9 speed XT set up

mastersong

I give up - after 6 months of trying to set up 9 speed XT shifting, I've got to admit defeat and resort to world wide assistance.

My 7 speed STX based bear valley I can set up first time every time using the second smallest cog. I unscrew the adjuster till the chains starts to rattle then twist back in half a turn. It then changes sweet in all gears until I clean the cables again. This bike is seven years old still with the original shifters, cable and derallier on.

Conversely my one year old rift zone with XT 9 speed is impossible to set up. If I set it up right on the second cog, it then misses between 4th and 5th. If I get changing up right, changing down misses - I'm forever fireing two clicks to get the gear I want. Have changed the sprockets and chain recently but no improvement. The only other thing I can think of is the Marin plasticine drop out that will bend in a strong breeze! If this is out could it be causing my problems or is there a completely different technique for 9 speed set up?

Pinarello

I am not sure why you are setting it up on the second smallest cog. I have always let the rear derailleur cable go free and line up the rear derailleur up on the smallest cog using the stop adjustment screws. I think this is how Shimano describes it in their literature. Then I set the cables adjuster knobs on both the shifter and rear derailleur to their midddle positions and finally set the cable. From there I use the cable adjusters to do the fne tuning. I have done this on my 8 speed XT MTB and 9 speed XTR MTB and both 9 speed Ultegra road bikes. No shifting problems.

Otherwise a bent or flexible dropout sure would cause a problem. Good luck!

mastersong

Thanks for the feedback. The local shop made a small adjustment to the hanger but still made a hash of setting up the gears. A new cable inner improved it for a few rides but its now back to its old tricks. I've put a new post up re how people maintain their cables to see if that bears any fruit. Other than that, I may try a new derailleur.

daveornee

I think the trouble is the cable and housings.
Replace them with the highest quality you can afford. Handle them with care to keep the inside clean and the ends smooth. I like to use a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to get clean housing ends.
Check ou Sheldon Brown's site on cable/housing at URL:
http://sheldonbrown.com/cables.html

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David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA

Hecubus

If you suspect the hanger is damaged get a new one. A straightened hanger usually starts bending again since it is weakened. Change all the cables and housing for quality ones and if you really can't figure it out its probably best to just take it to a bike shop to get adjusted.

b2b

the same problems, once caused by bent deraileur, and once bent drop out

daveornee

My reasoning on the cable housings as the trouble is that when you replaced the inner cable "improved it for a few rides".
Make sure the inner cable moves cleanly and free in both directions all the way through the housings, cable ends, and bottom bracket "cable trench". Make sure everything is aligned and non-restricted at the frame cable stops.
You can shift through the gears in both directions while pulling on the end of the cable that you detached from the rear derailer.
To see if the hanger is out-of-alignment you can use a Park or other device used specifically for this porpose. While checking alignment, make sure you wheel is properly aligned in the drop outs and that the drop outs are properly aligned.
I suppose you could also have a bent/broken axle on the rear hub. You would see that in cassette wobble when the wheel is turning and "free-wheeling".

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David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA

mastersong

Problem solved - bought new cable housings and gear changing is now perfection. Thanks for you help on this and to all others that posted replies.

Still baffles me why my 7 year old bike shifts perfectly perfectly on the original cables and the rift zone lost it after only a few months. Both are out in all conditions. I guess it could just be that 9 speed is less tolerant of dirty cables.