Adusting Shimano Alivio Front Derailleur

Folks,

Trying to work out how to adjust the settings on the Simano Alivio
front derailleur on my new bike (Giant AC 06). Shimano havent
anything in the way of adjustment info on their web site (that I could
find), and the handfull of manuals that came with the bike show nearly
everything but this component.

The front cogs are a 2-cog set (22/32), and the front selector (SRAM
SX-4) has settings for 3 cogs. While on the small cog(1), I select
'2' on the gear select. The chain changes over, but I have a rattly
noise which suggests the chain is rubbing. I found that selecting the
3rd (mythical) front cog quietens it down, and I can then select the
2nd cog again (from 3), and the noise is absent.

Sorry; not explaining this terribly well...

I get the impression that the front deraileur isnt adjusted quite
right, but I am loathe to start fiddling without knowing what the heck
I am doing. I see what look to be 2 small adjustment screws on the
arm of the deraileur, but am not going near them till I know what I am
doing. There dont seem to be any markings on them; unlike the SRAM
rear derailleur.

On an aside, I am considering getting a Shimano LX front derailleur to
replace this unit; at last I can get a service/adjustment instruction
sheet for it... LBS I bought it from is some 350 kms away, so I think
I'll have to resolve it myself.

Thoughts and ideas welcomed.


Cheers,

Rod.....Out Back (and novice MTB mechanic...)

Rod Out Back wrote:
Folks,

[chomp]

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=75

It's the second link google returned for this search :

adjust front derailleur

Rod Out Back Wrote:
Folks,

Trying to work out how to adjust the settings on the Simano Alivio
front derailleur on my new bike (Giant AC 06). Shimano havent
anything in the way of adjustment info on their web site (that I could
find), and the handfull of manuals that came with the bike show nearly
everything but this component.

The front cogs are a 2-cog set (22/32), and the front selector (SRAM
SX-4) has settings for 3 cogs. While on the small cog(1), I select
'2' on the gear select. The chain changes over, but I have a rattly
noise which suggests the chain is rubbing. I found that selecting the
3rd (mythical) front cog quietens it down, and I can then select the
2nd cog again (from 3), and the noise is absent.

Sorry; not explaining this terribly well...

I get the impression that the front deraileur isnt adjusted quite
right, but I am loathe to start fiddling without knowing what the heck
I am doing. I see what look to be 2 small adjustment screws on the
arm of the deraileur, but am not going near them till I know what I am
doing. There dont seem to be any markings on them; unlike the SRAM
rear derailleur.

On an aside, I am considering getting a Shimano LX front derailleur to
replace this unit; at last I can get a service/adjustment instruction
sheet for it... LBS I bought it from is some 350 kms away, so I think
I'll have to resolve it myself.

Thoughts and ideas welcomed.


Cheers,

Rod.....Out Back (and novice MTB mechanic...)


Rod,
This is the Deore service instructions from the shimano site. Alivio
front dr is probably very similar.
http://tinyurl.com/8gulx

Check out Sheldon Brown's site here for front dr adjustment:
http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

Assuming the alivio shifter and SRAM front dr are compatible, you
should be able to set it up to just use positions 1 & 2 positions on
the shifter but it sounds like you don't have enough cable tension to
pull the dr out far enough in the 2 position.

The chain is probably rubbing on the outside of the cage (have a look
from above). When you shift to position 3 it is pulling the dr cage out
further so it doesn't rub. You need to increase the the cable tension,
either using the adjuster on the shifter where the cable comes out, or
if this is not enough, by disconnecting the cable clamp on the front dr
and clamping it further along the cable.

You need to adjust the high limit screw on the front dr so that it
cannot be pulled out to far. This will stop you shifting to position 3
as the limit screw will stop prevent the cable from pulling the dr out
any further. Make sense? Anyhow Sheldon's site explains it very well.

Adam


--
adam85

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 23:01:06 GMT, Rod Out Back
wrote:

Folks,

Trying to work out how to adjust the settings on the Simano Alivio
front derailleur on my new bike (Giant AC 06). Shimano havent


Many thanks to Bleve and adam85; you have answered my question(s) and
more.

bleve: I made the mistake of searching for shimano alivio, rather than
thinking of what it was I was trying to do....Pretty bright...

Thanks again both of you; you've given me a great start.


Cheers,

Rod.....Out Back

Rod Out Back wrote:
On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 23:01:06 GMT, Rod Out Back
wrote:

Folks,

Trying to work out how to adjust the settings on the Simano Alivio
front derailleur on my new bike (Giant AC 06). Shimano havent


Many thanks to Bleve and adam85; you have answered my question(s) and
more.

bleve: I made the mistake of searching for shimano alivio, rather than
thinking of what it was I was trying to do....Pretty bright...



Glad the stuff helped.
Front deralleur setup is a bit tricky sometimes, getting the height and
rotation right is critical or they do odd things, but if they were set
up right by a competant mechanic, you rarely if ever have to move them
- same with the limit screws, most gear issues are cable tension or
cable stickyness (probably 90% of gear shift problems we see are cable
tension related). If the thing's been crashed, or pulled apart etc ..
then that changes

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 11:57:32 +1100, adam85 wrote:
Assuming the alivio shifter and SRAM front dr are compatible, you should
be able to set it up to just use positions 1 & 2 positions on the
shifter but it sounds like you don't have enough cable tension to pull
the dr out far enough in the 2 position.

I'd suggest using 2 & 3. Set 3 so that you get full range on the big
ring, but it'll still shift down in 2. You'll probably find that there's
just a touch of rub in the low end of the smaller ring (big sprockets at
the back). That's where you can use 1 to bring the cage just a touch in,
and have the limit set a long way in so it doesn't drop off the inside of
the cage.
--
Dave Hughes |
"Coming to work with a faraway look and a really heavy gym bag starts to
look like a marvellously good idea." - Dan Rutter