What is the maximum tooth sprocket you could fit on the back using a Deore DX rear derailleur?

[retrobiker273891]

indexing on thumbies works exactly the same as any other shifter - the indexing relies on an accurate cable pull for each click to move the RD the right amount. there is no extra latitude you magically get with thumbies

smaller number of sprockets tends to be less finicky than higher though (ie a 7 speed system will be easier than an 11 speed as the more gears that are stuffed in there the more accurate the pull needs to be)

Obviously I am talking about friction not indexing on thumb shifters.

 

[focomat 1c]

I suspect however you have some other major problem

Reading through this has cost me 15 minutes of my life that I won't get back !

What a complete waste of time and wind up

 

[bold stelvis]

with friction you control the cable pull manually and therefore the shift of course

but again none of this will solve a serious misalignment issue (jf there is one) - if something is out enough or damaged enough to be catching the chain through the derailleur, badly rattling etc, using friction or indexing will not matter.

 

[hamster]

I suspect however you have some other major problem at the root of the fundamental shifting issues

but without some pictures, this is, as others have pointed out, a massive waste of everyones' time. I won't be trying to help further unless you can actually be arsed to post some

Probably old and worn cable outers. As always it's the ones where there is most cable pull and tension where the trouble starts - so lowest gears.

 

[bold stelvis]

indexing has been a solved problem for almost 4 decades now. There's a reason it completely took over - it works when setup properly and is generally a much welcome convenience. I am a confirmed retrogrouch, I still run downtube shifters on my road bike, but I would not wanna go back to friction shifting on the rear.

If its being a PITA on your bike its cos something is wrong with your setup - exactly what who knows, and I doubt you're going to diagnose and/or solve it yourself without either in person help (ie bike mechanic) or posting some half decent images so the helpful folk on this forum can actually see what the problem might be

 

[retrobiker273891]

here's the video on doing it ghetto style with a spare wheel screwed into the hanger - this guys youtube channel is great BTW for learning about how to do stuff

Argh, just watching the video and it says you have to use the back wheel of a quick release wheel but I only have the quick release on the bike I am wanting to work on and the back one is the one I am trying to align against!

 

[retrobiker273891]

indexing has been a solved problem for almost 4 decades now. There's a reason it completely took over - it works when setup properly and is generally a much welcome convenience. I am a confirmed retrogrouch, I still run downtube shifters on my road bike, but I would not wanna go back to friction shifting on the rear.

If its being a PITA on your bike its cos something is wrong with your setup - exactly what who knows, and I doubt you're going to diagnose and/or solve it yourself without either in person help (ie bike mechanic) or posting some half decent images so the helpful folk on this forum can actually see what the problem might be

You are overlooking the part in the venerated park tool video where he states exactly my issue the closest I have seen and that is incompatible parts. Also the resident mechanic said the same thing.

Many people have said on this forum that compatibility issues are solved by using friction shifters. I didn't make that up.

 

[bold stelvis]

Sigh. You are not being attacked - you are being advised to seek external help because you very obviously don't seem to know what you're doing, and you won't post images.

if you actually have a suitable derailleur (anything UP TO 9 speed - the pull ratios are the same), a 9 speed cassette attached to a properly setup 135mm spaced rear hub, 9 speed shifters, a 9 or above speed chain, the front chainrings are 9 /10 speed compatible (ie slightly thinner teeth than the old 7 speed stuff - though many think this doesn't really matter) and you are within the rated max teeth and max capacity of the RD, and the chain has been set to the correct length for the capacity than it IS all compatible.

The shifting issue you describe is indeed typical of mismatched drive train components (ie cable pull for each shift not matching the correct derailleur movement for a given cassette) but thats not the only reason for that issue to be present - but we've been over all of that already

 

[bold stelvis]

Friction shifters won't "solve" indexing issues - they just remove indexing out of the equation. It's highly likely though that the indexing issue is a symptom of some other problem that moving to friction shifting won't "solve" either.

if your ok with that then go for it.

 

[retrobiker273891]

Friction shifters won't "solve" indexing issues - they just remove indexing out of the equation. It's highly likely though that the indexing issue is a symptom of some other problem that moving to friction shifting won't "solve" either.

if your ok with that then go for it.

I watched the RJ video for the homemade tool. That looks like more my speed! Seems like it would be simple enough to knock together.