Can't tighten rear derailleur cable enough ...

[fossyant]

The cable run looks a bit tight. Also the cable from the adjuster to the cable bolt looks frayed - have you lost a strand or two.

My adjuster is identical. I'm not near a decent internet connection at the minute. Are you using a metal ferrule.

You also mention the adjuster falls out of the mech if no cable in. It shouldn't. Take out the cable. At present your spring is fully compressed, can you turn anti-clock wise to 'uncompress' the adjuster spring. If it falls out at this point without you being able to uncompress the spring a bit, either the thread is gone in the mech or on the adjuster.

Not all is completely lost, you can slightly use the ones on the down tube, but you'll need the cable to be near to perfect.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Also the cable from the adjuster to the cable bolt looks frayed - have you lost a strand or two.

Yes, from pulling the cable with pliars to try and get decent tension.

I'm not near a decent internet connection at the minute.

Don't worry about it. I've been looking on the Internet and I don't see any difference with mine. I was wondering if there was a piece missing, but it appears not. I have an old Shimano 105 derailleur hanging about - I wonder if I can try the barrel adjuster from that.

can you turn anti-clock wise to 'uncompress' the adjuster spring.

It's uncompressed now. It still doesn't thread into the hole in the derailleur.
I'll take it to the LBS tomorrow evening. We'll see what he has to say.

 

[fossyant]

Your ferrules might be a little 'thick' - use alloy ones that are thin walled.

 

[Tojo]

Are you sure you are trying a gear cable ferrule and not a brake cable one? The former has a slightly smaller diameter.

I think you need to use the older gear cabling as yours seems to be on the transition from lever (move it and see, then tweek) and early indexing on leavers those cables were thicker, more akin to modern brake cable diameter than the new gear index cables and I would think looking at your pictures, where the outer meets the frame is an old way of putting adjusters on old braze on frame lever bosses that is why the outer is rattling around in the adjuster of your rear mech.....Hope this, helps...

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Your ferrules might be a little 'thick' - use alloy ones that are thin walled.

I think you need to use the older gear cabling as yours seems to be on the transition from lever (move it and see, then tweek) and early indexing on leavers those cables were thicker, more akin to modern brake cable diameter than the new gear index cables

Yes to both of these. Stripping an alloy ferrule off an old bike seems to allow the cable to fit snugly into the barrel adjuster:

Sounds like the thread for the barrel adjustor in the derailleur has worn or become badly crossed

Went out this morning before work, snipped off the barrel adjuster from an old bike and tried to thread it in. It wouldn't - despite it being the same size. It gets so far and jams. Seems like the thread is worn. Wondering what options are available to me now. There's the adjuster on the down tube, but its only really for trimming and won't allow me to do proper indexing. My LBS once told me about a brake adjuster fixed onto the brake cables themselves. I wonder if such a system exists for derailleurs? I'm going there this evening and I'll ask.

 

[si_c]

Might be worth getting a replacement derailleur, ebay has them cheap for that model. If nothing else maybe you could swap the barrel adjuster over see if that works.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/311333880682

 

[Smokin Joe]

Yes to both of these. Stripping an alloy ferrule off an old bike seems to allow the cable to fit snugly into the barrel adjuster:

Went out this morning before work, snipped off the barrel adjuster from an old bike and tried to thread it in. It wouldn't - despite it being the same size. It gets so far and jams. Seems like the thread is worn. Wondering what options are available to me now. There's the adjuster on the down tube, but its only really for trimming and won't allow me to do proper indexing. My LBS once told me about a brake adjuster fixed onto the brake cables themselves. I wonder if such a system exists for derailleurs? I'm going there this evening and I'll ask.

Run a tap through the thread on the mech.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Run a tap through the thread on the mech.

Excuse my ignorance. Run a tap?

Edit: Looked on the Internet. It means to re thread. It might be cheaper to ask my LBS to do this rather than me investing in the equipment to do it myself.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Excuse my ignorance. Run a tap?

Edit: Looked on the Internet. It means to re thread. It might be cheaper to ask my LBS to do this rather than me investing in the equipment to do it myself.

It would be, but a set of taps are cheap enough and always handy as that is unlikely to be the only thread that will ever need a clean up.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Went to my LBS. He gave me one of these badboys:

He told me to install this on the derailleur cable about 8cms from where it enters the shifter and it'll replace the barrel shifter. He reckons re-threading might be tricky in this case and this solution is probably the easiest. I'll fit it when I have a moment and I'll tell you all how it goes.

 

[roadrash]

have you fitted it yet ??

 

[Jimmy Doug]

have you fitted it yet ??

Not yet. Will do today or tomorrow.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Fitted it this morning. Easy enough to do: just cut the housing to the length of the inline barrel adjuster, which then takes that space, and put ferrules on the ends that enter into the barrel adjuster. I followed this tutorial. Here's what it looks like:

I'm really very pleased with the thing - it works just as well as the classic barrel adjuster into the derailleur, but is easier to turn. BUT IT STILL WON'T SHIFT INTO FIRST!! Grrrrr .... ! At least I can index the gears now - they go up and down as they should. But first skips around like mad. I've tried loosening the lower limit screw on the derailleur until it only just misses the spokes. Still won't work! Any suggestions??
PS - about the ferrules. My LBS gave me a plastic one for the entrance into the derailleur. It fits even better than the old alloy one. Take a look:

 

[ayceejay]

I am a bit late to this and may have missed a bit but are you sure the adjuster screws into the derailleur ? If there is no thread and it clips in thereby holding it in position by nature of its shape, if this is worn and you then try to turn it to adjust tension the whole thing will turn having no effect on the tension.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

As above, this inline adjustor doesn't negate the one on the derailleur does it? I still fear that thee may be a problem there, could you put the bike on a stand and watch the rear mech and cable points while someone spins the cranks and shifts the gears.

Possible other factors, the hi/lo screws aren't as right as you think

The hanger or derailleur cage may be bent

The whole mech isn't quite screwed tightly to the frame?

Worn teeth on the cassette. If there's been cross chaining then the extreme cogs may take more of a battering than the others.

Slightly sticky link or two on the chain combined with other wear?