skate ramp on the other) it's worn (the more wave like, the more worn)...

if you have to replace a front chainring, I'd look pretty hard at my favorite gear in the back, too, I'll bet it's seeing some wear, too... might have to buy a cassette, too.

 

[ohio]

Aluminum granny rings wear very fast.

Not many teeth + soft metal = short life.

It only has 22 teeth. Your largest rear cog is probably 32 teeth, and they'd never think of making it out of aluminum...

Replace it often or buy a steel granny ring... well worth the weight penalty.

 

[East Coast Mojo]

Check your chain wear often and replace the chain when it reaches "fair" and you may never have to replace the cogs. There is a tool specifically designed to measure the distance from one chain pin to the next, or you can load the chain and measure it with a ruler too. Current chains are 1/2" pitch so they should measure 1/2" from one pin to the next.

As the chain stretches it removes material from the teeth on the sprockets. This usually happens on the cassette first, then the chainrings, as the chainrings have more teeth to spread the load over. If you find actual "burrs" remove them with a file, but know that some imperfections are designed into the middle and big chainrings to aid in the shifting up onto those rings, these are called "ramps". Examine a new chainring of the same make to determine if you have burrs or if it is intended to be that way before you file them off.

Also, make sure the drivetrain is clean of sticky dirt that can cause the chain to stick to the ring and thus leading to chainsuck.