Derailleur problem

blorg

What appears to be going on here? Just happened today while out for a cycle. The cage seems to be (very solidly) stuck at that angle and won't move around AT ALL. I'm going to take it off the bike and have a better look but any opinions appreciated... am I looking at a new rear derailleur?

I know the bike is dirty before you start :pac:

CheGuedara

Not sure you're looking at a new derailleur - you might just need to disassemble the mechanism and do a clean & regrease to get it going sweet.

Just make sure to have the derailleur assembly diagram on hand when you do it (reassembling Shimano hardware requires the patience of an extra patient saint at the best of times)

lescol

Looks like the tension spring is gone, try looking inside http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=76#shimano

Seems very early in its life to be failing. Bad luck.

levitronix

thats it alrite dirt on the tension pulley spring, same thing happened on my winter bike

blorg

levitronix wrote: »

thats it alrite dirt on the tension pulley spring, same thing happened on my winter bike

Fixable by cleaning/lubing?

DirkVoodoo

Make sure you have access to a vise if opening it up. I did with mine and putting the springs back together is impossible with only your two hands.

uberwolf

used to happen to me mountain biking a fair bit, tis the old tension spring at the top alright. Often fixable. It could well be that the spring just popped out of place, and loosening the derailleur will give you enough slack to pop back in situ without taking the whole thing apart.

edit: maybe only the older school derailleurs have an external spring element to them?

DirkVoodoo

Also, your bike looks very dirty, I'm hurting a bit just looking at it

Beasty

I think this justifies a new bike, blorg

bcmf

......dont you know he was looking for an excuse to buy Gilberts bike.

blorg

Thanks for the replies. I am guessing all this is best dealt with with the derailleur off the bike? I would have to break the chain and get a chain pin to rejoin- unless I disassembled the jockey wheels. Would doing that be my best bet?

bcmf

blorg wrote: »

unless I disassembled the jockey wheels. Would doing that be my best bet?

yeah you get to remove all the grit and crap that has built up in and around the jockey wheels and maybe re-apply a hint of grease in the bearings.They will run better.Just dont lose the washers or screws.

Single Malt

you need to dis assemble jockey cage anyway, as the cage spring needs the look at. Just hope you don't need to replace anything, as spares are very difficult to find.

SurferDude41

Hi There Blorg,

Looks like you crushed the B-tension adjustment screw, during installation.

Can you include some photos from behind, ie where the high-low limit adjustment screws are.

Hopefully the rear mec hanger isn't damaged. yours is replacable luckily.
If the B-tension adjuster screw is mangled, you could use the one off an old derailaur.

Hope this helps.

Happy Cycling.

blorg

Thanks again for all the replies. Probably won't get to it next week but will look at it then.

@SurferDude- I'll have a look at that but I don't think there is anything wrong with the B screw. Last time the derailleur was taken off and reinstalled was back in February after I returned from Spain and I have plenty of happy km on it since with no issues. From a quick look at it yesterday the B screw seemed fine, just that the cage is seized in place and doesn't pivort any more.

In the worst case a new rear derailleur is £48 from CRC, might not be too much more from an LBS either, will check that out.

blorg

Thanks again for all the replies. I disassembled the cage, removing the jockey wheels, and there was a bolt with an allen head I was able to loosen a bit holding one side of the cage onto the derailleur- this seemed to free things up. This bolt seems like a new addition to Ultegra 6700 as it isn't there on my older 5600/6600 derailleurs.

All working now (and I cleaned the bike while I was at it.)