Record 10 - longer limit screws/shims?

[mwynne]

Road bike's been sitting through the winter, finally getting it tidied up for spring. Just got old hubs laced to new rims, reinstall wheels and am running into some rear derailleur (record 10, 2004? vintage) skimming the spokes. Low limit is maxed out, cannot get it any more inboard.

I know step one is to get hanger alignment checked, and I will do so as soon as I can (problem noticed Saturday evening, shop is closed on Sunday, and I don't have a guide myself).

Even if it is a hanger alignment issue and that sorts it out, I feel like on this bike it's always been a very close deal, and have always had to have the low limit maxed out. So, anyone out there got thoughts on replacing the limit screw with something longer, or shimming out the derailleur like 1.5mm to give a bit more working room?

[jc031699]

Road bike's been sitting through the winter, finally getting it tidied up for spring. Just got old hubs laced to new rims, reinstall wheels and am running into some rear derailleur (record 10, 2004? vintage) skimming the spokes. Low limit is maxed out, cannot get it any more inboard.

I know step one is to get hanger alignment checked, and I will do so as soon as I can (problem noticed Saturday evening, shop is closed on Sunday, and I don't have a guide myself).

Even if it is a hanger alignment issue and that sorts it out, I feel like on this bike it's always been a very close deal, and have always had to have the low limit maxed out. So, anyone out there got thoughts on replacing the limit screw with something longer, or shimming out the derailleur like 1.5mm to give a bit more working room?

I think you mean that you have the low limit screw in all the way and you cannot get the RD any further outboard?

You can easily get the RD out a little further using a pedal washer under the RD. There are still plenty of threads left to secure the RD.

[Hindmost]

Longer limit screw? Pull it off and take it to a good hardware store.

(Did this when retrofitting 8 speed derailleur onto 7 speed drive train.)

[oldpotatoe]

I think you mean that you have the low limit screw in all the way and you cannot get the RD any further outboard?

You can easily get the RD out a little further using a pedal washer under the RD. There are still plenty of threads left to secure the RD.

Axle spacers work also.

[mwynne]

I think you mean that you have the low limit screw in all the way and you cannot get the RD any further outboard?

You can easily get the RD out a little further using a pedal washer under the RD. There are still plenty of threads left to secure the RD.

Yes, low limit screwed in all the way, and RD makes slight contact with spokes, needs to sit further outboard.

Thanks for the tip all about pedal washers!
And yes I will be good and get hanger alignment checked as soon as I can (always, tempted to invest in the tool myself, but can't imagine it'll be worth it), but nice to know this will work in the interim.

[bikinchris]

Hanger alignment is most probably the cause of your problem. Shims for chainrings are the perfect size to shim the derailleur. But I only need to use them for SRAM derailleurs if they make noise in high gear and the high screw won't allow me to move it any further out.

[zmudshark]

Check Performance for a great deal on a Park DAG.

Pays for itself first time you use it, and you can never have too many bike tools.

[mwynne]

Pays for itself first time you use it, and you can never have too many bike tools.

Truer words were never spoken. Outside of my wife's earshot...

**Update: Shimmed the derailleur about 1.5mm, and seems to be working fine - in fact I'd say best I've been able to get it dialled in in ages. Still need to get alignment checked.