Bicycle Mechanics - installed derailleur but chain is throwing me for a loop!!

ok, so yesterday my derailleur broke on me, and today I was installing a new one but the chain is throwing me for a loop. it seems like I have it in right but then again not really.

the derailleur seems to be in just fine, its the chain thats driving me nuts!!!!

now, what kind of adjustments if any do I need to make or are the "default" settings fine??

here are a bunch of pics I took, so ya can see what I might be doing wrong.

oh yeah the derailleur is a TX71

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9885/p1060365medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060365medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8820/p1060366medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060366medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1858/p1060367medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060367medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3338/p1060368medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060368medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5030/p1060369medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060369medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2033/p1060370medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060370medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/739/p1060371medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060371medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8104/p1060372medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060372medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/4701/p1060373medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060373medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8079/p1060374medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060374medium.jpg)

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2365/p1060375medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060375medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2465/p1060376medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060376medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8270/p1060377medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060377medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6797/p1060378medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060378medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3507/p1060379medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060379medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1783/p1060380medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060380medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2388/p1060381medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060381medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6594/p1060382medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060382medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6606/p1060383medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060383medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5308/p1060384medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060384medium.jpg)

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2167/p1060385medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060385medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7171/p1060386medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060386medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/524/p1060387medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060387medium.jpg)http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6552/p1060388medium.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1060388medium.jpg)

Stretch the DE all the way out, and you will see where the chain is supposed to go - over the top jockey wheel, under the bottom, without crossing anything else.

It's a little hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like the chain is coming off the cassette and looping around the pulleys in the wrong order. The chain should come off the cassette and loop around the right side of the pulley closest to the derailleur body, the around the left side of the other pulley. You'll need to extend the 2nd pulley with your hand to do this since the spring will want to pull it towards the derailleur body. (All crunched up as in your photos.) I'm probably not explaining this clearly. Hopefully someone else will chime in with a better procedure/photos.

Edit: Wanderer beat me too it with a more concise explanation. :^)

You want it to go as a backwards 'S' shape. So the chains comes off the cassette and goes forward over the upper pulley. Then it loops back over the top of the lower-pulley backwards around the lower-pulley and proceeds forward to the chainrings up front:


http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp323/nagognog/UltegraonPuchA-D.jpg

it's a little hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like the chain is coming off the cassette and looping around the pulleys in the wrong order. the chain should come off the cassette and loop around the right side of the pulley closest to the derailleur body, the around the left side of the other pulley. You'll need to extend the 2nd pulley with your hand to do this since the spring will want to pull it towards the derailleur body. (all crunched up as in your photos.) i'm probably not explaining this clearly. Hopefully someone else will chime in with a better procedure/photos.

Edit: Wanderer beat me too it with a more concise explanation. :^)

+1

Is it just me, or is that chain awfully rusty?

Not even a Tourney deserves that fate.

Google (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=rear+derailleur&gbv=2&aq=0&oq=rear+der&aqi=g2)

Thats made my day.

Not even a Tourney deserves that fate.

Google (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=rear+derailleur&gbv=2&aq=0&oq=rear+der&aqi=g2)

care to elaborate??

Is it just me, or is that chain awfully rusty?

no so much but def very dirty.

I have not really maintained the bike at all since I bought it. Guess I should start doing a better job with it, which might of prevented the derailleur from breaking on me out on the trails.

Check your derailleur hanger for being strait after that mash up. Most likely it is bent as well and might need to be straitened out (or a new hanger installed).
When in doubt take it to a good shop.

As long as you're going through all this trouble, I'd put a new chain on...

Check your derailleur hanger for being strait after that mash up. Most likely it is bent as well and might need to be straitened out (or a new hanger installed).
When in doubt take it to a good shop.

I already straightened it out, it was slightly bent but the guy at the bike shop said it was possible to straighten it out and I did it.

what I have on there now is the new derailleur just need to get the chain on the right way.

right now I don't have the time to do a real maintenance, and when I do have any big of time I like to be out there, so come this winter season, i'll attempt to go through all the pieces and fix what needs to be fixed and what not.

The guy at the LBS very likely meant it could be bent back (der. hanger) using a specialized tool. I'd let the guy at the LBS do so. The derailleur alignment-gauge does an exacting job:

See the Park Tool DAG-2 -

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=48&item=DAG-2

care to elaborate??

Well, the Tourney components are the lowest in the named MTB Shimano group hierarchy. Even if it's cheap, the TX71 RD is still able to provide good service in nominal conditions.
Which is not the present case.
As others pointed, the chain is routed incorrectly. Correct that and check whether the RD looks OK (the chain may have forced the chain in a wrong configuration, thus incurring some stress).

The Google link was provided for your convenience, to see how a correctly routed chain is supposed to look. In my humble opinion, 1 min of self study helps you to avoid 20+ pictures and waiting for replies.

Also, good luck in adjusting the RD.

The guy at the LBS very likely meant it could be bent back (der. hanger) using a specialized tool. I'd let the guy at the LBS do so. The derailleur alignment-gauge does an exacting job:

See the Park Tool DAG-2 -

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=48&item=DAG-2


well the guy didn't mention that I would need a special tool, so my "special tool" (ie, the hammer) did a great job to be honest, few taps and its pretty damn straight!!

I would think that if he wanted my business he would of told me that you need a tool, so not sure why he didn't mention it.

Well, the Tourney components are the lowest in the named MTB Shimano group hierarchy. Even if it's cheap, the TX71 RD is still able to provide good service in nominal conditions.
Which is not the present case.
As others pointed, the chain is routed incorrectly. Correct that and check whether the RD looks OK (the chain may have forced the chain in a wrong configuration, thus incurring some stress).

The Google link was provided for your convenience, to see how a correctly routed chain is supposed to look. In my humble opinion, 1 min of self study helps you to avoid 20+ pictures and waiting for replies.

Also, good luck in adjusting the RD.

well, to be honest I did google for pics but was doing it in a rush before the sun went down, and I didn't find any good ones.

so, therefore I came here and was looking for further insight.

as per the component being the lowest in their line up, well its a 148 dollar MTB that has held up pretty damn well with my riding, personally i don't think I need anything too "high class" to enjoy MTB'ing by any means.

I'll be able to work on it this fri, and if I have any further questions I shall return with them!!



thank you all for input and assistance!! :thumb:

yea the chain is just routed through the derailler backwards. and thank you for atleast providing as much info and pictures as you could. it is very helpful.

Here's another close-up picture of how the chain should be routed through the two derailleur pulleys. The easiest way to fix this is to disconnect the chain completely and remove it from the bike. Then:

1. pull/swing lower derailleur pulley down so that it's vertically below the upper-pulley. Things will make A LOT more sense once you do this.

2. bring chain over smallest cog and wrap around the back

3. bring chain over top and front of upper derailleur pulley (the other hand is still keeping the lower pulley vertical right?)

4. slide chain through derailleur cage towards the rear

5. chain should come out of cage on top and down the rear of the lower-pulley (keep holding that lower pulley vertically below the upper one)

6. wrap chain around back and under the lower pulley.

7. bring forward and re-connect with other end coming from below front chainring.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/DannoXYZ/Cycling/RearDerailleurChainPath.jpg

Note the backwards 'S' in the above photo.

Nice picture, saved for future explanations, I will note, there is a little bar or pin on most dérailleurs that I often manage to get the chain on the wrong side of when threading chains. You have to feed the chain between it and the jockey wheel. As DannoXYZ says, you have to thread it through, the dérailleur.

Not even a Tourney deserves that fate.

Google (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=rear+derailleur&gbv=2&aq=0&oq=rear+der&aqi=g2)


care to elaborate??


He saying that no matter how beat up your car is, it doesnt deserve a bungee cord to hold the door shut.






http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/DannoXYZ/Cycling/RearDerailleurChainPath.jpg


September 22, 2009 10:59pm BF reaches Seasame Street lows.

You might THINK you hanger is strait and that you fixed it with a hammer but after you get your chain back on the right way
and your bike won't shift right you will need the fancy tool at the bike shop.
The hanger can go out of adjustment in 3 different dimensions. Unless you check all three it will be messed up.

You might THINK you hanger is strait and that you fixed it with a hammer but after you get your chain back on the right way
and your bike won't shift right you will need the fancy tool at the bike shop.
The hanger can go out of adjustment in 3 different dimensions. Unless you check all three it will be messed up.

I understand that it most likely is not 100% straight, I have always worked on my own cars so I know how it is in doing something without the right tool. I will just see how it all is working when I have the chain on right and the derailleur adjusted and then go from there.

This is a tool most bike-shops have for hangers being bent. They cost around $60:

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=48&item=DAG-2

There are different one's from different companies. But they work by the same principle.

wee, chain is on just need to make adjustments and all will be well for the time being!!

thank ya guys for the help!!

Just wait until you get our bill! Bwahahahahahaha!

Just wait until you get our bill! Bwahahahahahaha!

what bill?? I am doing everything myself!!

Doesn't matter. Use it as a tax-write off. Seriously though: Advice is free. Not asking enough questions can cost you. Knowing what you are doing and why is priceless.

Doesn't matter. Use it as a tax-write off. Seriously though: Advice is free. Not asking enough questions can cost you. Knowing what you are doing and why is priceless.

indeed, which is no matter the question of issue I have with me bike, ill be on here asking!!

thanx again for the help guys!!