Is your Eagle AXS RD 'outboard' in the smaller/higher gears? Can't figure this out...

[proletariandan]

Update 10/29/22:

My GX AXS rear derailleur pulley on my 2022 Specialized Crux is about a millimeter outboard of the smaller cogs (9-11) when properly aligned with the 2nd largest (42t cog). I have set the high limit so that it stops in line with the 10t cog.

Here is a picture in gear 2, followed by one in gear 9 (the noisiest). If you look closely, you can tell the pulleys are not lined up in the 2nd picture:





I guess my first question is - is this normal? For other folks with Eagle AXS RDs, does your chain appear to be slightly off like this in the higher/smaller gears?

It mostly shifts OK but makes a fair amount of noise in gears 9-11. I cannot micro-adjust inboard any further without the 42t trying to catch the 50t.

It was a new RD and has been this way from the jump and have probably 500 miles on everything now. I am using a Garbaruk 40t front ring, which appears to have a proper ~45mm chainline, and a YBN chain.

Having checked the b-gap, RD hanger alignment, and tried a new RD, I am back at square 1 with no answers and no ideas. I took this to one shop and the mechanic said my chain was too dry. I use MoltenSpeedWax and Slica SS drip, properly, so the outside of the chain does remain fairly dry after riding, but I don't think lubricant should be covering up a mis-aligned RD.

I tried adding the 'missing' bolt that was suggested on MTBR.com, which SRAM suggests NOT doing, despite them updating their design to include a bolt on new RDs. That said, plenty of RDs, including some from the same shop/batch as mine appear to shift fine.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!
Dan

[prototoast]

Sounds like you need to tighten your outer limit screw and loosen your b screw, and then microadjust as necessary.

Do you have the sram b screw adjustment guide (little plastic thingy)?

[proletariandan]

Why loosen the b screw? I have the plastic guide and it is still spot on.

Are you suggesting to dial the limit in so the RD doesn’t move so far outboard on its own? I thought the limit screws weren’t supposed to limit the derailleur’s normal movement on AXS (that this is bad for the motor?) like they do on traditional RDs, they are just to stop them from going past where it naturally stops.

Thanks!

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by proletariandan

Why loosen the b screw? I have the plastic guide and it is still spot on.

Are you suggesting to dial the limit in so the RD doesn’t move so far outboard on its own? I thought the limit screws weren’t supposed to limit the derailleur’s normal movement on AXS (that this is bad for the motor?) like they do on traditional RDs, they are just to stop them from going past where it naturally stops.

Thanks!

As I see it, if your shifter is too far outboard, you need to both adjust your microadjust and your limit screw so that it lines up and can't go out that far.

But if you're having trouble shifting back down to the smaller cogs after microadjusting inboard, that usually means your b screw is in too far, and it's having trouble catching.

But if all that doesn't work, you might just want to invest in a derailleur hanger alignment tool. Even if you swapped the hanger, even little things like paint can mean a new hanger won't sit perfectly straight without additional alignment.

[yinzerniner]

Originally Posted by proletariandan

Hey y'all,

My GX AXS rear derailleur is a few mm too far outboard of the smallest cog when I shift all the way down after following the set up steps.

I've got maybe 200 miles on everything - it is rideable but some of the gears are always off.

It won't shift up into the 11th or 10th cogs properly but shifts up into 1-9 fine and shifts down into all the gears fine.

If I micro-adjust inboard, then I start having problems with the low gears.

I don't have a RD hanger checker but I have a spare RD hanger and that didn't help.

I'm worried that something may be wrong with the RD since - as I understand - the AXS RD is supposed to more or less know where to go if you line it up with any cog.

Thoughts before I take it to the shop with my tail between my legs?

Thanks!
Dan

First thing to check is almost always hanger. If you don’t have the tools / ability then pretty much all other adjustments / fixes could be moot.

That being said, what you describe is weird since you don’t mention how it shifts into the 12th ie largest cog. Does the RD shift correctly into the largest cog nearest the spokes? If it does then it’s a b screw, high limit and micro adjust issue.

Also to even begin the alignment procedure you need to shift into the second largest ie 11th cog. If it isn’t shifting into the 11th cog properly then maybe the chain is too short?

Also with you describing how the RD sits outboard when you shift all the down into the smallest cog it sounds like that initial alignment to the second largest /11th cog is off, either due to initial setup error or hanger alignment.

[proletariandan]

Originally Posted by yinzerniner

First thing to check is almost always hanger. If you don’t have the tools / ability then pretty much all other adjustments / fixes could be moot.

That being said, what you describe is weird since you don’t mention how it shifts into the 12th ie largest cog. Does the RD shift correctly into the largest cog nearest the spokes? If it does then it’s a b screw, high limit and micro adjust issue.

Also to even begin the alignment procedure you need to shift into the second largest ie 11th cog. If it isn’t shifting into the 11th cog properly then maybe the chain is too short?

Also with you describing how the RD sits outboard when you shift all the down into the smallest cog it sounds like that initial alignment to the second largest /11th cog is off, either due to initial setup error or hanger alignment.

I've realigned with the 42t cog, so I don't think that is the issue. When that is the case, it shifts into 42/50 fine, the only issue is with shifting down out of 10t into the 2 next cogs.

I've also checked the b-limit with the plastic alignment tool, so don't think that is the issue.

I just tried adjusting the high limit in, which doesn't help at all. Once I do that, the RD seems to barely move when I do the first downshift.

Looking at the RD as I shift through the gears, the pulleys get closer to alignment with the cogs as I shift down toward the 42/50t cogs, so maybe it is a hanger issue?

Edit: After a little micro-adjusting it seems to be shifting OK in the stand, so this may have just been the high-limit issue. Thanks y'all!

[proletariandan]

Still having strange shifting issues. I borrowed a RD tool and verified that the hanger is straight. B limit is still perfect according to the sram tool. Cassette seems to be straight.

I can get it shifting pretty well with the bike upside down (am I the only one that finds this easier than a stand?), although the RD pulleys visibly do not stay lined up with all of the cogs.

It is either too far outboard in the high/small cogs - although the high limit stops it at the 10t - or inboard in the 42t), which makes me worried that something is wrong with the RD itself (which I got NIB).

A few times it has been fine when I start riding but eventually it starts making noise in either the high/small cogs or the 42t.

Any tips or is it time to take it to the shop?

[yinzerniner]

Originally Posted by proletariandan

Still having strange shifting issues. I borrowed a RD tool and verified that the hanger is straight. B limit is still perfect according to the sram tool. Cassette seems to be straight.

I can get it shifting pretty well with the bike upside down (am I the only one that finds this easier than a stand?), although the RD pulleys visibly do not stay lined up with all of the cogs.

It is either too far outboard in the high/small cogs - although the high limit stops it at the 10t - or inboard in the 42t), which makes me worried that something is wrong with the RD itself (which I got NIB).

A few times it has been fine when I start riding but eventually it starts making noise in either the high/small cogs or the 42t.

Any tips or is it time to take it to the shop?

At this point it's either post a vid of what's going wrong or take it to the shop. If it's a defective RD then SRAM usually has no problem swapping them out as long as you purchased it from an Auth Dealer.

And FYI, I've never adjusted any RD by having the bike upside down, but to each their own.

[jscottyk]

Back in June, after a couple of hundred miles on a new GX AXS RD, I started to have similar problems as you described. After trying every adjustment trick we could think of, the hypothesis was defective derailleur. Took a very close look at the RD and found this (see the image with magenta oval). It should look like the one with the green oval.

According to a SRAM warranty rep. supposedly a brief run of these AXS derailleurs at the beginning of this year had issues with this very bolt either being missing before packaging for sale or falling out during the customer's first few rides.

[Sarhog]

Originally Posted by proletariandan

Still having strange shifting issues. I borrowed a RD tool and verified that the hanger is straight. B limit is still perfect according to the sram tool. Cassette seems to be straight.

Any tips or is it time to take it to the shop?

What kind of bike is this? Does it have rear suspension? If so, have you checked the B gap at sag?

Thats all I got… good luck.

[Hilltopperny]

Check your chain as I had this happen last Friday and found mine had half a link hanging from the chain throwing off my shifting. I have also experienced similar when my rear wheel thru axle was slightly loose. If not those make sure your cassette is tight?

Sent from my SM-S127DL using Tapatalk

[Old School]

Often overlooked on Sram: Make sure the derailleur is actually truly tight to the hanger (it is a torx)

[jscottyk]

Image attachments corrected. See above.

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by Old School

Often overlooked on Sram: Make sure the derailleur is actually truly tight to the hanger (it is a torx)

I was working on a Apex 1 RD, and could not get it to not wobble after tightening.

Looked around on the internet and apparently this is a known thing, and is designed to be that way? What in tarnation.

[proletariandan]

Originally Posted by jscottyk

Back in June, after a couple of hundred miles on a new GX AXS RD, I started to have similar problems as you described. After trying every adjustment trick we could think of, the hypothesis was defective derailleur. Took a very close look at the RD and found this (see the image with magenta oval). It should look like the one with the green oval.

According to a SRAM warranty rep. supposedly a brief run of these AXS derailleurs at the beginning of this year had issues with this very screw either being missing before packaging for sale or falling out during the customer's first few rides.

Holy **** this is the problem, thank you!!!