Try getting a new chain. Also check out the cable travel through the plastic block under the BB shell, sometimes the molding has "flash" and needs to be relieved with a needle file, there should be basically no binding on the cable there. My rule of thumb for FD mounting is that there should be enough space to fit the width of a nickle between the big ring teeth and the FD cage. You should always be able to adjust the FD to the point where it will unship the chain off the big ring or else something is wierd. The "pin" you are talking about on the outide of the ring is supposed to be aligned with the drive side crank arm and I believe it is there to prevent an unshipped chain from jamming between the crank arm and rings?
Last edited by Ernesto Schwein; 05-16-07 at 06:55 PM.