Campagnolo early Gran Sport derailleur setup

[Uncle Monty]

After much twiddling and messing about I am giving up on my Simplex Juy TDF rear derailleur. I have not seen a Juy 543 for sale at a sensible price, so a change of plan and I have a Campagnolo mech with steel jockeys. Are there any tips or tricks to setting these up? All looks pretty conventional to me with not much more than two limit screws to deal with.

Cheers - Chris.

 

[Midlife]

Nope..........no hidden surprises just two limit screws. Set up the screw for the second to smallest cog and then release the screw so that it drops down onto the smallest cog (avoids dropping othe chain nto the frame). Similar for the biggest cog, set up for the second biggest and then slacken off so that it goes onto the biggest. That avoids dropping the chain onto the spokes.

Everyone has their favourite method though

Shaun

 

[Uncle Monty]

Re:

Superb - thanks Shaun.

Hopefully I can finally get this thing on the road.

Chris.

 

[Midlife]

ooops........forgot to mention...... set it up for the smallest cog without attaching the cable.........when it's on the smallest cog, lay the friction lever down to the stop and then pull through the cable at the mech and tighten.

Some people like a little slack in the cable, if this is the case when tightening the cable pull the lever a couple of mm up before tightening but don't pull the lever down with the cable. then when the lever is fully down there is a bit of slack in the cable. I think this is wrong but some people did it.

The old Campag mechs are pants with larger cogs at the back.........you are not after a granny gear are you LOL

Shaun

 

[Uncle Monty]

Re:

Will follow your instructions. No I think the largest is a 24 and the derailleur is marked 14-26, so it won't be an Alpine climber!

Chris.

 

[Midlife]

The manufacturers were a little optimistic 24 should be OK, you might want to drop the rear wheel a little bit further back in the dropout.

Main problem is getting the chain length right, it's tempting to make it look "normal" on the larger cogs but because the mech can't take up much slack then it's too loose on the small ring / small cog combo. With the chain the right length be prepared for the mech to look somewhat strained in the large ring / large cog combo.............they all do that sir.

Aside from that it's a pretty smooth shifter

Shaun

 

[Excel]

.....also don't forget to regrease the 1/8th jockey wheel bearings (if not already done) as they will provide a smoother quieter shift

 

[Uncle Monty]

Re:

It works! I have gears - 5 of them!
Just seen the last two posts and guess what I have been mucking about with? Yep - chain length. I have the chain running off the back of the block, round the front of the upper jockey then the back of the lower - same as a modern derailleur. The cage pivot is between the jockeys where as I am more used to seeing it closer to the top. The cage spring increasing tension in an anticlockwise direction. The freewheel is a 22-14 not a 24. So it is going to be a bit of a close ratio box. With the chain as it was, large chainring and largest cog, it sounded horrific just being wound over in the work stand. If I twisted the cage anticlockwise it would still release some chain thension and create an inch or so of slack. I added four links, which is probably too much. Everything now runs a lot quieter, but small cog to small chainring it is very loose and I could see chain drop possibly being a problem. I will try it as is and perhaps remove a link or two. It has been a long time since I had to be considerate to a drivetrain. Changing down across three or four cogs on an MTB while standing powering up a climb with everything coated in mud is a long way from my Raleigh GT 10 speed. You never lose the nack though - it makes me smile how I can still drop a gear quietly on a hill amongst all the crunching and crashing noises. Free wheels were a very odd. NOS Everest 3/32, a four and a five speed. I was swapping them over and realised they rattled. I opened the five speed one up and it is bone dry inside. Not a trace of grease. They were wrapped in wax paper and boxed. Can't see how you could possibly assemble one without some grease to keep the balls in place. I used a light white grease on the raceways and a bit on the pawls.

 

[Hillwalker]

Just out of interest, did your NOS Everests come from seller R28Portugal currently on eBay? I ask because I've just taken delivery of a NOS chain and freewheel combo from this seller; both in their original packing.

HW

 

[Midlife]

HW

Funny you should mention that......I have a gold block and chain on my watch list from that seller.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201140516992? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Is this what you have bought or another block / chain

Shaun