gear cabling / set up...idiot help

[superstu]

Right, after my 'not too embarrassed to say I can't set up v brakes' post I have sorted them out (thanks everyone). I am now onto gears. Outers cut correctly and fitted and naturally new inner's. Before I start indexing I just went to click through the shifters but I get up to three or four shifts before the gear shifter goes 'soft' and won't click up. First three gears on my eight speed go up and down perfectly. Can't see on any guides any mention of this issue so was wondering if anyone knew what I may have got so wrong. :facepalm:

Lack of cable tension? Seems as tight as I could get it. Using old stx ex shifters and xt mechs.

Would welcome any advice from my learned friends on here...

 

[chrisv40]

Are the stop screws set correctly on the mech itself? I find it best to adjust these before fitting the cable and the chain.

 

[feetabix]

Set limit screws on mech first whilst uncabled, and with no chain......jockey wheels directly under outer cogs......wind mech barrel out to halfway......shifter barrel wound fully in.......cable bike up in highest gear.......replace chain....whilst turning pedals shift down one gear and wind out shifter barrel until it makes the gear change and then stop, it should be done......adjustment then remains both ways in both barrels to cover for a spot of stretchy cable once things bed in a bit.....





Provided you don't have rapid rise mechs, high gear = smallest cog......

 

[FluffyChicken]

so your saying the last small cogs at the back do not shift well....and you are using STX shifters...

give your shifters a clean and service first, covers off. degrease, lube the ratchets and drop lube through the internals
a light oil works well.
once you know the shifter is fine then move to cable smoothness, inner sheath of the puters are not rubbing where you chopped them. you need to splay it out after cutting, for example

then m
move to the rear mechanical, clean and lube it up.

 

[Bike Hoarder]

What mr chicken says;

Check both the shifter and the mech move through the correct ranges before connecting up the cable.

 

[wookiee]

Are the stop screws set correctly on the mech itself? I find it best to adjust these before fitting the cable and the chain.

+1 for this set the limit screws before fitting the cable on both mechs...and the barrel adjusters screw them right in then unscrew a couple of turns before you tighten the cable, you will mainly need to tighten but gives you the option of loosening off just a bit!...never fails for me...its a faff for the first few times but then you get a feel for how it should be. I think I could prob set up a rear mech from scratch in 15 mins now!

Doug

 

[als0]

sounds like the ratchet in the lever needs a good spraying or is on it way out

again does it "click" when disconnected?

 

[superstu]

Thanks for the replies. It (shifter) behaves similarly with no cable I.e. will click through some of the gears but not all. I thought tension with a cable would sort this out but perhaps the levers are knacked?

 

[FluffyChicken]

Take the case off and give it a good degrease and clean and lube up. It is rare they are actually knackered (unless turn of the 90's and the plastic cable holders crack to bits)