buffalowings

Hi all, the mechanic that assembled my bike failed to use any grease when he installed the downtube barrel adjusters so after a year of riding, the downtube barrel adjusters are seized. The bike is equipped with Shimano Tiagra sti levers so they have barrel adjusters coming right out of the shifters themselves so I have no problem dialing the shifting in. My question is, should I just leave the downtube barrel adjusters be? Would there be any adverse effects besides not having downtube adjusters that I did not need in the first place?

ultraman6970

If you can put (or have already) in line cable adjusters then pretty much you dont need the down tube ones at all.

Andrew R Stewart 

When you won't be riding your bike for a while try soaking. Penetrators act like oil, other chemicals act directly on the corrosion. What materials are the cable stop and the adjusters? Andy.

buffalowings

The bike frame is aluminum, but I'm pretty sure the stops are steel and so is the threaded portion of the adjusters. I think I'm just going to leave them be, no harm leaving them as is, but if I try and remove the adjusters, they might snap leaving me with even more headaches.

FBinNY 

Yes, this may be one of those situations where you're best off leaving bad enough alone. Now you have a working system, with the head of the adjuster acting like a ferrule to accept the able housing. If you break it off, life gets much more complicated.

In your shoes, I'd try a penetrating oil, wait about 24-48 hours and give it a shot, but be careful not to work it too hard, because breaking it off is unacceptable. If it doesn't move leave it there, but wick in a bit of oil thinned with acetone every once in a while to slow down the ongoing corrosion.

buffalowings

Ah, okay. I tried using the WD-40 I had on hand before and it didn't do anything. I'm going to try some liquid wrench penetrating oil when I have the chance. Assuming the worst (adjuster is still seized) would it be enough to just squirt some finish line dry teflon between the adjuster and stop?

fietsbob

These the fit over downtube shift bosses, cover + barrel adjuster, sort?

Andrew R Stewart 

If you decide to leave the adjusters in place without freeing them up I'd periodical use a wet oil on them. Wet coats well and has the chance of working in. Francis's suggestion of acetone is also good.

BTW most shops don't allow enough time during bike assemblies to lube the small threaded bits. Besides cable adjusters rack and bottle cage hardware are common dry points. Another aspect is that many of the stops and bosses are made from materials (alloys of steel or Alu) that are chosen for their formability and attach ability, not their strength or corrosion resistance. Case in point are the Alu RiveNuts used for bottle cage bosses. They aren't coated or anodized so corrode easily (especially with energy drink splashes), age harden over time and can spin loose easily. I try to lube all this stuff as I can on assemblies and servicings but I'll admit that i don't get them all every time. Andy.

3alarmer 

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vredstein

Same here. I do it because in the back of my mind, I know I'm the only mechanic who will do this during the life of the bike.

mconlonx

Unless it's a real high end bike assembled from bare frame, I would not expect cable stops to be lubed on assembly.

Soak with oil, let sit 10-15 mins, then get a crescent wrench as best you can on the flattish parts of the knurled adjuster. Can't remember which size exactly, but somewhere in the 12 or 13mm range. Once you can get some leverage on it, they usually break free pretty easy. Before that, prep it a bit by shoving as big a hex wrench as you can fit straight into the ferrule so it seats on the bottom and give the other end some light taps with a hammer.