Help setting FD.

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Willam

Über Member
Watched YouTube and thought I had it work out but no.

Trying to fit a FD shamino deore, on a mtb 3 chain rings.

What am I doing wrong here....

First a put CR/crogs into lowest gear, then use the low screw to set To middle of chain line.

Next I loosen the cable, screw the cable tention screw clockwise, then change gear to highest setting , tighten the cable and use the high screw to set the derailleur in the middle of chain line.

Once I set the low point, I'm unsure from that point, as do I pull the cable tight enough to more the derailleur to move to the large chainring or just slightly tight, because I've tried both ways, if just slightly tight, the deraillear doesn't move when I try and shift using the lever.

The only way I can get the deraillear to stay on the top chainring is by moving it across by hand and tightening it when it's over the large ring, but then it won't drop to low ring, just the middle ring.

As you can see I'm in a right mess
 

steve50

Disenchanted Member
Location
West Yorkshire
Put the chain on the small chain wheel, centre the fd, the cable wants to be tight but not overtight, DO NOT slacken the cable once set for the small chain wheel..
Move your shifter to select the next chain wheel and use the high / low screws to fine tune if needed, repeat for the top chain wheel.
 
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Willam

Willam

Über Member
Put the chain on the small chain wheel, centre the fd, the cable wants to be tight but not overtight, DO NOT slacken the cable once set for the small chain wheel..
Move your shifter to select the next chain wheel and use the high / low screws to fine tune if needed, repeat for the top chain wheel.

thanks, I'll give that a go.

Think I watched to many vids, each one was slightly different, and took a little from each one.

Think a work stand is next on the list!
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
On a triple the only setting for cable tension is the middle ring, once you have the mech set central on that then the cable tension shouldn't be touched.
You may find that on the small ring the cable seems to be slack This doesn't matter the mech is limited to how far it can move by the limit screws.
 
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Willam

Willam

Über Member
On a triple the only setting for cable tension is the middle ring, once you have the mech set central on that then the cable tension shouldn't be touched.
You may find that on the small ring the cable seems to be slack This doesn't matter the mech is limited to how far it can move by the limit screws.

So many way dot do the same thing it seems, as not heard this way on the 10 or so videos I've watched, as said all seems to have variations on the method.

thanks.
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
So many way dot do the same thing it seems, as not heard this way on the 10 or so videos I've watched, as said all seems to have variations on the method.

thanks.
this is the best video I can find and it still isn't all that clear.
(the only reason for shifting to the small ring to adjust the barrel adjuster is it makes it easier to turn if there is no tension on the cable)


View: https://youtu.be/4LwYTGE4_OA
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Put the chain on the small chain wheel, centre the fd, the cable wants to be tight but not overtight, DO NOT slacken the cable once set for the small chain wheel..
Move your shifter to select the next chain wheel and use the high / low screws to fine tune if needed, repeat for the top chain wheel.
With all due respect to the poster, this is not good advice @Willam
The video offered focuses on 'on the fly adjustment'.
This Park Tools page offers a step by step guide.
Free off limit screws and undo cable.
Release the shifter ie to '1'.
Get the height right (cage 1-2mm above large chainwheel teeth) and the cage parallel with the chainring.
Put the chain on the small chainring and the largest sprocket.
Tighten lower limit screw till the chain on the small chainring just touches the chain.
Fix the cable with the cable tight.
Unscrew the lower limit screw a half turn: the cage will move slightly taking up the cable tension and the chain should now not touch the cage (1mm is a good distance; any more and there's a risk of the chain coming off on the inside).
Turning the cranks, click shifter to position 2: the chain should change up to the middle chainwheel. Bear in mind that there may be more than 1 click between these positions (1-2-3): this allows for trimming.
Move the chain to the middle of the cassette.
Same to the large chainwheel (position '3').
Move the chain onto the smallest sprocket.
Screw in the higher limit screw till the cage is about 1mm outboard of the chain (any more and there's a risk of the chain coming off on the outside).
Test. Test again. Test on the road.
Fine adjust with the barrel adjuster on the (MTB style) shifter - the video above is a help here.
Patience, and a beer at the end is a good plan.
 
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Willam

Willam

Über Member
Cheers guys, had another play with it after work.

Not sure how I did it but it's now moving to all 3 rings, whereas before it was only going to the 2 biggest rings.

Slight issue with it nor always stopping on the middle ring, goes straight to small ring but I think I can fix that, I need to loosen the tention a bit, turning the barrel adjuster clockwise I think should do it ( he says after trying it and it's not worked yet)
 
Location
Pontefract
Cheers guys, had another play with it after work.

Not sure how I did it but it's now moving to all 3 rings, whereas before it was only going to the 2 biggest rings.

Slight issue with it nor always stopping on the middle ring, goes straight to small ring but I think I can fix that, I need to loosen the tention a bit, turning the barrel adjuster clockwise I think should do it ( he says after trying it and it's not worked yet)
You need to tension the cable so it stays towards the outer of the chain set, as you tighten the cable it will pull the FD cage from left to right as viewed from above, if its slippling off the middle ring there isn't enough tension. The natural position of an FD not under tension from the cable is towards the smaller ring/s
 
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Willam

Willam

Über Member
You need to tension the cable so it stays towards the outer of the chain set, as you tighten the cable it will pull the FD cage from left to right as viewed from above, if its slippling off the middle ring there isn't enough tension. The natural position of an FD not under tension from the cable is towards the smaller ring/s

See I don't understand that, as all th videos I've watch say just to lightly tighten when on the small ring, if I were to tighten to get the derailleur over the big ring I have to physically pull the cage over to the big ring, then tighten it, which I'm guessing is not what you are saying.

Right, I was thinking more tention to get the chain to go up the rings and less to go down, but I think I see what you mean now, if it's going past the middle straight to the small I need to increase the tension, right I'll give that a go..

So nearly there now!

Had my finger over the buy button on a London road, last night, bit extreme, can't let this beat me, did look a good bike though.
 
Location
Pontefract
See I don't understand that, as all th videos I've watch say just to lightly tighten when on the small ring, if I were to tighten to get the derailleur over the big ring I have to physically pull the cage over to the big ring, then tighten it, which I'm guessing is not what you are saying.

Right, I was thinking more tention to get the chain to go up the rings and less to go down, but I think I see what you mean now, if it's going past the middle straight to the small I need to increase the tension, right I'll give that a go..

So nearly there now!

Had my finger over the buy button on a London road, last night, bit extreme, can't let this beat me, did look a good bike though.
Thats it, :okay:
For the record its the same on the RD as well, but from right to left.
When they say lightly tighten its basically to take up the slack tension, one other tip, your adjuster make sure its screwed all the way in then give it a turn out, this gives you maximum adjusting to take up the slack with a bit of play the other way, you will also usually find it easier to adjust the tension whilst not on the larger rings.
 
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